BRITAIN'S DEAD

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 112, 7 November 1935, Page 10

BRITAIN'S DEAD

MEMORIAL PLAQUE

REPLICA RECEIVED

GIFT FROM COMMISSION

When Sir -Fabian. Ware visited: New Zealand last year to tell New ■ Zealanders something of the work of the Imperial War Graves Commission, which is concerned with the care of the last resting places of the Empire's million war dead, he brought a message, of comfort to hundreds who were shown that their relatives and friends who fell on the battlefields are not forgotten. Because.of the interest shown by New' Zealanders in the work of the commission, Sir Fabian Ware felt that some permanent reminder of the thought and care given to war graves would be appreciated in the Dominion, and upon., his return to England persuaded the Commission to secure replicas of the memorial plaque in Westminster Abbey, and he has sent one of these to the Wellington.Returned Soldiers' Association, and one to the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association.

The replica is the same size as the plaque in the Abbey and is beautifully reproduced, even. the colouring of the coats of arms being faithfully, copied. The plaque is about thirty inches high by fifteen broad and has the Royal Arms surrounded by the Coats of Arms of. the Dominions at the top, the New Zealand Coat of Arms being in the central position. . Below, the Arms is the following lettering:—

To the glory of God and to the memory of one1 million dead of the British Empire who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918.

They'died in evei-y quarter of the earth and on all its seas: and their graves have been made sure to them by their kin.

The main host lie buried, in the land of our Allies of the War who have set.aside.their resting places in honour for ever.

Writing to the secretary of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, Sir Fabian states: "On returning from my tour'in Australia and New Zealand during December of last year, I mentioned to the Commission that you might like to have for your association a photographic reproduction of the plaque-which the Commission _ has placed in Westminster Abbey to commemorate the million dead of the British Empire. The Commission at once agreed to have reproductions prepared and I now have pleasure in forwarding a copy to you, which I think will speak for itself. It is hoped that you may be able to use 1 it in some way which may constantly remind, not only, ex-servicemen, but also those who'lost relations and friends in the Great War, that all parts of the Empire are united in "the permanent care of the graves of their war dead: -.■]■'. \ - ■■■ : .

"It may be of interest to mention that similar tablets have been' placed in a number of cathedrals in France and Belgium. In France the inscription is set out in French and English; but in Belgium, on the other hand, Latin and English have been used, the Belgian authorities having themselves suggested that this was the best way of overcoming the language difficulty in that country where, as you know, both French and Flemish are spoken ..." ■

As the reproductions of the.plaque, which are in-bas-relief and have more of the appearance of a bronze and enamel plaque than a photograph, have just been received, the executives of the Wellington R.S.A. and the N.Z.R.S.A. have hot yet decided upon their future use. The original plaque in ■ the Abbey was unveiled by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on November 19. 1926, in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, who were in London for the Imperial Conference of that year.