SERVICE AT CENOTAPH

Evening Star, Issue 19712, 12 November 1927, Page 6

SERVICE AT CENOTAPH

IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY ALBERT HALL FESTIVAL OLD CONTEMPTIBLES AT SKINS. (British Official News.) Frets Association—By Wireless—Copyright. RUGBY, November 11. (Received November 12, at noon.) The great crowd that assembled in Whitehall on Armistice Day is like no other crowd that - London knows throughout the year. It assembles and it stands in silence, and its perfect quietude is the measure of the deep emotions which are stirred in British hearts, and which are mellowed but nndiminished by. the passing of nino years. In the early hours ol tins morning people began to gather near the Cenotaph, which had already been piled with wreaths sent by British communities overseas, as far distant as Sao-Paulo (Brazil) and Rhodesia ; and long before tho service began Whitehall was again a mass of unmoving and noiseless humanity. Tho same simple ceremonial as in previous years was followed ton minutes before, it began. Tho King arrived and .stood between his sons in a hollow square around the Cenotaph formed by service and exservice detachments. He stepped forward and laid his wreath at the base of the Cenotaph, after which others were laid by the Princes, members of the Government, and representatives of tho services and from overseas. Then with the tiring of the signals came tho two minutes’ .silence. As it ended tho bugle notes of the ‘ Last Post ’ sounded, and then the crowd, led by choirs and massed guards’ bands, sang ‘God Our Help.’ ‘The Reveille’ followed, and the service ended with tho National Anthem. Then began a long reverent pilgrimage to the Cenotaph by the patient queues of people to lay their wreaths at its base. Meanwhile a service had been held at the tomb of the unknown warrior in Westminster Abbey, and in innumerable churches throughout tho country, the whole Empire, on British ships, and in British communities abroad, the license was observed.

This evening one'of the most impressive celebrations of tho Armistice is being held. Ten thousand men and women from all parts of the Home Country and the overseas dominions who served in tho Great War are assembled in Albert Hall, taking part in the ‘‘remembrance festival.” They are joining in in the singing of songs that cheered and heartened them during the war.

The Prince of Wales will deliver an address at the close of the festival. The proceedings will be broadcast to the British Empire from Chelmsford, and to the British Isles from Daveutry. For the first time the Prince is sending a message which may be heard by all British subjects throughout the world at the same time. A gathering which is taking place in Hyde Park will celebrate the occasion in a similar manner and listen to a broadcast of tho Prince’s speech. When the Albert Hall meeting ends tho audience will form a procession, marshalled by the British Legion, and will march to the Cenotaph. _ One thousand torches will bo borne in the procession, which will be led by the Bands of the Grenadier and Irish Guards. Tho contingent from Hyde Park will swell tho numbers of the pilgrimage. At the Cenotaph a simple ceremony will take place, and a wreath will he laid on behalf of the ox-Service men and women •of tho British Empire. The trumpeters of the Life Guards, tho Royal Horse Guards, and the Tenth Hussars will sound the ‘ Last Post ’ and tho ‘Reveille,’ after which the hymn ‘ Abide With' Mo ’ and the National Anthem will conclude this great tribute of war veterans. A partv of more than 200 members of the Old Contemptibles’ Association —members of the original British Expeditionary Force in the Great War—observed two minutes’ silence to-day at a spot where they first came into contact with the Germans during tho war. This is the first time since the armistice, nine years ago, that representatives of British soldiers who were in the Battle of Mens have commemorated it at the spot they themselves made famous.