WAR-GRAVE PILGRIMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 August 1929, Page 5

WAR-GRAVE PILGRIMS

VISIT TO FRANCE . I REGRETTABLE INCIDENTS (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) , LONDON, August 1. In connection with the Australian pilgrims’ inspection of battlefields, one incident caused annoyance. The pilgrims were detained for 90 minutes in the rain by French customs officials minutely searching individuals while crossing from Belgium to Lille. Workers, leaving the Menin factories congregated making insulting references to “money-making foreigners"’ who prospered* as the result of French sacrifices, whereupon an ex digger replied in emphatic English “Then it is a pity we ever fought.” The scene which followed was unprecedented. The Pilgrims toured the battle fields and saw graves of millions slaughtered. One delegate remarked: “If the League of Nations saw this sight they would give up petty bickerings.” One mother who saw graves of two sons, at the Somme and Ypres, fervently declared “Only fiends could favour wars after seeing cemeteries.”