ANCIENT RELICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1940, Page 8

ANCIENT RELICS

UNEARTHED IN ENGLAND. While Australian soldiers were digging a trench at the Headquarters camp of the A.I.F. in Britain, they unearthed a stone archway estimated by local historians to be almost 1000 years old. The story of this discovery is related in a special despatch from Kenneth Slessor, Official Correspondent with the A.I.F. in Britain, and released by the Australian Trade Commissioner in New Zealand. “The camp,” says Mr Slessor, “is situated on a site which is rich in literary and historical associations, and though the Australians are not archaelogists trench digging assumes new interest when your pick is likely any moment to land on some buried relic of early English romance. “The three-stone top of the arch is ,perfectly preserved and the line of the walled corridor approaching it can be clearly traced. According to history books of the district, the arch is almost certainly part of a nun’s convent built in 980.

' “Among flint and rubble thrown up by the Australians’ spades, a number of beautifully glazed tiles has been found, with coloured patterns of crosses, fluer de lys and lions, rampant. These come from the walls of cells, and others are unglazed from floors that were trodden by holy feet almost 1000 years ago. The tiles have been eagerly sought as souvenirs : by the Australians. ”. ' ' ‘ “Nor are these, the only historical souvenirs which have been added to the A.I.F. collection. Major General Wynter told me ruefully a few days ago how he had been forestalled by souvenir hunters soon after his establishment in the Headquarters building, an, old, stone mansion built on a spot famous in fable and romance. “Over the door of his bedroom, Major General Wynter found a nameplate with an inscription indicating ; that it was the site of the bedroom of j a legendary English Queen. Thinking about it later in the day, it occurred!! to him that the nameplate would be j an interesting relic of his stay in England., But when he returned to the room he found that someone else unknown, had got in first and the 1 nameplate had disappeared. 1 “One relic which has almost mir- f aculously survived the frenzy of the t souvenir hunter is still to be seen in 2 the visitors’ book in the officers’ mess, c The book so far contains only one sig- s

nature—George R.l.—in a heavy and decisive hand. The King signed it on the occasion of his visit of inspection of the A.I.F. in Britain some weeks ago. “It is a tribute to the integrity of all concerned that the signature is still there on an easily detachable leaf. The Royal car was not so lucky, for despite the precautions of the chaffeur who hastily grabbed the standards on the radiator and mudguards, immediately it was parked at the Australian headquarters, a Royal flag'was on display in one of the tents five minutes after the King’s departure. “After the temporary excitement of the discovery of the ancient archway, trench digging still goes on. The diggers have chalked a large sign at the side of the.excavation reading: ‘Men wanted, 5/6 a day.’”