ARMISTICE DAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 13 November 1922, Page 5

ARMISTICE DAY

OBSEBVAHGE \\i tONDON CEREMONY AT THE CENOTAPH

(By Elective Telegraph— Copyright.) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Associawon.)

LONDON, Nov. 11

Grey skies greeted the Armistice anniversary. Whitehall and all the approaches ' were densely crowded hours before the ceremony. Guardsmen, airmen,' blue jackets, marines, and exservicemen formed a square round the Cenotaph. The King, wearing a- service uniform, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and Duke of York arrived shortly before eleven. The King, in the presence of representatives of the naval and military commands and civilian services, deposited, a magnificent ■wreath of scarlet poppies and laurel on ■the north side, the Princes similar tributes on either side of the King s. Lord Curaon, on behalf of the mm-I istry, laid the first wreath on the west side, composed of white lilies. The High Commissioners followed. Sir J. Cook's wreath was of laurel and palms with a cluster of crimson roses attached. Sir Jas. Allen's wreath was of laurel with pink roses attached. Lord Devonshire offered a tribute on behalf of the Colonial Office. As Big Ben struck eleven all heads were bared. The city's very pulse seemed to cease and the silence throughout the whole metropolis was most impressive. Then the bands blared out the "Old Hundredth." in which the crowd joined heartily. The ceremony ended with a reveille. The tributes included a big sheaf of golden chrysanthemums, the gift ol' Anza.cs.

LadV Allen placed a wreath on behalf of the central school, Paluaerstoti North.

The pilgrimage continued all day lonii, and the base of the Cenotaph was hidden by thousands of beautiful finral designs. , \ An. unbroken stream of pilgrims visit ed the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey.

Throughout the .metropolis women sold millions of artificial Flanders' pop: pies in aid of destitute and disabled soldiers.

Later' several processions of unemployed and ex-service men paraded the Embankment and Whitehall, headed by I>ands and accompanied by banners, one inscribed—'l9l4 Mons, .starred; 1922, starving condition."

BELGIUM'S UNKNOWN WARRIOR PATrTETIC~CEREMONY

BRUSSELS, Nov. II

There was a pathetic ceremony in the waiting room of the Bruges station when Belgium's Unknown Warrior was selected. The room was transformed into a chapelle ardente in which five loffins were placed, two from the Yser, one from Liege, one from Antwerp, and one from Namur. A blinded soldier, who was led in by a Minister, selected one by placing a crown on the coffin. The selected body was then re-coffined and will be transported on Saturday to Brussels for 'intermentnear the Colonne dvi Congres. BRUSSELS, Nov. 11.

The King, Leopold, and representatives of the Allied armies., including Field-Marshal French, attended the.,bur ial of the Unknown Soldier, after which one mimute'a silence was observed throughout the country. The King delivered a speech and thousands of people dropped flowers on the tomb.

IN FRANCE PARIS, Nov. 12. M. Millerand unveiled an Armistice memorial at Rethondes in the Forest of Compiegne on the spot where Foch's carriage, in which the armistice was signed, stood at the historic moment. There were present—Lords Haig and Wemyss, Marshal Foch ; Allied Ambassadors, American, Italian, and Belgian military officers, and delegations of wounded soldiers and sailors. M. Millerand decorated Lord Wemyes with the Military Medal. Celebrations in Paris centred round the tomb of the Unknown Warrior at the Arch de Triomphe, where long queues were waiting to lay flowers on the tomb. Soldiers representing two hundred disbanded regiments paraded past the tomb, where M. Millerand, M. Poincare and members of Parliament assembled.

1H CANADA ' *~

In Canada the day was observed more generally Than hitherto. The two minutes' silence was effective all over the country. All trains, telegraphs, factories and shops suspended.

im mm\) STATES . NEW YORK, Nov. 11. Armistice Dav was celebrated quietly throughout the country. President Harding placed a wreath on the Unknown Soldier's grave at Washington. There were no speeches, various army and mavy officials merely standing" silently for two minutes. WASHINGTON, Nov. 10. President Harding, in an Armistice Day message, declared that while our first dutv "will be to our own, that duty cannot adequately \w discharged in ' narrowness and selfishness. "I think we have come to realise as a nation that we cannot hope to avoid obligations and responsibilities, often arduous and burdensome as part of our practice. We must pay for our fortunate relationship to the'confraternity of nations.

REMARKS BY MR WILSON WASHINGTON, Nov. 11

Mr Wilson, addressing a crowd of five thousand led by prominent men who made the annual Armistice Day pilgrimage to his home, said: "It is a singular circumstance that while we prescribed the conditions of the armistice we will not concur with the establishment of peace. That, of course, ■was brought about by a group in the United States Senate who preferred personal partisan motives to the honour of their country and the peace of the world. Thev 'do not represent the United States, because, the United States is moving forward and they are slipping backwards. Where the flipping will end only God can determine."