REMEMBRANCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 26 April 1937, Page 6

REMEMBRANCE

ANZAC DAY IN LONDON SERVICE AT ST. rAUI/S ELOQUENT SERMON BY CANON JAMES ••GUIDE OUR FEET INTO THE WAY OF PEACE” lllnitcd Pres* Association—B.v Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Received 26th April, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, 25th April. St. Paul’s Cathedral was packed tor the Anzac service. Ticketholders, among whom were hundreds of Anzacs from all parts of the United Kingdom and dozens of war widows and mothers, all bemedalled, had seats beneath the dome. The service had a decidedly military flavour with martial hymns, the congregational singing of which was full throated.

Mr S. M. Bruce (Australian High Commissioner), and Mr W. J. Jordan (New Zealand High Commissioner), read the Lessons.

In an eloquent sermon, Canon P. E. James, of Wellington, whose text was “Guide our feet into the way of peace,” commented on thfc coincidence that the Gallipoli landing, in which the New Zealanders and Australians received their baptism of war, also happened on a Sunday. When the young warriors were tried in fire, they were not found unworthy of the race from the lands which gave them birth. MARCH TO THE CENOTAPH The procession formed up outside St. Paul’s after the service and presented a fine spectacle as it proceeded to the Cenotaph, headed by the Band of the Welsh Guards, then following the Australian Coronation Contingent, the New Zealand Contingent, a Royal Naval Division, the 29th Division, and Australian and New Zealand ex-service-men. The numbers astonished Londoners, who had no idea until now that Australia and New Zealand were so well represented here. At the Cenotaph Royal Marine buglers sounded the “Last Post,” then followed the placing of wreaths by Sir Archdale Parkhill, Mr W. J. Jordan, Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, Sir lan Hamilton, Sir Roger Keyes and others, after which the Reveille was bounded. CONTINGENTS ENTERTAINED The contingents formed up and marched past Sir lan Hamilton, who took the salute.

Later representatives of the contingents were present at a luncheon arranged by the British Empire Service League at the expense of the Overseas Troops Entertainment Fund at St. Eermin’s Hotel, Westminster. Field-Marshall Lord Milne, the chairman of the League, who presided, recalled that Anzac was now a word in -the English language. He regretted that the Dominion troops attending the Coronation were less numerous than when Australians and New Zealanders came in their thousands to ensure their King remaining on his Throne. WALTON-ON-THAMES Lieutenant-Colonel Bernard Myers represented the High Commissioner of New Zealand, Mr W. J. Jordan, at the Anzac service in St. Mary’s Church at Walton-on-Thames. He deposited a wreath of Flanders poppies. "INCOMPARABLE TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION” Forty members of the “Incomparable 29th Division,” veterans of the deathless River Clyde landing on Gallipoli, saved up for the year to enable them to travel by motor coach from Sheffield to participate in the annual memorial service at the Holy Trinity Church at Eltham. New Zealand was represented by Petty Officer F. C. Smith, who brought the River Clyde’s bell to the church.

IN MELBOURNE

SERVICE AT SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE OVER 200,000 PEOPLE ATTEND MELBOURNE, 25th April. About 20,000 marched in the Anzac procession through the city to the Shrine of Remembrance, where an appropriate service was held. It is estimated that 200,000 people lined the route of march, later attending the Shrine service, where the principal speaker was the Govrenor, Lord Huntingfield. The first Anzac ceremony was a dawn service at the Shrine, which was attended by 6000 soldiers, assembling at 5.30 a.m. \ On Saturday night, 90 New Zealand soldiers attended a happy reunion in a city cafe. Mr A. E. Fraser presided, addresses being given by Padre H. Clarke, Colonel C. H. Evans, Mr N. Wilson, and items by Mr Pat Hanna. WELLINGTON HOMAGE DEEPLY MOVING CEREMONY MESSAGE FROM THE KING [By Telegraph—Preen Association! WELLINGTON, This Day. Though the landing at Gallipoli is receding into history, the commemoration yesterday, Anzac Day, of the twenty-second anniversary of the splendid achievement of the Australian and New Zealand troops revealed no diminution in the desire of the people of Wellington to pay homage to the Dominion’s war dead. The Citizen’s War Memorial was again the shrine before which many thousands of the population united in a deeply moving ceremony, with those who had served sverseas not only at Anzac, but also on several fronts of the Great War.

The tranquil and warm afternoon provided a perfect atmosphere for the community service of remembrance. The Governor-General, Lord Galway was present. The Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, himself a padre, delivered the address, the Rev. A. Muriel, M.C., conducting the service, assisted by the Rev. A. Brian Kilroy, M.C. More than 1200 returned soldiers took nart. in the parade.

During the service Lord Galway read the following message from the King:

"The thoughts of the Queen and myself arc with my people in New Zealand in their observance of this clay of glorious memory.”—George R.I.

His Excellency sent the following reply:

“Your Majesty’s subjects in this Dominion most deeply appreciate the gracious message from Your Majesty and the Queen. In the observance of this day of sacred memory, the thoughts of all turn with loyalty and affection to the Throne.”—Galway. OBSERVANCE IN TRUE SPIRIT APPEAL BY MAYOR OF HASTINGS SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS HOLIDAY IN AWARDS [By Telegraph—Press Association] HASTINGS, 26th April. An appeal to not only returned soldiers, but to everyone to observe Anzac Day in the true spirit, that is as a day of reverence and not a holiday, was made by the Mayor, Mr Maddison to members of the Hastings R.S.A. on the occasion of the Association’s 21st birthday. Mr Maddison pointed out that in certain industrial labour awards provision was being included for observing Anzac Day when it fell on a Sunday on the following day, this being in the nature of a statutory holiday. “It says that when provision was made in the Act for the observance of Anzac Day it was made so that it was a Sunday, and was to be observed as a day of reverence and sacredness. It is contrary to the spirit of Anzac that it should be treated as a holiday as it would be be, if included in awards, as it is proposed it should be.”