MEMORIAL IN FRANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19456, 12 October 1926, Page 9

MEMORIAL IN FRANCE.

SOUTH AFRICAN DEAD. DELVILLE WOOD CEREMONY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 10.35 p.m.) PARIS. Oct. 10. A memorial to the South African soldiers who were killed in the war was unveiled to-day at Delville Wood. About 500 prominent British and South African visitors arrived at Amiens by special train from Calais, via Boulogne, for the ceremony. A large crowd of people waited to witness the arrival of the Channel steamer Biarritz at Calais. Owing to the rough sea and strong wind the vessel ran aground at the entrance to the harbour. She was refloated after 20 minutes. Among those on board were Prince Arthur of Connaught, Earl Haig and General Hertzog, Prime Minister of South Africa. The memorial was unveiled by Mrs. Botha. It was accepted in trust on behalf of South Africa by General Hertzog. It is connected with the Delville Wood cemetery by an oak avenue. The trees were grown from South African acorns and from oaks planted by French settlers in Cape Colony. This is the most imposing war monument yet erected on the British battlefields in France. A spacious rectangular grass plot, which was the sceno of the hardest fighting, is surrounded on all sides by ravaged ground showing broken trenches and trees hewn down by German gunfire. The memorial stands in the centre of the plot. It is most original. It consists of a semi-circular wall flanked by classical buildings. In the middle is a bronze horse with a nude youth on each side representing tho two white races to whom the destiny of South Africa has been entrusted. Beyond is the cemetery. Several monuments to British brigades and divisions who fought on the Somme are close at hand. On the flanking walls of the memorial are dedicatory inscriptions and rolls of honour. A pilgrimage to the cemetery and a consecration service preceded the unveiling ceremony.