BOWER OF BLOOMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 29 November 1929, Page 15

BOWER OF BLOOMS.

WREATHS ON THE CENOTAPH.

TRIBUTES FROM SERVICES.

CEREMONY WITHOUT WORDS

AN IMPRESSIVE. GATHERING

Wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph yesterday as the sun sank to the west and the chill breeze of evening sighed through the trees. It was a ceremony without words, a simple act of homage expressing the sentiment of the men who came back. The Auckland Grammar School cadets formed a wide-set cordon round the Cenotaph. Beyond this several thousands of people assembled to take their mute part in the ceremony. How many ex-service-men were present is not known. Several hundreds fell in and marched to the Cenotaph. Many more were scattered in the general crowd.

Beautiful flowers in wreaths and other forms signifying remembrance were carried by the services wreath party, v composed of two women or men from each branch' of the services. Assembling down by the trees to the north of the Cenotaph they tramped slowly up through the crowd and within the square ol blue-clad schoolboys, whose bearing throughout the proceedings gave the touch of military ceremony and precision required by the occasion.

First Wreath from Mothers. Yesterday, as on any day in the future, anyone who would might lay an emblem of remembrance at, the Cenotaph. So it was that on the opposite side of the square from the official party another long procession—mainly women, a number children—formed to take a part in the service of homage to mourned comrades, sons, brothers and friends, for a service it was in spirit, though not in religious form.

It was ;m expression of the soldiers' sentiment that the first wreath should be placed on behalf of the mothers. Mrs. A. W. Averili deposited it on behalf of the Mothers' Union of England. Then emblems were placed by the president of ihe Victoria League, Miss Mowbray; the president of the Returned Soldiers' Association, Captain A. C. A. Sexton; the representative of the Government, the Hon. J. B. Donald; the Mayor, Mr. GBaildon, representing the City Council, and General Sir George Richardson, the senior officer on parade, representing the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Service Representatives.

The representatives of the services then paid tribute in order as follows: Nursing Sisters, Ex-service Women, Royal Navy, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Mercantile Navy, British Regiments,""Scottish Regiments, Irish Regiments, Indian Regiments, Canadian Regiments, Australian Regiments, South African Regiments, New Zealand Staff Corps, New Zealand Permanent Staff, Royal New Zealand Artillery, New Zealand Mounted Rifles Regiments, New Zealand Artillery (N.Z-E.F.), New Zealand Artillery (Territorials). New Zealand Engineers, New Zealand Divisional Signal Corps, New Zealand Cyclists Battalion, New Zealand Machinegun Corps, 3rd Auckland Regiment, 6tb Hauraki Regiment, 15th North Auckland Regiment, 16th Waikato Regiment, Otago Regiments, Wellington Regiments, Canterbury Regiments, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, New Zealand Pioneer Battalion. N"e\v Zealand Army Service Corps, New Zealand Army Chaplains, Officers' Club, Auckland Navy League. Takapuna Exservicemen, Auckland Grammar School Cadets, King's College Cadets, Mount Albert Grammar School Cadets. The party was commanded by Major W. F. Stilwell, M.C», with Captain S. C. Reid, M.C., as his staff officer.

A memorable Scene. The scene while the wreaths were being laid at the foot of the Cenotaph will livp long in memory. Four men from th» Legion of Frontiersmen, standing with bowdH heads and reversed arms, formed the guard at the base of the Cenotaph The Municipal Band played familiar and well-loved hymn tunes while reverently, in unhurrying procession, the wreaths were placed. No word was spoken during all this time; in fact, except for commands and murmured directions, speech did not enter into any part of the ceremony. The bearing of those who brought the flowers, the salutes of the many who were in uniform, were eloquent Many an eyo was moist, and in many a breast the sadness of loss was poignantly re-awakened, as the soul-stirring notes of the "Last Post" and "Reveille" were sounded by the trumpeters from the Auckland Grammar School. The band played "God Save the King," and the ceremonv was ended

Hundreds of wreaths made the base of tile Cenotaph a bower of blooms.