LAID TO REST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 12

LAID TO REST

LATE KING GEORGE SOLEMN PAGEANTRY FUNERAL'S STATELY MARCH A MILLION'LINE ROUTE [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] By Air Mail LONDON, Feb. 1 The long break in the ordered life of tho community has ended. Tho Royal funeral has run its solemn course. Apart from the natural sorrow of a nation for the departure of a beloved King, 1 and sympathy for the near relatives, there remains a great sense of pride that the Royal house of the British nations should bo held in such high esteem by the world at largo. I It was fitting that those who were responsible for the splendour of the jubilee celobrations less than a year ago should make of these final scenes something not less splendid in their own special way. The people of the Empire required that it should be so. It is estimated that a million people gathered to pay thffr last tribute. No single person could hope to see more than a phase of this magnificent spectacle. Thanks to modern inventions, however, the records of sight and sound gathered by several score of men advantageously placed are now to be seen and heard throughout the Empire. At Westminster Hall A quarter of an hour before the coffin was borne out of Westminster Hall on the shoulders of Guardsmen the solemn strokes of Big Ben boomed out the first of its 70 tolling minutebells. Almost immediately afterward the guard of honour —Ist Battalion Grenadier Guards, Royal Marines, and Royal Air Force—drawn up opposito the great door of the hall, sprang to the Royal Salute, presenting arms while the Colours were lowered to touch the ground. King Edward had arrived, the first of the Royal Family. His Majesty was wearing the uniform of an admiral of the fleet. He passed direct into the hall, to stgnd once again for a moment by the side of the coffin resting on the catafalque. Inside the hall were already gathered the Kings and Princes from foreign lands. There, too, came, after the Kiug, his brothers —the Duke of York, in Air Force uniform, the Duke of Gloucester, in that of tho Hussars, and the Duko of Kent, in Naval uniform. In a few minutes the King reappeared and stood under tho canopy to await. Queen Mary. Seven coaches were seen approaching. With a wide sweep they entered New Palace Yard. Tho first coach, drawn by two bays, camo to a halt bv the entrance. As the door was opened the King stepped forward to greet tho Queen. With her wero the Queen of Norway, the Princess Royal and the Duchess' of York. Together ' the King and Queen Mary entered the hall. Procession Through London Then beneath the awning outside the entrance to Westminster Hall the bearers were seen with their burden. The coffin, draped by the Royal Standard and hearing the Crown, the Orb, the Sceptre, and the Insignia of the Garter, was carried slowly forward. As the coffin passed out of Palace Yard, the Royal Standard, which had been flying at half-mast above the Houses of Parliament, was struck, and the Union Jack broken in its place. The slight figure of the Duke of. Norfolk, Earl Marshal, headed tho main part of the procession, and after there had passed those who in high or humble office had most closely served King George came the solid detachment of sailors drawing the body of their admiral. With a wonderful steadiness they moved past tho Cenotaph, which they saluted with " eyes right," and then wheeled across the road io take the curve into the Horse Guards Parade at its widest. Behind the draped Royal Standard walked King Edward, a solitary figure, with arm raised in salute at the Cenotaph, followed by his brothers in blood and sovereignty. Queen's Glass Coach As the procession left Parliament Square the Guards' Band was playing Handel's Dead March. It was succeeded by the Cameron and Black Watch pipers shrilling " Lovat's Lament." When the bands reached the Parade it was the turn of the Royal Air Force musicians. Queen Mary's glass coach brought a touch of colour. Standing on tho platform at the back of the coach were four servants in scarlet uniform cloaks. The Queen and her Royal companions could be cliscerned only as dim, veiled figures. From the windows and balconies of the big hotels and blocks of flats in Park Lane thousands of spectators were able to sefe the procession, as a solemn pageant. It was not easy to pick out Kings and Princes or military and naval chiefs, but thero was a concentration of the form and colour of the spectacle. For two hours the shock of the minute-guns punctuated everything at precisely-spaced intervals. Long before the Royal funeral procession was expected tho approaches to the platforms at Paddington station were crowded by His Majesty's guests, travelling in special trains to Windsor. Banners of purple edged with white hung on standards flanking the approach to No. 8 platform, from which the Royal train was to start. Even tho roof was draped in purple. Surmounting it was a great wreath over five feet across composed of laurels and Flanders poppies. striking uniforms of the foreign visitors made a startling splash of colour against this sombre background. Their scarlet, green or blue cloaks, plumed hats and clanking swords contrasted sharply with the scarlet and ermine of His Majesty's Judges and the black vobes of counsel. When the cortege arrived at Paddington the bearer party lifted the coffin to their shoulders, and bore it slowly to the train, between two lines of mourning Royalty. Now a band in the distance was playing i'O Rest in the . Lord." Tho King, Queen Mary and the others went to their compartments. The starting signal, far down the platform, turned from orange to green. Tho train steamed out on its way to Windsor.