FOR REMEMBRANCE

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 18

FOR REMEMBRANCE

LE QUESNOY MEMORIAL. TRIBUTE TO NEW ZEALANDERS. PARIS, July 16. For many days the inhabitants of Lo Quesnoy have been making preparations for the unveiling of the French memorial in honour of the New Zealanders. This takes the form of a marble plaque in the ramparts near where the Rifle Brigade climbed the wall on November 4, 1918. The streets were garlanded with flowers, and the people from the whole countryside gathered for the unveiling. The impressive eeremony at the French monument began on Saturday night. The New Zealand Avenue of Honour leads along battlements from the Place d’Armes in tile, middle of the town through an archway to the bastion outside the walls facing the monument, which is from the chisel of M. Felix Desrulles, the famous French sculptor. There is a beautiful garden in which many varieties of New Zealand flax and flowers are growing on the bastion and in the moat. The statuary presents a magnificent effect, including a beautiful figure of Peace triumphant, and a reproduction of the battalion climbing the wall. The inhabitants were enthusiastic, and were much impressed by

the pilgrimage to the New Zealand garden. Those present included Lord Milner, Lord Liverpool, Sir James Allen, the High Commissioners of South Africa and India, General Sir Alexr. Godley, General Sir Fabian Ware, Colonel Johnston, the Hons. Dr W. E. Collins and C. H. Izard (members of the New Zealand Legislative Council), Mrs H. T. Eulton, and other New Zealanders. There were also present Lieutenant Averille, who was first over the wall, and also Lieutenant Lang and Sergeant Moscrop, who took part in the siege. A distinctive record of the valour of New Zealand troops in France has been carried out at Le Quesnoy, the old walled fortress which was stormed and captured by the New Zealanders on November 4, 1918. The main design is carved from a slab of marble 10ft long and 7ft v.’ide, which has been set in the fortress walls where they were scaled by our troops. The memorial itself is the result of the joint effort of M. Desrulles, a well-known French sculptor, and of Mr A. R. Eraser, a talented young New Zealander. As completed, the winged figure of Victorious Peace stands boldly out on the right hand of the foreground. She breaks the sword of war beneath her feet, and holds in her right hand the wreath of victory, in her left the palm of peace. On the left hand of the foreground—among rough

rock work—is a small cross in memory of those who fell in the action. On the recessed background is the representation of the scaling of the wall in low relief. Surrounding the marble sculpture is dark stone work acting as a gradation in colouring from the brick of the wall to the marble. On this has been carved the inscriptions. On the left are the words: “En l’honneur des hommes de la Nouvelle Zelande grace a la valeur desquels la ville de Le Quesnoy fut rendue a la France, le 4 Novembre, 1918.” And on the right: “In honour of the men of New Zealand, through whose valour the town of Le Ouesnov was restored to France, 4th November, 1918.” Over the Flench inscription is carved in low relief the oak trees which are the arms of Le Quesnoy, and over the English the fern leaf, badge of the New Zealanders. UNVEILED BY LORD MILNER. LONDON, July 16. The Australian Press Association’s Le Quesnoy correspondent says that Marshal Joffre and General Colly ns (Belgium) attended the unveiling. It is only the second similar Occasion which Marshal Joffre has attended. At a banquet, in responding to cordial speeches by Marshal Joffre, the Mayor of Le Quesnoy, and others, Lord Milner referred to the splendid results to the world of the co-operation between the

Erench and the English. He said he hoped that the union would be eternal. Later Lord Milner unveiled the memo riaJ. It was an inspiring sight. The battlements were black with people, and the choir sang a hymn of praise. Lord Milner, in eulogising the New Zealanders as the deliverers of the town, highly praised the New Zealand Division. The Mayor said : “We will never forget.” Marshal Joffre said that he brought the French army’s salutations to the soldiers and people of New Zealand. Many wreaths were placed on the balustrade by the inhabitants of Le Quesnoy. PARIS, July 16. Sir James Allen, in a speech at the Le Quesnoy ceremony, paid a tribute to the glory of the fallen heroes, and dwelt on the necessity of strengthening the AngloFrench friendship. He deposited wreaths on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand. BATTLES OF THE SOMME. TABLET IN AMIENS CATHEDRAL. PARTS, July 16. Lord Liverpool unveiled a marble tablet in memory of the New Zealanders who fell in the battles of the Somme in the Amiens Cathedral at the conclusion of morning mass for the dead. The memorial is attached to a column at the head of the nave, and is inscribed: “ To the glory of God and to the memory of the New Zealanders who fell in the battles of the Somme, 1916 and ’ The inscription is repeated in French. The New Zealand party came from Le Quesnoy to attend the unveiling. The Bishop of Amiens, in an eloquent speech in French eulogising New Zealand’s sacrifices, said “ The walls of an ancient cathedral abase themselves before this solemn manifestation of friendship. The names of the New Zealand heroes are inscribed on the hearts of the people of Amiens, whose gratitude will ever guard their memory.” Afterwards the Prefect of the Somme, with the Mayor and the Commander of the Second French Army Corps, and the clergy lunched with Sir James Allen and party, when the French Army and the New Zealand Defence E'orce were toasted. AIR FORCE MEMORIAL. TRIBUTE BY PRINCE OF WALES. LONDON, July 16. The Prince of Wales unveiled a memorial on Victoria Embankment to the men of the Air Force who fell in the war. The Duke cf York accompanied his brother. The Prince said that the memorial would stand as a lasting tribute from the heart of this great city to the memory of the men of all ranks of the Empire Air Force who died to give us final victory. Their exploits and their undaunted courage had established a tradition for the new service which our proud armies would carry for the future, whether in peace or war. The memorial is erected on the site of the old Whitehall Stairs. It consists of a stone pylon surmounted by an eagle in the act of striking off from the ground with wings outspread. OLD ETONIANS. LONDON, July 16. A number of old Etonians are protesting that Sir Bertram Mackennal’s beautiful bronze group of nude youths is unsuitable for a war memorial to the 1100 Etonians who fell in the war, but the Eton authorities have decided to put up the statue when the Royal Academy closes.