FIFTY NATIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18923, 27 January 1936, Page 7

FIFTY NATIONS

FUNERAL CORTEGE ZONE OF SILENCE WORLD CIRCUIT PLANNED PREPARATION BY UNITS NAVAL AND MILITARY (Elec. Tel. Copyrigb*—United Press Assn./ LONDON, Jan. 20.

The funeral of King George will 'be of a distinctly naval character, befitting King George's many years in the service. But the Army will supply nearly two divisions for duty in London, and representative detachments of eight infantry regiments, of which the King was Colonel-in-Chicf.

The Royal Artillery, engineers, tank corps, and territorial battalions, in which ho held titular rank, will also march in the procession. The two line cavalry units of which he was head arc at present abroad and-will not be represented. Overseas military representatives will include officers of the Dominions attached to the staff and other colleges. Many foreign armies are sending detachments.

Fifty nations will be represented by either their King or Ministers. The procession will pass through streets draped in purple and black.

A zone of silence will stretch round the globe during the funeral. The Broadcasting Corporation will broadcast from Daventry throughout the Empire descriptions of the processions between 9.30 a.m. and 10.45 (Greenwich mean time). The service at Windsor, approximately at 1 p.m., will be broadcast on G.S.G., G.S.F., and G. 5.8., and be relayed by world centres outside the Empire. Newspapers 1 recall that the two minutes' silence was first associated with Queen Victoria's funeral when the national silence was introduced in Australia ,

Thousands of seats to view the Royal funeral are selling at from two to 10 guineas. The demand exceeds that on Jubilee Day.

Sailors from H.M.S. Excellent, Portsmouth, are preparing the gun-carriage for tho Royal coffin, while, throughout London, workmen are erecting and draping stands and barriers for the funeral. Troops, including the Welsh Guards at the Tower, the King's company, the Grenadier Guards, with an average height of Oft 3in, at Wellington Barracks, and marines at Portsmouth, are rehearsing, with measured tread and arms reversed, for the ju'ocession in the mightiest and'most solemn spectacle the citv has ever seen.

MIGHTY SONG CHORUS CUP TIE BARRACKERS KING'S FAVOURITE HYMN LONDON, Jan. 25. Fifty thousand bairackers at the cup tic football game- hushed their clamour at Stamford Bridge when the raised baton of the bandmaster indicated silence. The occupants of the stands rose to attention as one man, and the crowd stilled itself and stood bareheaded.

Four trumpeters played "The Last Post" and then the drums broke in with a long heart-stirring roll as a. prelude to (he opening bars of King George's favourit;: hymn, "Abide with me." The crowd, after a pause of realisation, joined in the majestic harmony, swelling the mighty chorus from the football grounds through, out Britain, where similar observances, were honoured.

An intense stillness followed. The drums rolled again in their crescendo and the baud and voices united in the National Anthem.

Silence again supervened. Then cup tie vociferation burst forth, the crowds cheered, coins were spun and the games had begun. .

READING OF BIBLE ADVICE OF KING GEORGE PRIZE-GIVING SPEECH LONDON, Jan. 26. The Bishop of London, Dr. Winnington Ingram, recalling how King George distributed the prizes to Sanuringhain children, said that when His Majesty gave them Bibles, he used to say : "I was taught by my mother to say a prayer and to read the Bible every day. I have done it and I hope you will do the same."

TRIBUTES IN ULSTER ALL PARTIES COMBINE SYMPATHY AND LOYALTY LONDON, Jan. 26. All parties in the Northern Ireland Senate and the House of Commons paid a tribute to King George. Members, silently standing, passed motions for loyal addresses to King Edward, after which messages of condolence were sent to Queen Mary. A Nationalist member, Mr Campbell, said that King George was a constitutional monarch who did not swerve a hand's 'breadth from the constitutional path, never even when urged by high and mighty influences during the Home Rule struggle to exceed its limits. He had nothing but generous thoughts and deeds for the Irish people, striving with all his might for a reconciliation and healing of the split between British and Irish.