DEEPLY MOURNED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19657, 15 June 1938, Page 5

DEEPLY MOURNED

PASSING OF SOLDIER SIR GEORGE RICHARDSON LONG MILITARY CORTEGE FORT BATTERY’S SALUTE (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this clay. In cold rain yesterday afternoon nearly 2000 people gathered to pay their last tributes of admiration and affection to the late Major-General Sir George Richardson, when his body was laid to rest with every military honour that Auckland could offer. The congregation which filled Si. Mary’s Cathedral in every part for the funeral service was testimony, not only to the value of his life work ns a soldier, but also to his worth as a citizen and to the personal ideals of which he was a consistent example. Three wearers of the Victoria Cross were among those who carried his coffin and more than 300 ex-servicemen, including many who looked ill-fitted for the ordeal, marched in the cortege and dropped their scarlet poppies into his grave in the .Soldiers’ Plot at the Waikumete Cemetery. The casket, covered with the Union Jack, had been placed in the cathedral earlier in the day. Upon it lay the general’s sword' and forage cap any on the steps below the chancel screen were massed great numbers of wreaths sent by individuals and public organisations of every kind. Cathedral Crowded The screen was decorated with four large wrea'ths of laurel and the hangings of the altar were red. Sir George’s three sons and other relatives and officers of the military, naval and air services sat on either side of the casket and further bade were the Mayor and Mayoress, Sir Ernest and Lady Davis, with practically all members of the City Council. Departmental heads and ex-council-lors ex-servicemen and representatives of local bodies, patriotic, civic and social welfare organisations of every kind including many women, completely filled the church. Many were unable to find seats and stood.

Archbishop Avenll gave a short address. The military cortege had been drawn up in Parnell road, headed by a firing party of the Royal New Zealand Artillery and tbebandof the Auckland Regiment. The coffin was placed upon an 18-pounder carriage drawn by six horses with drivers from the Royal New Zealand Artille ). Nineteen Minute Guns As the procession moved off the general officer’s salute of 19 ml^ guns was fired from the battery at North Head. On either side of the guncarriage marched six bearers and eight semen officers as pallbearers Next general’s riderless charger, led by a foidier, and after this Sir Georges sons with other mourners. They were followed by official repre sehtatfves of the services. Four individual parties, each consisting of a officer and 25 men, represented the Royal New Zealand Artillery, the navy Royal New Zealand Air Force and t - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Detachments from the artillery and othe territorial units followed. Over 300 ex-servicemen marched behind the territorials. In their ra n s the toll of war was very evident. Some required the aid of a Stick; others lacked limbs and a few were blind men led by their comrades. Devotion To Leader That they paraded in such weather was clear proof of their devotion to the leader who had passed on. A party of police and another from th? Legion of Frontiersmen brought up the rear. Half a mile further on the procession halted and the coffin was transferred to a motor hearse. When the coffin'had been lowered in theSo ldlers’ Plot at Waikumete Cemetery three volleys were fired over the grave and a bugler sounded the Last Post” and •’Reville.” Ex-servicemen filed slowly past and one by one too , nnnnies from their coat lapels ana dropped them upon the coffin in token of farewell. In the cathedral and at thecemetery Mr J A. Lee, Parliamentary Under Secretary in charge of Housing, represented the Government.