BATTLE MEMORIALS

Southland Times, Issue 19516, 16 May 1922, Page 5

BATTLE MEMORIALS

LONGUEVAL AND LE QUESNOY MONUMENTS TO NEW ZEALANDERS’ VALOUR DESIGNS AND INSCRIPTIONS.’ (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 15. Interesting information has been received by the Minister of Defence (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) regarding the erection of battle memorials in France. The High Commissioner (Sir Janies Allen> advises that a contract has been signed for the erection of a battle memorial at T/ongueval at the site where three roads meet. After careful consideration and consultation a decision has been reached regarding the inscriptions to be engraved on the memorials at Longuesval and Le Quesnoy. The memorial for Longueval comprises a column standing on a projecting base in which provision is made for four panels. On the front of the column itself will be engraved the words: “In honour of the men of the New Zealand Division, first Battle of the Somme, 1916,” and this will be reproduced in French on the back of the column. For the front panel Mr A. R. Fraser, a New Zealand sculptor, has made an exquisite design surrounding the words “New Zealand.” The words are setin a laurel wreath supported by crossed taiaha and framed in a panel with a design recalling Maori carving. On the back panel will be engraved the words, “New Zea land Division, Auckland, Wellington, Can terbury, Otago.” On one side panel will be the following sentence: “The New Zealand Division, after gaining this position as their first , objective, launched from it a successful at tack on Flers, 15th September, 1916 ” These words will be reproduced in French on the other side panel. At the base of the monument will be engraved in English and French the phase, “From the uttermost ends of the earth.” Part of the Le Quesnoy memorial is a bas-relief depicting the scaling of the walls of Le Quesnoy by the men of the New Zealand Division. For this the services of Mr Fraser have beeu utilised, and he has prepared a model which Sir James Allen considers a very fine design. It shows a large figure, a winged female, holding in her right hand a wreath of laurel above a portion of the town wall against which is erected a ladder, the ladder having upon it a number of New Zealand soldiers in the process of scaling the wall. Mr Fraser having completed the model, the remainder of the work will be entrusted to a French sculptor as a delicate compliment to our alley. M. Desruelles has been Selected to undertake the work, he having l>een recommended by M. Vincent, Mayor of Le Quesnoy, and the Minister of Public Works in the Freiich Government. M. Vincent has been very helpful to the New Zealand authorities in securing the consent of the French military authorities for the use of part of the town wall in the memorial scheme. The inscription for Le Quesnoy will be, “In honour of the men of New Zealand through whose valour the town of Le Quesnoy was restored to France, 4th November, 1918.” This will be engraved on one aide of the sculpture and will be reproduced in French on the other side. On a ballistrade to be erected on the side of the moat opposite to that on which the sculpture will be erected will be engraved in English and French the phraae, “From the uttermost ends of the earth.”