MESSINES MEMORIAL

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1924, Page 16

MESSINES MEMORIAL

UNVEILING CEREMONY. KING ALBERT’S TRIBUTE. RESPECT AND GRATITUDE. “THEIR BEAUTIFUL NAMES.’.’ London, August 7. The New Zealand memorial at Messines was unveiled by the King of Belgium on August 1. It is a handsome obelisk of Nebresina marble, 36ft in height from the foot of the steps. At each end of the .path at the foot of the site is a concrete blockhouse, surrounded by a sunken pathway and a rock slope in which rock plants are growing. From the solid oak seat that is set in the balustrade a pathway runs to the steps of the monument. On each side is a low barrier of stone brought from Liege, and beyond a border of berberis and New Zealand veronicas and o’learias. In the open spaces on the right .and left are planted groups of broom and gorse and silver birch trees and spruce. A pathway leads off to the left to join the main road, and on each side of this there is a border of veronicas, olearias, berberis, spiraea, lilac,, and an avenue of chestnut trees. Immediately round the terrace are roses, groups of New Zealand flax, veronicas, and salicifolia, and at each side of the monument, but in the rear is a juniper tree, which in the years to come will grow as high as the obelisk and frame it. As a background there is a grove of spruce, larch and silver birch trees. A LARGE ASSEMBLAGE. On the monument, which is similar in design to that at Longueval, is the inscription: “In honour of the men of the New Zealand Division. The Battle of 'Messines, June 7to 14, 1917.” And along the lowest base of the obelisk are the words: ‘•'From the uttermost ends of the earth.” On the right and left of the stone are the .same inscriptions, one in French and one in Flemish. At the back of the stone there are the Words: “The New Zealand Division, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago.’’ There were present at the ceremony Sir James and Lady Allen, General Sir Alexander Godley, Brigadier-General W. G Braithwaite, Lord diaries Bentinek, Major-General Sir Edward ami Lady Chaytor, Sir Thos. Mackenzie, the Hon. Jernes Craigie, Sir George and Lady Fenwick, Mr. Bernard Tripp. Colonel and Mrs. Fitz Herbert, Mr. S. Hurst Seagar, and several other New Zea: landers, and Belgian officials. A guard of honour, consisting of 250 officers and men of the Belgian artillery, flying corps, and infantry, and a band from Brussels was present. From practically every window in Messines a flag was hung. The entire population assembled at the monument. On each side of the entrance to the site there was a flag post. On one floated the Belgian flag, on the other the Union Jack. The New Zealand flag was draped over the monument. Presently bugles sounded and the King of the Belgians arrived in his motor-car. He had come by aeroplane to an aerodrome in the vicinity of Coniines. TO THE DEAD AND TO THE LIVING. “On behalf of the people of New Zealand.” said Sir James Allen, when the. principal actors in the ceremony had assembled on the base of the monument, “1 wish to express the intense gratification it gives us that His Majesty the King of Uie Belgians should have accepted our invitation to unveil this war memorial. This memorial is not of the dead alone; it is for the living as well. It has been erected by the people of New Zealand in commemoration of what we believe was one of the brilliant episodes of the year 1917, to which the New Zealand Division took part.”

The High Commissioner thanked the owners of the land who had made it possible for the Dominion to acquire the excellent site; the burgomaster of Messines and those who had helped in the formation of the approach; the contractor for the faithful work he had put into the memorial; and Mr. S. Hurst Seagar, who had designed the memorial and others in Belgium, France and Gallipoli, and had lived on the spot to superintend the construction. He had done a great service to his country “We look upon this memorial,” the High Commissioner concluded, “as a token of unity between the |wo nations —'that we may hold together in times of trial and ensure the peace of the world. We can trust the monument to the citizens of Messines and ask them to look upon it as the memorial of friends. We hope they will teach their school children its significance, so that they in their turn will be able to hand on its lesson to those who come after them.” A GLORIOUS RECORD. The King of the Belgians then placed a beautiful wreath at the foot of the obelisk bearing the inscription: “Albert, Elisabeth, Messines.” Stepping back, he saluted. “When two months ago,” said His Majesty, in English, “Sir James Allen invited me to the unveiling of the memorial erected by his fellow countrymen 1 immediately accepted, for 1 was glad of the opportunity to express Belgium’s gratitude to the heroic warriors who fell in battle here. Has there ever been a more striking proof of the unity of the British Empire than that afforded by the inspiring spectacle of these sturdy ranks of splendid soldiers travelling 12.000 miles to fight on European battlefields? What an example of incomparable generosity was given by these citizens coming from progressive and prosperous countries to devote themselves in such a spirit of selfsaeri'fice to the restoration of the freedom and independence of nations endangered by Prussian Imperialism. We Belgians, who learned to know them in Nieuport. will always remember these New Zealand soldiers. By their indomitable spirit on the battlefield they set a high standard of discipline and devotion really worthy of a free and proud nation, in which equal rights correspond to equal sense of duty. “Gentlemen. 1 pay a solemn tribute of respect and gratitude to your fallen comrades, and I bring General Sir Andrew Russell, his officers and men the expression of our warmest feelings of esteem and admiration, as well as our | highest appreciation of the glorious

share taken by the New Zealand Division in the Allied victory. “Already in April, 1915, we find the New’ Zealanders, who formed with the Australians, the Corps, fighting gallantly in Gallipoli. In 1916, they share all the hardships of the Battle of the Somme. In June, 1917, the New Zealanders display their courage in the Battle of Wytschaete, in the conquest of Messines, and of the stronghold of Fanny Farm. They take Warneton in July, and in October, Gravenstafe'l. During 19IS they co-operate in the great final offensive round Cambrai, and distinguish themselves especially on November sin taking Le Quesnoy. The New Zealanders rnay well be proud of this exceptionally glorious record. Who can ever forget it?” The Burgomaster of Messines spoke in French. “I have the honour,” he said, ‘‘to accept, in the name of the Commune of Messines, the guardianship of the monument which the people of New Zealand have raised on our territory to the memory of those of their sons who have died in the heroic attack which, on June 14, 1917, they conquered the position of Messines and repulsed the enemy’s troops to a distance of two kilometres. General God'ley and Sir Thomas Mackenzie also made a brief speech. Children clad in white scattered the leaves of flowers over the steps and the base of the monument, and other children sang a hymn by Victor Hugo. “They died for their country.”