IN MEMORIAM

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1927, Page 7

IN MEMORIAM

CROSS OF SACRIFICE MR. ANO MRS. BURGESS' GIFT THE UNVEILING CEREMONY AN ELOQUENT TRIBUTE The last echoes of the Great War have long rolled away, but the reverberations still chase one another through’ the ether, occasionally to alight on earth again to bring back the memory of the past. Fortunately, with the passing of time the poignancy of war’s events recalled is softened, but the years serve only to deepen the significance of the sacrifices made.

How true this is was brought clearly home yesterday afternoon, when in an atmosphere charged with a spirit of true recognition, the simple and beautiful cross of sacrifice, presented by Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Burgess, of New Plymouth, and erected on the soldiers’ plot in Te Henui cemetery, was unveiled bv MajorGeneral R. Young, C. 8., C.M.G., D. 5.0., General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces. A large representation of the public attended to express tlieir appreciation of the gift and their sympathy with what it symbolises. As would be. expected,. the ceremony was largely military in character. Returned men to the number of 154, under command of Captain A. M. Mac Diarmid, assembled at the Soldiers’ Club, and en route to the cemetery were joined by Headquarters Company, Ist Battalion, Taranaki Regiment, 3 officers and 8U rank and file strong, under the command of Lieut. D. E. McC. Thomson, as well as the Regimental Band under Lieut. F. W. G. McLeod. On reaching the cemetery, the parade was drawn up round the cross, the returned men below, and the territorials on either flank. The Maori war veterans, 18 strong, were already present, and assembled on the plot itself were General Young, Lieut.-Col. L. H. Jardine, D. 5.0., M.C. (officer commanding the Taranaki Regiment), Major D. E. Bremner, M.C. (officer in charge of the No. 8 Regimental District), Captain Adputant It. G. Dykes (staff officer stationed at New Plymouth). Captain F. L. Hartnell (president of the New Plymouth Returned Soldiers’ Association), Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Burgess, Lt.-Col.-Chaplain F. G, Evans, Captain-Chaplain T. R. Richards, Captain-Chaplain J. D. Wilson, Rev. Canon E. H. Strong, Father P. J. Minogue, Captain A. Thorne and Mr. A. Ambury (representing the church), Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths (deputymayor), Mr. W. J. Chaney (representing the Patriotic Funds Committee), Mr. C. E. Bellringer, M.P., and Mr. W. F. Short (monumental mason). The strains of the National Anthem having died away, Mr. Griffiths accepted the cross from Mr. and Mrs. Burgess on behalf of the people of New Plymouth. In doing so he made feeling reference to the significance of the gift. APPRECIATION OF GIFT.

In tendering his official thanks to Mr. and Mrg. Burgess for tlieir gift, Captain Hartnell, speaking on behalf of every ex-service man in the district, said that if there was one thing more than an-

other that eould endear the donors to the hearts of ex-soldiers, it was ths placing of that cross of sacrifice on the graves of their comrades. He believed and trusted that the beautiful sentiments that encompassed the cross would dwell as long as the hard granite from which the cross was hewn.

Turning to General Young, and asking him to perform the unveiling, Captain Hartnell referred to the bond which united those who had shared with the general the passion and tragedy of the Great War. The monument had been raised up on the hallowed spot, not only as a memorial to those who lay beneath its shadow, but also to those who went from the district to do their share in defence of the flag ami all tire flag stood for, those who having made I lie sacrifice were now sleeping far from home.

After tliankiug those responsible for having done him the honour of asking him to perforin the ceremony, and congratulating the town on the many historic and beauty spots it contained, with particular reference to the associations of St. Mary’s Church, General Young made brief reference to the cross itself. The people should indeed be grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Burgess for their gift, he said. Five others were being erected in New Zealand—at Auckland, Wellington, Featherston, Christchurch and Dunedin. The Government was taking care of the soldiers’ graves, which numbered in all 200,000. A uniform design for memorials on the plots had been insisted upon, and he appealed to the mayor of the town not to allow anything but the simple authorised design of memorial to be placed on the plot. The monument was a beautiful one. After viewing it one. had only lo close one’s eyes to look again upon the battlefields of France. THE CROSS REVEALED. “To the Glory of God and in memory of those who gave their lives in the Great War, I unveil this Cross,” said the General in measured tones, and, as the result of a sharp tug, the great Union Jack that enfolded the cross fell suddenly away, to reveal the monument in the full impressiveness of its simple austerity.

“Present Arms!” and even as the order rang out and rifles were swung smartly to the fore, (he familiar cleat notes of “The Last Post” rang out from the knoll nearby. Truly a crowning moment in a soldier’s day. A prayer having been read by Lieut.-Col.-Chaplain Evans, Mrs. Burgess accepted a beautiful wreath from Captain Hartnell, on behalf of the returned soldiers. and. assisted by General Young, she laid it at the foot of the cross.

The sounding of the “Reveille” and Uie pronouncement of the Benediction by Captain-Chaplain J. D. Wilson bi ought the ceremony to a conclusion, and after General Young had conversed freely with the returned men,die reviewed the parade as it marched past out of the cemetery.

The organisation and conduct of the ceremony was carried out by the military authorities. Mr, and Mrs. C. H. I Burgess, who donated the eloquent memorial, wish to express tlieir thanks to ‘ Sir James Allen who, as High Commissioner, took a personal interest in the work, and whose staff were very helpful. the designer of the cross (Sir Reginald Blomfieid), who .gave his consent to the use of the design and free duplicate blue prints for the carrying out of the work, the New Zealand Government for granting permission to erect the cross, the mayor and councillors of New Plymouth for their interest in the work, Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths for kindly supervising the erection of the cross, and to Mr. W. F. Short for faithfully carrying but the work.