THE GILLINGHAM TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1929, Page 9

THE GILLINGHAM TRAGEDY

FOUR THOUSAND MOURNERS « —.a PUBLIC FUNERAL OF VICTIMS SO LEMNITY OF S ERV ICE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received July 18, 7.30 p.m. London, July 17. The fifteen victims of the fatal fire at a fete held at Gillingham were buried in a long line of graves. The whole town surrendered itself to the solemnity of the service. Every street except those along the line of route was deserted, shops were closed, and a hundred thousand persons watched the -funeral procession throughout its journey of two miles. Police lined the route, and a draped lire engine led the way. A naval firing party and the band from the naval barracks with five ssslqr-dra.wn gun carriages followed. Ou the carriages were the coffins of the naval cadets, pathetically small beneath the folds of the covering flags. Officers, bluejackets, and a band of white-robed clergy came next, and then one behind the other followed the ten fire engines, each bearing a coffin. After these came hundreds of helmeted firemen, boy scouts, schoolboys and town officials, making the procession a mile long. The mourners were estimated at four thousand.

A dozen people fainted at the gravesides overcome by the excessive heat. Twelve sailors fired a volley and the flowers brought in special cars were piled up in a huge mound.