REMEMBRANCE OF DEAD

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1929, Page 11

REMEMBRANCE OF DEAD

ARMISTICE DAY IN- . LONDON

1 i 7'rU SCENES AT THE -CENOTAPH

CEREMONY HELD IN RAIN

By Telegraph—Press Assn,—Copyright. London, November 11. A typical grey November morning, accompanied- by a drizzle during the silence, was the setting for the Armistice ceremony at the Cenotaph. Whitehall was densely thronged. It was a touching service. The Prince of Wales, in the uniform of a Colonel of the Welsh Guards, represented His Majesty. . '

The most notable incident -was the procession of holders of the Victoria Cross to deposit a huge wreath of poppies in the form of a Victoria Cross. Sir -James Parr placed a wreath on behalf of New Zealand. The Union Jack for the first time for ten years flew over the Rotherhithe Town Hall, replacing the red flag. It is believed that some young men, traversing the roof tops last night, climbed the pole, tore down'the red flag, hoisted the Union Jack, cut the halyards, and greased the pole. The Union. Jack was still fluttering during the two minutes’ silence. ” -

Wearing two Victoria Crosses won by her dead sons, Mrs. A. M. Bradford was among the scores, who placed wreaths on the Folkestone war memorial. A third son won the Military Cross, but died of wounds. A fourth won the D.S.O.

The constant rain is expected to seri ously interfere with Poppy Day receipts, which were expected to be a re cord.

Lady Haig had a remarkably strenuous day before leaving London at 8.25 a.m. for Liverpool in Lady Bailey’s aeroplane. She visited Smithfield, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Covent Garden, and reached Liverpool five minutes before the two minutes’ silence. She stood with bowed head in the rain, and then motored to Birkenhead, where she laid a wreath on the Cenotaph. She finally returned to Liverpool to open the Haig Memorial Home.

THE CEREMONY DESCRIBED. The Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet, ex-Ministers and other distinguished servants of the State, occupied : places near the Cenotaph. From a window in the Home Office, the Queen, accompanied by Princess Mary, the Drtchess of York, and others, took part in the ceremony,' which opened with an impressive two minutes’ silence, for which the signal was given by -firing guns on the Horse Guards’ Parade. As the silence ended, the notes of the “Last Post” sounded, and then the crowds, led by choirs and massed bands of Guards, sang “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” The Bishop of London led the service, which consisted of the Lord’s Prayer and the blessing, while the “Reveille” was sounded by buglers, and one verse of the National Anthem was sung. A- long pilgrimiige to the Cenotaph began immediately afterwards, and will continue throughout the day. In London streets this morning it was impossible to find anyone of whatever age, sex or station, who was not wearing a Flanders poppy.- Throughout the Empire sales of these flowers, the manufacture of which keeps hundreds of disabled ex-servicemen in permanent occupation, have each year’ produced a great sum for the Earl Haig fund on behalf of necessitous ex-servicemen and widows and dependents of the war dead. In the British forcec 1,069,825 men laid down their lives. There are 148,000 war widows, 204,000 orphans, 35,000 who lost limbs, and 35,000 who contracted consumption during war services. It is noticeable that each year since the war the sum raised by the sale of poppies has steadily increased until last year £579,000 was obtained.

The British Broadcasting Corporation’s broadcast of this morning’s Armistice Day service at the Cenotaph was successfully relayed by beam telephony to Canada, and rebroadcast by a chain of stations throughout the Dominions,.

KING REMAINS AT PALACE. •

On the advice of his doctors, the King this morning jn Buckingham Palace observed the two minutes’ silence in his own rooms. It was his wish that his observance should be exactly the same as that of an ordinary man in his own home. Consequently, no official statement was issued from the Palace.

'The march-past of holders of the Victoria Cross past the Cenotaph after the service was a most impressive feature. Captain Sir Bushcroft Towse, the blinded hero of the .South African War, was led to the Cenotaph and placed a cross of red poppies at the foot of it. Then he bowed in reverence, and was led back to the ranks of the heroes.

Admiral, Jellicoe Jed the march-past amid the cheers of the multitude. A band of V.C.’s was in the middle. Army men in silk.Jiats and frock coats marched beside men in rough clothes brought in from mining villages. Men shattered by wounds were wheeled by,tall bronzed men from overseas, and blind men linked .arms with their neighbours. Perhaps the most novel Armistice Day service was that in the middle of the tunnel which is now being made beneath the Mersey. Four hundred navvies gathered at the deepest point. The service was conducted by the Rev. Anerg, the navvies’ missioner. . ..

A wreath was placed on the Cenotaph by Dr. Mary Booth, on behalf of the Anzac Fellowship of Women,. The chief ceremony in Paris was at the Are De Triomphe, where President Douraergue, the Prime Minister, and members of the Cabinet laid wreaths on the Unknown Soldier’s tomb. Cannon announced one minute’s silence, after which troops and bands defiled before the. tomb and saluted the President. The. day was observed as a general holiday. - An interesting incident was a; visit to M. Clemenceau by a delegation of veterans. M. Clemenceau, chatting -.with - the delegation, said: “Thank you.for-think? ing of an old man who musi.sp.on. disappear, but Whose last wish will be. for the future greatness of my country.”. When the delegation said they‘hoped, to visit, him yearly, M.. Clemenceau said: “Well, that means that we are all to meet in 1930.”