OUR GLORIOUS DEAD

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16781, 26 April 1926, Page 8

OUR GLORIOUS DEAD

HAMILTON'S TRIBUTE

CENOTAPH UNVEILED

"And, like great sentinels, ssland friendly trees, Whispering, they gave their lives, forget not these,"

On a dull, cold Sunday morning, olcvcn years ago yesterday, from out Ihe grey mists that overhung the Aegean Sea, a number of dark specks eouid be seen by the hidden watchers on the slopes beyond, moving with rhythmic motion slowly towards the . shore. As llicsc boats, which had put off in the hour before dawn from the transports, that during the night had steamed silently from the Island of Lcmnos, disembarked their human freight, many hearts palpitated in doubt and anticipation of what that memorable ~'; day was to bring forth. A single shot rang out, followed by a sudden, fusilade, and next moment there opened up a whole broadside from the hidden guns in the trenches above. That was the iirst taste of war, the greatest war in the history of the world, which the majority of■ those-brown-skinned long-limbcd. lads, -sons oi Australia and New Zealand, had experienced, lads who had left the farm, the workshop, and the office eagerly when the Empire trumpet sounded the call for men. Little did they pause to think, when they jumped,, blithely ashore as the boats grated on the shallow sands, that a large percentage would leave their dead bodies on the pitiless heights above. The story of the grim campaign that followed will go down in history as one of almost unsurpassed gallantry by our boys in a struggle against insurmountable odds, and it is fitting, therefore, that the memory of these brave sons of New Zealand and the thousands who followed them, in the succeeding years of bloodshed and misery on this and other fronts, should be perpetuated. Throughout the length and breadth of the land there have risen monuments in stone to their memory, and while Hamilton may "have been somewhat dilatory in'pulling her plans into operation, she has nevertheless been making steady preparation for a fitting memorial, and this was unveiled yesi Icrdav by His Worship the Mayor (Mr .1. R. Vow) .in the presence of an enormous gathering. Hallowed Ground. The monument, which takes the form of a cenotaph, is erected in what • In already hallowed ground, sanctified lo the memory of the fallen in living Ire'es and shrubs. It was a noble and beautiful ideal, that of planting a living individual monument to each of the dead, for thus it comes about that while their bodies are dead and their souls have long since fled, their memories are still green and nourish together as a battalion on the same camping ground, which forms a beautiful park in their home town where live their>relatives and friends. The site where the monument stands is already historic, for it is directly above the very spot where the first soldier pioneers jumped ashore when Hamilton was founded over GO years ago. And while the banks where these pioneers first trod are green lo their memory; above arc the trees which also keej) fresh the cherished - thoughts of their descendants who proved themselves worthy of Hie glorious traditions set by their forebears. Providence smiled sympathetically at the town's display of gratitude to Us fallen soldiers, by providing a beautiful day for the unveiling ceremony. Like thai, morning eleven years ago, however, the day broke dull and grey, with a heavy nist, and brightened up into fierce sunshine as the hours wore on. -For an hour before Hie time of the ceremony the roads in all directions were lined with vehicles bringing in people ' from the surrounding districts, for the whole countryside was eager to do honour to this solemn occasion and the attendance at the height of the afternoon must have numbered something like 5000. The park was looking really beautiful. All morning it had presented an animated appearance as loving hands tenderly laid wreaths of flowers, watered by many tears, at the fool of the trees planted to the memory of their dear ones, while the base of the cenotaph' was smothered with a profusion of ilowers. All iliis, when the crowd assembled in the aftenoon, rendered the scene a sad but beautiful one. The ceremony of unveiling was performed from a dois situated about 30 feet in front of the cenotaph. Over the dais hung the Union Jack, that symbol of freedom that means so much to all Britishers, while drooping from the bronze staffs of the cenotaph, were standards of the Empire and her Allies, the whole being swathed in a Union Jack. Hanged around the foot of the dais were seals which accommodated veterans of the Great and South African Wars, who had marched in procession along with the Territorials and Cadets, headed by the Military Band, from Ward Street. The Municipal and Salvation Army Bands were also In attendance. The veterans were given a place of honour in scats ranged round the foot of the dais, while the park, for a big area around the monument, was a dense mass of people.

A Solemn Hush. A hush fell over the immense gathering as the solemn ceremony opened with the playing of the National Anthem. This was followed by the hymn •• 0 God Our Help in Ages Past," played by the bands and sung by the gathering". Rev. 11. 0. Gilbert then recited the opening prayer, and the Municipal Band played a selection. A scriptural passage was next read by the president of the Returned Soldiers' Association, Captain -Noel S. Johnson. This was from the First Book Of Chronicles, 13-19: "And David longed and said, 'Oh, that one would give mn a drink of the wafer of the welt of Bethlehem that is by the gale." The audience then joined in the hymn •Lead Kindly Light." The address of the afternoon was .-riven by Rev. Percy Paris. This was very eloquent, sincere, and moving. The speaker said that was neither !he place nor Hie occasion for many words. They were, ho said, on hai-

SOLEMN,. IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY

One of the largest gatherings ever seen m r-.amiiton was that which assembled at the Memorial Park yesterday afternoon to celebrate the eleventh anniversary of tho great exploit of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp in landing at Gallipoli on Sunday mornlne, April 25, 1915. A tense fooling of solemnity gripped the vast audience, and all present entered fully into the spirit of the occasion. At the conclusion of Rev. P. Paris' address His Worship the Mayor, Mr J. R. Fow, unveiled the cenotaph.

lowed ground. They were gathered to unveil a memorial to the glorious dead, and a solemn awe should pervade ail their hearts. Whatever words were spoken, therefore, should be simple and sincere. He would, therefore, direct their thoughts for a few moments to the incident read to them by Captain Johnson. David was the greatest soldier in the Bible. His whole life was one of the highest romances that had ever been written. His stormy, brave, passionate, romantic character drew round him from all parts the great soldiers, the mighty men of war, who recognised in him the greatest of them all. The wonderful magic of his personality made him a magnet which drew all brave and knightly souls about him. From the mountain height where he stood lie gazed down upon the mightly army of tho Philistines, encamped in the valley, where, as a boy, lie had so often tended his father's sheep, and a little beyond his native town of Bethlehem was2 occupied by these fierce invaders. Amongst the barren rocks of the hills near the cave of Adullam, hemmed in by his foes on. all sides, unable to get at any spring of water, his thoughts all unconsciously found utterance in the words,

" Rich, Red Wine of Youth."

These laid the world away, poured out the rich, red wine of youth, gave up the years to bo of joy and life, and those who would have been their sons, they gave." Those men who died gave not only their own lives, but those of their sons to bo.

"Oh that one would bring me water from the well of Bethlehem that is near.the gate." Three of his men who were standing by, hearing his words, quietly withdrew and decided that, cost what it might, they would fulfil their leader's desire, and get David some of the water if humanly possible. These three mighty men went forth—three against thousands, and made their way amongst the enemy. They succeeded in drawing the water, and fought their way back and placed the tilled water-skin at the feet of David. When they staggered up to him exhausted, streaming with blood, and placed the bulging water-skin at his feet," what a wave of'emotion must have' swept over his heart. What followed showed the manner of man he was. He was as great of soul as' they. He rose at once to the sublimity of the occasion. He could not lake that hard-won gift to himself. It belonged to God,. he said, and kneeling on the ground *he solemnly poured out the sacred water before the Lord. It was a blood gift which he could not use selfishly for his own pleasure and profit. " May God, forbid it me that I should do this thing," he said. /'Shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jcopardly. For' with, the jeopardy of their lives they brought it." Therefore, he would not drink it. The; audience, continued the speaker, did, not need a preacher to show them the opplication of the story to them. That was Anzac Day, and they were met there that day to commemorate such mighty deeds as tiicse three men performed, for many such deeds must have been performed by our own men. They remembered with pride and gratitude all those who served and fought and fell. For a iong four years l.hey were at grips with the enemy, lighting their way through the hosts pi the enemy not In bring a skin of water, but to preserve for lliose at home those things that made their lives comfortable, peaceful, and worth living. They could say that afternoon (hat all they held sacred and dear was marked with the blood of the men and women who sacrified their all lo preserve the noblest and best for these who followed them. One of Uie most outstanding men amongst those who died in the Aegean was Rupert Brooke, the young English poet, one of the men of greatest promise in the Empire, who, as a lieutenant of the Navy, died of sickness on April 23, 1915, and who wrote of Ihe men who died before him in France:

llow, asked the speaker, were we using the life and things which had been secured to us at the jeopardy and the cost of men's lives. Did we look at them in the old way as our own with which we might do as we would. Or were wc regarding them as hallowed and seeking in a modern, but still a very real, sense to pour them out before the Lord? It was easy to buy a poppy last Friday: it was easy to build a cenotaph, and it was easy to heap it with flowers, but unless these were the outward expression of love, devotion and reverence it was all inackery. Mr Paris said that if he had chosen the text that dayhe would have selected one from Hebrews: "These all died in faith, and received not the promise. . . God having provided that apart from us they should not be made perfect.'i What, he asked, were we doing to finish the task which those lads who had fought had begun? On top of the cenotaph he noticed a great urn. Such urns used to stand at the entrance to Ihe old Greek temples, and were aflame with light and incense, and at night there shot up from them a great shaft of light, and when he saw the cenotaph a few days ago and noticed the urn on top, it, reminded him of the poem' of Dr. McCrac, of .Montreal, written at the second battle of Ypres, and whose body now lay in Flanders fields :

In Flanders fields, the popples blow Between the Crosses, row on row. That mark our place, And, in Hie sky. llir. larks Still bravely sinking fly, Scarce heard amid the guns below. W r e are the dead, Short days apo we lived, felt dawn, Saw sunset plow, Loved and were loved. And now we lie in Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe. To yon from railing hands wc throw ihe torch. Be yours to bold if high: If ye break faith with us who 1 ]ic We shall not sleep Tho' ponpics grow, row on row. in Flanders fields.

Are We Holding the Torch? How were they holding up the torch? Were they carrying on the work that these men began? Somewhere in tin: vast audience were two little girls who, to him, were the finest little girls in the. world. They were his daughters and they were wilh their father that afternoon, because many another little girl that afternoon was without her father. Somewhere in that host stood his wire paying reverence as lie did. She had a husband that day to fend for her and lo help in Ihc bringing up of her children, because so many wives throughout the land had lost their husbands in the. war. Let them all, therefore, remember wilh loving hearts filled with great gratitude tho noble sacrifice of those who had given their whole io enable Ihosc gathered together that afternoon lo enjoy the privileges they had.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr ,T. R. Fow) said he was honoured indeed (hat afternoon to feel that he had been given the privilege by the people or the town and district to unveil the Cenotaph. The keynote of his remarks would bo remembrance. That shafl, he said, represented our tribute to the loyally, valour and sacrifice of our boys, at a time when civilisation was threatened, when all that was noble, ideal and good was set at nought. When the war spirit came and thrust its dark hand betwixt us and our Joys, then our sons stepped into the breach and cheerfully pitted themselves against the greatest, .most efficient and ruthless war machine the world had ever known. The wonderful manner in Which they acquitted themselves in the. apparently unequal strife was not a matter of history and would be cherished as the most valued and permanent memory of many present that day. This monument spoke of them and would stand enduring and eloquent evidence of our gratitude, and we anticipatd that in days to come, when time had clarified the vision and added more lustre to their deeds, that leaders of the people, would assemble there on that historic,, dedicated ground and gather inspiration from those graves and the Cenolaph, that would impress upon their hearts the significance of loyally, high ideals and the supreme necessity of safeguarding as a priceless heritage that "righteousness that exaltcth a nation." Not only did the Cenotaph and trees speak of our fallen, but it spoke for them and conveyed this message:

" Counted Not tho Cost." "As fallen heroes, we counted not the cost. The great cause was worthy and we longed to show that we were worthy of the great cause; let none weep for the fallen, who are well content if they have stemmed the tide of oppression; have hastened on a new era, when racial hatreds shall pass away, when insular prejudices shall cease and dread war shall be no more."

This was the message that the obelisk would fain convey. When illumined at night they should let its beacon light inspire them on "to be men, that they might go straight in the strength of Thy Spirit and live out Thy life in the fight." One of our number had well said one thing we knew, " that love so greatly spent died not when . lovers died; from hand to hand we pass the torch and perish, well content, if in dark years to come our countrymen feel that Divine flames leap up in llicni again and so remember us and understand."

Then, amidst a great hush, His Worship drew the cord which lowered tho covering flag. As he did so, lie said ho did it on behalf of the people' of Hamilton and district and in united gratitude and loving memory of those who gave their all for us.

The vast audience, which had risen and stood bareheaded, remained so while the Municipal Band played that sad and beautiful selection, "Garland of Flowers." On behalf of the Waikato Returned Soldiers' Association, the 2nd Battery Field Artillery, and the IGth Waikato Regiment, Captain Noel Johnson, Major J. Baxter, and Captain McFarland, then advanced and laid beautiful wreaths at the foot of the plinth.

Piper S. Clothier then marched slowly around the monument, while on his pipes lie played the mournful dirge "Lament." Benediction was then pronounced by Adjutant I. M. Hawkins, of the Salvation Army, and the solemn and impressive ceremony was brought to a close with the sounding of the "Last Post," by a party of buglers from the Regimental Band. The crowds then filed, the men bareheaded, in grave procession around the base of the Cenotaph, and many a lear was covertly wiped from an eye as tender memories rose uppermost of dear ones departed for whom that day's grateful ceremonial was held.

The Memorial. The Cenotaph is a variation of that designed by Lulycns and erected in tho heart of the Empire. The base of the plinth measures over all 331't by 29ft. Bin., and is reached by a flight of five or six slops, terminating in a speech-making platform, upon which rises the styiobatc of the monument,, used chiefly for the reception of wreaths. At the angle of the steps I here arc bronze urns of Grecian design, while on the plinth arc wreaths of oak leaves, with acorns entwined, ihc wreaths having bronze ribbon supports. The height of the monument is 27ft. Gin. above the ground level, and the sides rise from all offsets with almost an indefinite taper off ihc straight. The corona or sarcophagus, i cast in one piece. Flagstaffs capped, with the sceptre and crown of Empire rest on bronze or brass bases. The poles arc of finely wrought approved hardwood. Tho inscriptions arc simple and impressive ones: "Our Glorious Dead," and

"Their Name Livcth for Evermore." The monument is of granite and the interior of reinforced concrete. Provision is made for lighting Ihe monument by means of electric bulbs and powerful reflectors arranged in the base, flush with the top step of the stylobale, and others flush with the lop wreath. The cost is about £IOOO. The monument does great credit to the architect, Mr 11. A. Wcsterholm, a returned soldier of Napier, 1 who was the successful competitor out of a very large number who submitted designs. A word should also be said for Messrs Edgecumbc and White, who supervised the erection of the structure.