CENOTAPH HOMAGE.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH, 1925
STRIKING ARMISTICE DAY SCENES.
LONDON'S
TRIBUTE TO THE
GLORIOUS DEAD,
A GREY SETTING RELIEVED BY A GLEAM OF SUN.
TEROM THE EVENING STANDARD,"
Once again all that distinguished and exalted gathers round the Cenotaph
ROYAL WREATHS. The wreaths are laid-first the King.
to celebrate humbly the memory of uur then the Prince of Wales and the Duke million dead. It is the seventh year, and of York. Each stands at the salute, Sismay be that in many of the vast multi-long salute, and retires back to his place, tude who gather in Whitehall, the coro Tributes from Queen Alexandra; the of a solemn observance which is Empire Queen of Spain, and other Royal ladies wide, there arises the thought as to what are also placed. will be happening at the Cenotaph seven on seventy years hence.
Will the deep, spiritual thrill which pervades us when wo uncover to that lost million still endure when all those who knew them have in turn passed away No cere end say. All we know to-day is that He annual service preserves its strength and beauty, and remains for millions the moch solema moment of all the year.
GREY-AND SCARLET.
The Guards' massed band is playing Handel's "Largo" as I take my pos tion on a vantage point immediately, over looking the Cenotaph.
It is a bitterly cold morning, aw and biting, and the troops who form a rec- tangle round the place of pilgrimage are all mulled up in their greatcoats-the Guards in grey and bearskins, Marines with white helmets and khaki conts, the sailors with khaki belts round their blue greatcoats
with their scarlet cloaks and white Only a compact group of Life Guards, plumes, give a touch of military colour to the scene. The bayonets of the troops gleam coldly in the chill light.
SHROUDED IN MIST,
Last year golden sunshine hung over the scene. To-day there is a white and clammy mist. One feels that Whitchali is packed compactly from end to end as it was before, but one can only diving it. Everything beyond the Horse Guards is shrouded in the mist, and beyond little, can be seen but the column of Nelson, vague against a vaporcus background.
can. pick up! But with glasses one curious details in this vague world that surrounds the clear detail that is grouped round the Cenotaph. ··
The Prime Minister immediately step ped forward with the Cabinet offering, followed by Mr. Amery on behalf of the Colonies, Lord Birkenhead on behalf of Indin, and by Dominions representatives, including Mr. Jas, MeNeill, who brought the first offering of the frish Free State
It was noticed that Lord Birkenhead and Mr. MeNeill shook hands.
Earl Beatty, the Earl of Cavan, and Sir Hugh Trenchard lay wreaths on be- half of the three services.
The moment has come, and the King's red-banded service cap is of. The chime of Big Ben rings on the air, and there comes a bang from St. James's Park, To the chime succeeds the first stroke of the hour, and as the great bell strikes the hour in quivering notes there comes, fraction of time after it, the compara- tive tinkle of a bell from somewhere down Whiteball
They keep this order, the great and the small, to the end of the eleven strokes.
11
The
And even as they are striking some- thing happens which is an extraordinary first gleam of sunshine lights up the scene, that it seems almost miraculous. so that what was vague or totally hidden right along Whiteball springs into warm
Efe.
The multitude is revealed at last. I can see them now, in detail, right to the steps of Nelson's Column. On those very steps a light flares up for a moment, and is gone. One is unable to say what it was. It cannot have been that somebody But there it was, for struck a match. its brief moment, and in between those scores of thousands of intent faces look ing upwards.
WHITER GLEAM-
The light lasts throughout the Silence, and in it the cenotaph gleams whiter, and the flags on it shine with their beautiful reds and blues. Then, sooner A long window in a power of the For than one expected, comes the roll of the eigu Office has a blurred look Examina-drus, and the intense moment is over, tion shows that it is filled, in tiers, with to be succeeded almost immediately by waitresses in white caps and starched the trumpets sounding the Last Post,
The short service follows, conducted by aprenз.
the Bishop of Londen standing with his Odd groups and units are everywhere back to the Cenotaph, just before the on roofs, and undoubtedly feeling bitter King. A verse of God, our Help in Ly cold. On the nearer edge of the crowd Ages Pasty with massed bands leading that stretches away down to Charing then the Lord's Prayer, deep murmur Cross I pick out bemedalled individuals from the multitude. Then the Reveillé, distinguished and humble, in uniform and ringing out loud and clear, and a verse of in the clothes of the clerk, and the the National Anthem. artisan.
They are members of the official de- putations awaiting to place their wreaths. Heading them is General Sir Ian Hamil- ton, the chief of the British Legion, and in the group is Major Cohen, the legless M.P, seated in his chair. Just behind stands Ole Bill," the famous old-time. motorbus.
BEGUM OF BHOPAL.
Just before, the hour of the "Cease Fire" choir and clergy formed a semi circle, round the Tomby with their backs to the great west door. Canon Carnegie, the sub-dean, stood before them humbly at the head of the buried soldier. The General, the Admiral, and the Air Mar shal faced him
Women's The tension was working up. sobs I shall leave to the silence they broke. A woman's pain transcends print SILENCE OF THE VAULT.
Some dropped to their knees for sup port while the whole congregation stood. But the women, qn the whole, were Spar. tan; they dare reveal no more weakness, than the buried hero had shown,
A gun boomed.."
All church noises-coughs and foot- scrapings-stopped. Each of "us, with ahut eyes,, felt shut up in a vault alone but for the man in the Tomb.
*
Two minutes later-there had secmed a century between each stroke of Big Ben: but the succeeding minute and a half flashed by like a second-a second gua gave the signal that mourning faight turn to thanksgiving.
The Raveille rang out like a cry of joy. Eight Guards, buglers blew it, and the whole echoing reaf of the Abbey took up the chorus of its call
The last quivering note ushered in.the peals in the great belfry above."
A woman, with the Victoria Cross and other medals pinned to her breast, ad- vanced from a seat and lay her wreath of laarel upon the tomb. She was the widow of Colonel Carter, V.C.
And that was all. But as an act of remembrance it was adequate.
TO THE GRAVE
"
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After vehicular trafic had come prac There were deeply impressive scenes in Whitehall after the ceremony. As the tically to à standstill detachments of the enormous crowds that had filled the London Division Royal Naval Volunteer thoroughfare melted away slowly the Reserve and the 56th (1st London) and place was taken by long queues that bad47th (2nd Lendon) Divisions Territorial been formed to pass the Cenotaph.
Wreaths of all kinds, ranging from Army took their stand in the square. great bouquets to little buttonholes, were placed on the Cenotaph, the waiting There was a throng there all day, those queue never being less than 2,000 people. who were present at the morning's cere- mony having been displaced by fresh pilgrims from all parts of London.
Most of these, as was the case in the morning, after leaving the Cenotaph passed down Whitehall to the Abbey, where they joined the queue waiting to Ele past the Unknown Warrior's tomb.
IN THE ABBEY.
- WOMEN'S WREATHS, Behind the police cordon were scores of i women bearing wreaths.
The service, of a simple character, was conducted by the Rev. E E. Holmes, London, and the Rev. A. Archdeacon
E. Wilkinson, M.C., Senior Territorial Chaplain Eastern Command,
The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, in their robes of office, accompanied by members of the Court of Common Coubeil, made an impressive spectacle, giving touch of colour to the simple ceremonial
FLUTTER OF PIGEONS,
Women wearing the medals and the ribbons of their dead husbands or their sons were prominent in this queue, which by noon stretched right round the outer railings of the Abbey towards the Em
At last a gruff military order followed' bankment as far as St. Stephen's Tower
There were by the shulling of rifles, was emphasised Instantly and the House of Lords. some women wearing three complete sets by the booming of a maroon. of the three war medals. These belong heads were bared and bowed in rever
the futter of thousands of pigeons ed to a dead husband and to twe deadence, and nothing could be heard except circling round for about half a minute. Then there was a tremendous calm.
sons.
Here and there in the queue there were men wearing their old khaki with their war medals on their breasts.
BOBBING WOMEN, MUTT
More than 5,000 persons were present at the service held at the Royal Exchange at the luncheon hour, which was attend. ed in state by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs and many members of the City Corporation. The Bishop of Stepney conducted the service.
One or two women were sobbing as they I am watching a section of the vast passed the grave, and one old woman who crowd as that verse ends. There is aware the medals of the M.C., D.C,M., movement that sweeps all over it as ten M.M., 1914 Star, G.S.M., and V.M., broke She was led gently thousand men replace their hats, and it down completely. changes colour amazingly with that move away by a daughter.
A new memorial chapel of the Holy ment as ten thousand bare heads are
Cross is being erected in the Abbey in covered.
memory of all those who fell in the Greatas War.
201
It is all over once again. The King and his sons retire, and the Queen leaves ber. window. The deputations bearing Already to-day, for the convenience of the wreaths move slowly up, and the those who wished to pray by the tomb, band begins to play lighter music. It is a temporary chapel had been arranged
The two near the Poet's Corner.. the message of the Reveillé. minutes is over, and the world is bidden
carry on.'
THE AD
Opposite every balcony and window of the Home Office frames its picture. The general effect is dull and gloomy, but examination in detail shows each cae of these pictures to be marvellously alive to with human colour and warmth.
IN THE ABBEY.
BOUND THE TOME OF THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR.
"Weeping o'er the grave, we make our songHallelujah !**
A DREARY DAWN. Whitehall was alive with memories when the first wreath was placed upon the Cenotaph early to-day,
OUTSIDE ST. PAUL'S. The steps of St. Paul's Cathedral were, in former years, a favourite spot for City" people.
A short service was held in the Cathe-
and half an hour before that time City dral, beginning at a quarter to eleven, men, clerks and typists were pouring into the church. Many women had evi- dently come in from the suburbs specially to attend this service.
Shortly after ten o'clock the top of Everybody sits very still, and each
It was dark; it was stormy; it was
the steps was lined with people, mostly separate picture might have been group- ed and painted by a master. In one are
supremely uncomfortable. A furious, east wind came in angry gusta to drive, sting women. They bad the double advantage of witnessing the scene outside and also two veiled Indian ladies, of whom one is
The the Begum of Bhopal, and behind themhe natural transition from grief to ing sleet into the face of the pilgrim, taking some part in the service, for the is an Indian attendant in vivid green thanksgiving was sanctifed, if ever it Heavy mist overlay Whitehall
street lights at one end glowed a can- choit proceeded to the steps to sing the Buses temporarily held up were board The band ceases to play its solemn needed that, in the great. Empire face of dles in a prison yard. At the other end last hymn just before the Silence began. Two thousand peoplo en their knees they were beginning to be extinguished, ed by people who wished to get good
leaving only gloom. music, and immediately one hears the hum of conversation from the crowd. No murmured that great final phrase of the
The only movement was the scudding positions, but when the vehicles moved hotly is talking in anything more than opening prayer. A thousand faced north, subdued tones, but the low hum of the
off again before 11 there was much scram
maltitude fills the air.
bling to alight.
fürban
COMING OF THE KING.
Westminster Abbey today."
a thousand faced south: between them across this bleak prospect of ghostly lay the Nameless Warrior beneath his white sheets that flickered as they ran -sheets of rain and sleet that whistled marble slab.
as they sped along the ground.
None could put a regimental colour over him he is unknown so they hung a Laion Jack above him, the only colour among the cold stone pillars.
MEDALS ON CABBOCKS.
Marshal. Sir John Salmond. --
GIANT UNION JACK.
it
Here, again, after the silence had begun hundreds of pigeons rose from the Cathedral root, the flutter of their wings resembling the rustling of paper. Just as they settled again distant railway engine, was heard.
"MY CHIEF."
LORD ALLESEY PLACES A POPPY ON LORD TPRES' GRAVE.
"The hour approaches. The Queen,
At this moment, before there was with the Queen of Spain, the Duchess of
enough daylight to see with, there was York, the Duchess of Argyll, Princess
a movement at the Cenotaph. A ladder Marie Louise, and Princess Helena Vic toria and Princess Beatrice, appear at
Ten thousand women were selling window that has been empty; just over
A double rank of sallora, soldiers, fose from the mountaim, of fowers at its THE POPPY WOMEN-~- airmen, and merchant seamen lined the base, and & shiny figure workman looking the Cenotaph.
dragging drapery with him.
Earl Haig's Fund. Then orders to the troops ring out, and have when the procession of priests and without coat or bat-ealed to the top, poppies in London to-day on behalf of And the next fierce gust of wet wind Despite the cold and the rain, they were the King, wearing Field-Marshal's service choristers walked up, singing glory to uniform, is seen walking across to take the lead. Fighting parsons ware can-strung out a giant Union Jack, that at work in every suburb when the earliest hin stand before the rational monument, nical robes, and war modals shone on billowed from the brand new flag-staff workers set out from their homes, and the Prince of Wales, in the uniform of scarlet cassock and white surplice.
Behind came
three men, warriors that aprose by the aide of the Cenotaph. they were posted at all the railway sta
With the help of another man-hatless, tions when the first trains drrived...... the Welsh Guards, the Duke of York, in that of the RAF, and Prince Arthur treading an unaccustomed pace. They too, in the merciless rain the workman of Connaught, in the service dress of a were: Vice-adciiral Sir Hubert Brand, bent all six flags to their halyards. mujer-general, standing with him, a General Sir George Milne, and Air Union Jacks and the red, the white, and group of officers behind them, "de
The whole wide nave in their rear-was the blue ensign made up the air colour- The Cabinet, too, and the Elder Statesmen, have fled out. At the left left free of material things; the spirited sentries that stand forever round the of their double rank, nearest to the King stands Mr. Baldwin with three ex-
I not seem The clank of armed heels Premiers behind him, Lord Oxford, Mr. Lloyd George, and Mr. Ramsay Mac. Donald. Not far from them is Lord Bal- ed eat of place when the troops had four, standing with Mr. Chamberlain and entered, the Guardsmen burehended,
Step looking like Jagger scalptures, Mr. Churchill
As gold in the furnace hath ho tried The two most striking figures there are. those two old colleagues of the early them." The multitude imbibed the daya of the war--Mr. Asquith, as we used Lesson. There were W.AAC.B., men' of to know him, and Mr. Lloyd George. Both the British Legion, merchant seamen in look most venerable. Their long hair, rough jerseys, hosts of girls whose bright pure white, Is tossed about by the cold colours gave no offence mourning means big bills in. a poor home and elderly breeze
women with tight lips,
Mr. Lloyd George's long locks fall ever his face. He makes no attempt to, toss them back. Both these white veterans of
the debating chamber serve to remind us of how long ago it is since the million dead first began to fall
of the dead man filed it. ---
WOMEN WHO HOLEN.
had no
Hounds came
Field Marshal Viscount Allenby, De puty Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Captain of Deal Castle, was to-day made a Freeman of Ramsgate, after he
monument
The first pilgrim of the at that moment.
She was a young girl, accompanied by
" he said On this day of remembrance," a still younger one, who toiled down had attended the Service of Remembrance yellow chrysanthemums, leaning with an Whitehail, at 7.10 with a big wreath of in the town effort against the wind that hurled itself in his speech as Freeman, I like to re- call my-chief and warm friend, the Earl of Ypres, who was one of the most bril out of every side street,
liant soldiers England has ever known Yesterday I stood by his simple grave at Hipple, his birthplace, and placed upon it a poppy for remembrance of one who was the pilot who weathered the stora, and led his expeditionary force
THE CITIZEN ARMY, Shortly after ten o'clock, men, and women of all types began to take up positions in front of the Royal Exchange, where zevetal beautiful greathe already At last came the gres moment. Give lay at the base of the London Troops rest were the first words of the Con- Memorial Laurels showed up sadly so brilliantly. Though it was almost an takion. Boldier and sailor stood at at among the brighter hues of dabas and mihilated, it ved the armies fighting
at the German invasion. pink and yellow tention. Rich and poor, into brothers in chrysanthemums, in variegated, hura of alongside, and played the first rich arms, melt among the tombs of kings,
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