Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-12-30

Who won the Great War? Was it the British
the French the Americans? Was 1t Joffre, Pc
tain, Pershing. Foch? Was 1t sailor, airman,
artillerist? -aA
All helped. No need to make comparisons.
For it was the man in the ranks who won the
Great War. And that is what Great Britain ard
France are proclaiming to the world by thus
honorng the unknown Dead"
For unknown Dead" is merely a symbol. For
unknown Dead" read "Man In the Ranks
the common man who did his duty, offered his all,
won his fight or gave up his life and is unknown.
unhonored and unsung. No citation contains his
name. No decoration is his. This is the man
who won the war and 1t is in his honor that the
"Unknown Dead" are buried with the pomp and
circumstance of state display.
Nor need this man of the rank and file ever
have reached the firing line. Many a potential
hero never got to the front. Nor need this man
thus honored ever have got into the fighting
ranks. Many patriot who did his bit most
Loyalty was rejected by the recruiting officer II
he gave his country the best he had, he shares
the honors of Armistice Day.
In honoring the unknown Dead" the British and
French give utterance to their recognitions
that democracy Of service and of sacrifice which
is the foundation of society and the salvation Of
nations The ceremony is for the living even
more than for the dead.
Great Britain buried her unknown Dead"
with the honors of field marshars funeral. The
known, selected at random from the silent hosts
at Ypres-whether English Irish, Scotch, Welsh,
Canadian or Australian is not known. 1t was
received at Boulogne with the highest honors by
French and British soldiers.
The casket was carried through lanes of SOL
ders at present arms" to the British destroyer
verdun. Thanked by four French and six British
destroyers, the funeral ship steamed across the
channel to Dover, passing into the harbor as can
non from the fort roared their salute of nineteen
guns Other honors to which a field marshal is
entitled were paid as the casket was carried from
the destroyer to the special train for London.
The historic Padres flag" used at innumerable
funerals after the fighting at Ypres, covered the
coffin whose plate was inscribed:
"a British Warrior Who Fell in the Great War,
1914191S for King and Country"
The immediate guard which escorted the body
its trip through the crowded and silent streets
from the station to Whitehall was composed OF
100 men of all services who won the Victoria
cross. The pallbearers field marshals and
admlrals of the feet including Viscount Douglas
Haig Earl Beatty, admiral Of the grand fleet, and
Maj. Gen. Sir Hugh Trenchard. commander OF
British air forces Battalions of guards, with
their bands, and few officials made up the rest
of the escort.
King George was chief mourner army officers
of the highest rank were pallbearers and the high
est officers of the church assigned the warriors
body TO its final rest.
In addition, the entire empire sent representa-
tives to attend the services and thousands upon
thousands massed into the streets to glimpse the
plain oaken casket. swaying on its caisson as 1t
proceeded from railway station to abbey.
Aside from members of the royal family who
included Queen Mary, Queen Mother Alexandra
and Queen Maud of Norway, and few officials
the only witnesses to either ceremony were per
sons who lost relatives in the great war.
OF all the witnesses that packed Whitehall
crowded the abbey, little band of approximate
" 100 women In the abbey received the most rev.
erent attention. They had been selected for the
seats of honor because each had lost her hus-
band and all her sons. Every woman In Eng