New-York tribune., 1920-11-12
(NnllnO1ler and
Dead of Britain
Body Of Unknown Tommy,
Epitomizing 100000 of
Empires Fallen, Placed
i'll Westminster Abbey
Wounded Pay Tribute
Wreath Put on Coffin bv
Davis Bears the Words.
America Will Not Forget
Bv Arthur S. Draper

From The Tribuuc's European Bur-cu
Convrieht. 1920, New York Tribune Inc
LONDON. Nov. 11.-Britain paid
honor to her war dead day. In one
of the most impressive ceremonies ever
seen in London the body of an un-
known Tommy was carried through the
streets Of the metropolis and accorded
honors such as no body Of one single
human being before ever received from
the British Empire. and was finally in,
terred in Westminster Abbey, shrine
and resting place of England's heroes
since Norman times.
The burial ceremony was modelled
after that usually accorded a field
marshal and was a symbolical tribute
to all those who died in the World
War.
1t was magnificent ceremony, in
which every rank in the empire par
ticipatcd. Two years ago, when the
armistice was announced, tension broke
in wild riot Of joy. This morning
there was no cheering beneath the
half-stafed flags Of the whole city, but
instead a silence which was even more
impressive
Streets Lined With Crowds
Early this morning. the streets
through which the funeral procession
was due to pass were lirol with crowds.
and Whitehall, in which the cenotaDh
for the war dead is situated, was filled
instead of the usual busy traffic with
relatives Of the fallen dead
At $40 a. m. the body Of the un-
Anown WARRIOR which was brought yes
ercav from Franco, was placed on q.
gun carriage at Victoria Station Then.
preceded by masscd bands wailira.
Urges and followed by pallbearers-
four admirals, Beatty Meux, Jackson
and Madden; four field marshals,
rench, Haig, Methuen and Wilson,
four generals, Horne. Byng, Gatliff
and Trenchard-representatives of all
branches of the fighting forces and rel
atves of the slain, tho procession be-
gan its march.
about the cenotaph. a plain white
tructure not more than twenty feet
high, in the midst Of Whitehall, opDo-
ute the Colonial Office. surmouuted
with mourning wrea tbs and drapcd with
ngHsh flags, notables BEGAN gathering.
Shortly after 10 o'clock King George.
wearing generalS S uniform, took his
l.ace before the monument lie was
followed bv the Prince of Wales. the
Bake Of York and other members Of
the royal family, who stationed them
selves behind him.
King Puts Wreath on Coffin
On one side of the roadway were
men il ecclesiastical robes, and beside
them We're others, including Cabinet
and other nigh government officials.
Premier Lloyd George and eX-Premier
Asquith stood side by side, their po-
hlcal antsgonisms forgotten and their
vhlto hair ruffled by the wind. Bands
playing Chopin's Funeral March and
with drums mufflcd with Grape passed
and massed behind the cenotaph.
The gun carriage bearing the coffin
Ct the unknown soldier, covered with
tattered Union Jack and with pri-
Yates helmet and sidearms above IT,.
came TO rest while the guards reversed
arms
The King, princes and spectators un-
covered. Then the King placed y
wreath on top Of the coffin, straining a
little to reach the height. AS Big Bca
IN the clock tower Of the Houses q
ParNament struck II o'clock he pull,
the cord 70 unvcil the ccnotaph. On
nag dropped Immediately, but the o.h
stuck. top-hatteC civilian steppcA
out Of the crowd and with a quick Jerk
lowered the other flag.
For two minutes there was dead ST.
lence, broken only by the monotonous
clicking of the motion picture cameras.