The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-09-18

Henry V the five full size bronze efiges of King
Henry III, King Edward III, King Richard IL,
Queen Anne of Bohemia, Queen Eleanor of Cas-
tile and the effgy of William de Vaence and two
or three of stone statuettes in the inches of
King Henry VS. chantry, which, not having any
structural fastening, were liable by conclusion to
be shaken down and spntered to fragments on
the pavement below; the wooden top of the Con-
lessons tomb, made by Abbot Feckenham; the pic
ture of King Richard II the tapestry hangings,
the banners Of the Knights of the Bath and the
old altar frontal
"(2) strong protective structure consisting of
balks of timber and sand bags erected over
the COnfessOr's tomb No less than LOO sand
bags used for this purpose. similar cree
ton was raised over the beautiful tomb Of King
Henry III. Sufficiently substantial shields of tim
Der and many sand bags were placed over the
marble efigy of Queen Philippa. Queen Elizabeth
and Mary Queen of Scots disappeared from view
under small mountains of sand bags. The Lady
Margaret received similar attention. And par
ticularIy substantial breast work and covering of
timber and sand bags formed a solid protection
for the glorious monument of King Henry VII and
his queen at the east end of Henry WIS chapel.
Nothing could probably have averted the destruc-
tion caused by direct hit But what most
to be feared was the crashing of stone and timber
fragments from the roof.
"(3) The glass was removed from the three
east clerestory windows and from the west win
dows of the north aisle of the nave. Wood Stats
were substituted which, though much more draf-
ty were infinitely less costly than plain glass The
very ancient glass in the Jerusalem chamber was
also removed and put in safety.
"As a matter of fact, the abbey was not
touched by any hostile missile. A harvest of
own shrapnel was collected. But the building
passed unframed through all the terrible time of
the raids A large German bomb fell about %
yards to the southwest, just grazing the wall of
the Abbey Choir school and making huge hole
in the courtyard at the back. But it did not ex-
plode. The damage was trifing, and the choris-
tiers. who were being kept during the raid on
lower floor and were singing merrily under the
barrage. were at the time quite unconscious of
their extraordinary escape.
Whole Abbey oulvered.
During the raids most of the occupants of the
official houses repaired for greater security to the
socalled Norman undercroft in the clOisters, a
vast chamber beneath the old monks dOrnitory,
with stout massive Norman columns and strong
stone-groined roof Being DESTROYS as far as pos
/, sible to be the spot I'm case anything should
happen TO the abbey, we in the deanery USED 10 90
to the foot of little stone staircase leading up TO
the southern of the two western towers. 1t was
possible thus to be in the building and see the
Waterman and learn what was going on. The
whole abbey seemed to culver while the heavy bar
rage was being fred the windows ratified and the
roar of the guns seemed in the empty abbey 10
produce an extraordinary resonant effect.
every careful precautions had been taken
against fire breaking out in the roof. Watchmen
were on guard every night. They were specially
reinforced on the occasions when notice was given
of hostile attack. The water tanks were in good
order; the hydrants and hose pipes were eontin-
ually tested; large numbers of buckets were
ready some filed with sand and some with water.
dare say, if the emergency had arisen, we could