Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-12-30

Who won the Great War? Was it the British
the trench D the Americans? Was 1t Joffre, Pe-
tain, Pcrshing Foch? Was it sailor, airnan
artiiierist --~ ,'~'''' , ' '"" -' '' .1g3
For it was the man in the ranks who the
Great War And that is what Great Britain and
France are proclaiming to the world by thus
honOrng the "UnknoWn Dead"
For "UnknoWn Deadp is merely symbol For
Unknown Dead" read Man in the Ranks '7.
the common man who did his duty, offered his all
won his fight gave up his life and is unknown
mhonored md unsung. No citation contains his
name, No,pdeeoration is his. AThis is the man
who won the war and it is in his honor that the
"Unlnown Dead" are buried with the pomp and
circumstance Of state display. -, a.
Nor need this man of the rank and file ever
have reached the firing line. Many a potential
lero never got TO the front. Nor need this man
thus honorcd everT' have got into the fighting
ranks Many d patriot who did his bit most
loyalty was rejected by the recruiting. officer If
he gave his country the best he had, he shares
the honors of Armistce Day.
In hOnoring the Unknown Dead the British and
French give utterRnce to their recognitons
that .cmocracy 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.
Greata~Brtan' Or buried s~hera1 aUnknown Dead"
with the honOrs of Il field marShas funeral. The
body was thattfof ''an soldier, name and rank IN
known SELECTED at random from the silent hosts
at IpreS--whether Fngfsh, Irish Scotchi Welsh
Canadian Australian is not known. 1t was
received at aBoulogne with the highest honors by
French and British soldiers. s1 t+..s sD. VI a
The casket wasscarried Though lanes of SOL
ders Gtt"present arms" TO the British DESTROYER
Nerdun. Thanked by four French and six British
destroyers, the funeral ship steamed across the
channefto Dover passing into the harbor as can
non from the fort roared their salute of nineteen
guns Other honOrs to which field marshal Is
entitled were paid as the caskct 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
1914-l91S for King and Country"
The immediate guard which escorted the body
IN 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
The pallbearers were field marshaIs and
admirals of the fleet including Viscomt Douglas
Iag, Earl Beatty. admiral of the grand fleet and
Mai 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 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 its cassOn as it
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 or
crowded the abbey, a little band of approximate
ly 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