The Washington herald., 1921-10-18
V.C.BESTOWED
BY KING UPON
YANK UNKNOWN
England's Highest Honor
Conferred on Alien
For First Time.
SOLEMN CEREMONY
AT TOMB IN ABBEY
Pershing Places Medal on
Grave of British
Tommy.

Of England has conferred the Vic
toria Cross, Great Britafn's highest
and most democratic military deco
ration, upon the unknown Ameri-
can soldier, TO be presented in
Washington on Armistice Day II
possible.
Announcement of the comforting
of this honor was made Monday
night at a formal dinner to Gen
John ]. Pershing after the cere-
mony of placing the American
Congressional Medal of Honor upon
the tomb of Great Britain's un-
known warrior in Westminster
Abbey.
King George also sent a cable
gram to President Harding inform
ing him Of the decision and stating
the Victoria Cross has never be+
fore been conferred on a subject Of
another state"
The Kings message to the Presi-
dent also expresses his heartfelt
good wishes for the great interna-
tional conference which opens by
your initiative" on Armistice Day.
Ny ministers will. know strive
whoIe-heartedly with yours to
make that conference a sterling
success" the King declared. May
they. in common with yours, do all
that practical craftsmanship can
achieve to ,perpetuate the COM
r.deship Of war in the mainte-
anee of peace"
The message began with an ex-
preston to the President, tbe Con-
Kress and the American people
Of the warm appreciation felt
throughout this country of the
tribute which you are paying to-
day"
Il went on: The gift of your
medal of honor to your British
comrade in arms, whose tomb in
Westminster Abbey stands for all
our best endeavor and our hardest
sacrifice in the war, is a gesture OF
friendly sympathy and good win
which we shall not forget
HIz.est Decoration for yaIor.
on ArmIstice Day, representa-
tives OF the British Empire VIII
ioin you IN a ceremony held In
honor Of the splendid record Of
your own troops 1 greatly wish
on that occasion to confer on your
unknown warrior our highest deco
ration Sor valor. the Victoria Cross.
II has never yet been bestowed on
The subject of another state, but
trust that you and the American
people will accept the gift in order
that the British Empire may thus
most ftIy pay its tribute to the
tomb which symbolizes every deed
Of conspicuous valor performed by
the men Of your great fighting
forces"
As solemn silence settled over
Westminster Abbey John ]. PERISH
ing. general of the armies of the
United States, stepped forward to a
spot where a shaft of sunlight met
the ancient fiagstones, stopped and
laid the American Congressional
Medal Of Honor on the tomb of the
unknown British Tommy, then stood
erect and concluded the ceremony Of
Americas tribute TO the spirit of
the British lighting man. this aft
ernoon. Pershing stepped back two
PAGES, fixed his eyes on the tomb,
Inc figure of the perfect soldier and
brought up his hand in a salute.
For a moment he held 1t there, then
brought it down with a snap.
Great show of Friendship.
A moment later the general
emerged from the abbey into the
midst of a vast, orderly throng of
Fngl shmen and Englishwomen as
.enbIed in Parliament Square and
ON both sides of Parliament street
in the greatest demonstration of
Anglo-American friendship and
sympathy since the days when the
armistice was new. The ceremony
over. they cheered Pershing and the
spirft betokened by the little bronze
medal with its blue ribbon hecked
with white stars, which then lay on
the tomb of Great Britain's un-
known warrior.
"And now. in this Holy Sanctuary,
in the name of the President and the
people Of the United States" Perish
ing said. in concluding his remarks
at the tomb. I place upon this war
rfor's tomb the medal Of honor, con-
ferred upon him by special act of
the American Congress, in COM
memoration of the sacrifices of our
Eritish comrade and of his fellow
countrymen. This is a slight token
Of our gratitude and affection to-
ward these people"
In the main sle, two ranks of
soldiers faced one another, one
drawn from the splendid special bat
TALON of the American Rhine army.
the other composed of members of
the famous Coldstream Guards. one
Of Great Britain's best regiments
At one end of the church Ahere
stood a body Of American blueJack-
cts and naval officers from the
United States cruiser Olympia.
Premier David Lloyd George made
the reply OF the British government
TO Gen. Pershing just before the gem
eral laid the medal Of honor upon
the tomb
This homage will be interpreted as
n solemn pledge given the valiant
dead that these two mighty peoples,
who were comrades in the great war;
have resolved to remain comrades to
guarantee the great peace" said the
prenier. Replying to Pershing's
phrase that the hearts of the
American people join in this tribute
to their English-speaking kinsmen."
the premier continued:
This great empire to its remotest
corners will not miss the deep sig
nifcance Of this deed"
After the procession had entered
the church-Gen. Pershing, Ambas-
sador George Harvey, many promi-
nent British generals and officials. and
the dean and other dignitaries of the
abbey being in the line-Ambassador
Harvey opened the ceremony with a
brief address.