The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-01-22

who lost their husbands only. They were gwen
positions in accordance with the price they nav.
paid during the girl who wrote she hau
lost nine brothers killed or missing was given
ticket, also twelve year-od boy who wrote
'"The man in the coffin might be my daddy.
AS big Ben" the great clock in the tower oi
the parliament building. began to strike the honf
of eleven, King George facing the coffin OF the
unknown soldier, which was resting on gun car
rage drew q cord that released the union jack
draped about cenotaph in Whitehall erected 70
the GLORIOUS Dead and after the last stroke OF
the hour, thousands of people. who crowded
Whitehall as far as one could see In either direc-
ton, remained absolutely silent for two minutes.
During the brief services in the nave OF the
abbey the king stood at the foot of the grave the
royal ladies and princes ranging themselves on
either side.s The casket was transferred from the
carriage to the altar where the archbishop OF
Canterbury conducted the solemn funeral ritual.
AS the coffin finally was lowered into its crypt
a battery of artillery in the adjoining ST. James
park, fired field marshafs salute of 10 guns
the highest military honor accorded anyone out
side royal rank.
Official and civilian France paid honor to the
memory Of the nations sons who fell during the
Great War, the ceremonies lending solemn at
mospI1ere to the celebration Of the second ami
versary Of the armistice. Paris. accustomed to
observing its victory days and national fetes with
rejoicing turned aside this year and dedicated
the day to memory and recognition OF the sacri-
Ace by hundreds OF thousands Of dead who are
sleeping in cemeteries along the hattie lines.
Called from its grave on the field of verdnn.
the body Of an unidentified French "pOilu" was
carried with pOmp ana ceremony through the
streets and reburied rnder tine Arc de Triomphe.
The bodies Of eight unidentified French soldiers.
exhumed from many sectors OF the former bat
tie line from the Belgian frontier to the Vosges
arrived at the Verdun citadel the day before.
In low casemate the eight bodies lay In state
that night surrounded by thousand lighted can
dies while stern men and weeping women filed
silently past. On stand nearby were trophies
from the City Of veadun which were to be de-
posted upon the coffin Of the unknown soldier
chosen and to accompany the body in its last
journey to the Arc de Triomphe. there to remain
throughout time. The trophies were the Croix
de Guerre the insignia of the Legion Of Honor,
the Military Cross, the Order OF Leopold. the Dis
tinguished Service Meals sabers Of honor pre-
scented by China and Japan, the Greek War Cross.
the italian Military Medal and numerous others
One body was chosen from among the eight by
Private August Thin. native OF Caen Brittany.
who was. a volunteer during the war. At the re-
quest of Andre Maginot, minister OF pensions. the
veteran placed his hand on one coffin and the
veterans choice was the "Unknown Dead" Of a
solemn and impressive ceremony.
In addition, France took occasion to remember
that so years ago the country. defeafed by Ger
many owed ITS very existence for time to Leon
Gambetta, who took virtual control Of affairs In
Paris when the city was besieged by Germans and
later succeeded in organizing armies to continue
the futile struggle against the Teuton Invaders
The heart Of Gambetta, which had been pre-
served since his death in 1882, was inurned IN
the Pantheon. the national shrine OF France.
The procession formed In Place Denfert Ro
chereau 40 o'clock, the head Of the columr
standing in the shadow ct the huge statue Of the
Lion Of Belfort which represents the spirit Of tn