Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-11
LAST HOMAGE PAID
TO Riot VICTIMS
Distinguished Procession
Bears Dead Through
Mourning London.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, October lin the bril-
liant sunshine of chill october morn
RIOTS destruction in France last Sun
day morning today were taken from
Westminster Hall to commence their
last journey to one huge grave at Card
ington.
Promptly at 10 am. the funeral pro-
cession, headed by Royal Air Force
band, commenced the march through
silent streets, which had been closed
to ordinary traffic and which were
lined by thousands of people, who were
unable to pass the collins yesterday
when they lay in state in Westminster.
Comrades in Cortege.
Comrades of the dead men marched
In the procession, men of the third
watch of the R-l01 and the crew OF her
sister-ship the R-1o0, were there with
high officials of the Air Council, Army
Council and the admiralty. Premier
Macdonald, the Dominion premiers,
representatives of foreign powers and
other prominent persons Joined the
cortege as it moved slowly through the
respectful regretful crowds to Euston
station for transport to Bedford.
One figure in the cortege that wended
its solemn way through the hushed
throngs in London's streets was sad
faced man in dark blue uniform with
long cloak, golden epaulettes and a
peaked cap. He was DR.. Hugo Eckener,
veteran commander Of the Graf Yep
pelin.
Eckener to Lay Wreath.
He was bidding farewell to his fellow
workers in the airship field. His grief
was the greater because Maj. G. H.
Scott of the British airship develop
ment staff, who persisted in the R-101,
was his close friend
Dr. Eckener, who arrived in London
yesterday evening, will act as special
representative of the German govern
fnnent as well as Of the Zeppelin Co
at the ceremonies today. He will
lay a wreath on the grave at Carding
ton for the German government.
1t was nearly noon when the head of
the procession crossed the city and
reached the Euston Railway terminal,
where the dead were entrained.
The route had been long and tor
tuous. There were many scenes OF in
tense emotion. The police were Kept
busy removing numbers of fainting
women from the crowd. At one point
half dozen women collapsed.
Name Plates Are Made.
Forty-eight aluminium name plates.
cut from the same metal as went into
construction of the R-101, were ready
today to be placed on collins Of the
R-101'S dead. The names of IA victims
who have been identified are inscribed
on the plates. but the remaining "a bear
the simple inscription, TIE the memory
of the unknown airTnan who died Oc-
tober s."
Another solemn procession was ar
ranged at Bedford to escort remains of
the men to their last resting place at
the nearby air field, from where they
started one week ago tonight light
heartedly on the trip which had such
tragic ending.
Workmen labored throughout the
night to complete the last resting place
OF the men, including Lord Thomson,
minister for air. who lost their lives
when the Giant R-l0l, largest airship
IN the world, cracked up and burned on
French hillside Sunday morning.
Grave Finished at Dawn.
Acetylene lamps lit up the grave,
which has been built wit ha sloping
side SO that the collins may be car
ried into, rather than lowered in it,
1t was not until nearly dawn that the
last touches were put on the excava-
ton
Considerable quantities of wreaths
and other floral tributes have arrived
from all parts of Britain and the con-
tinent, and an unoccupied shop was
hired to contain them until they could
be placed on the grave today. Many
persons arrived last night at Bedford,
nearby town, to await today'S interment
ceremony
Bedford itself was in mourning. All
places of business except the post Of
ice were closed and all normal life was
at standstin
Cardington Mourns.
To one huge grave in the tiny Card
ington Cemetery grief-stricken Britain
this afternoon carried the AZ gallant
airmen who died as result of the dis
aster.
In sight of the tear-dimmed eyes of
the concourse of mourners in and about
the church yard, there reared itself into
the blue october sky a towering steel
mooring mast at which, only a brief
week ago, the silver air leviathan had
tugged impatiently, awaiting a moment
Gus voyage of adventure to India with
a large crew and distinguished passen-
gers aboard. ~
Cardington was home to many of the
dirig1ble's crew, and their long sleep will
be within stones throw of the little
sAlS~SidO COLldBeS WIlSTE a lew Gays ago
they bade their wives and children what
proved to be a final farewell
The village was crowded with thou
sands Of persons to pay their last
tribute, while other thousands stood
along the road leading to the adjoining
City of Bedford, there to watch the
funeral train bearing the bodies from
London.
Village Is flushed.
The grave itself was beautiful, al
though sad. sight. During the night
workmen had Transformed the sloping,
sandy sides Of the excavation into a
carpet of fresh green grass. dotted here
and there with white and bronze chryS-
anthemums.
AS the clock in the old church tower
of CarGington recorded the hour of 2,
marking the arrival OF the funeral train
in Bedford, a great hush settled over
the village. Farm laborers stood be-
side town folk and cottagers mingled
with their landlords, all sharing COM
mon grief.
Occasionally a Sorrowful figure passed
into the silent peace of the church TO
pray, but apart from this there was no
movement save on the ancient church
itself, where the Union Jack huttered
proudly at half-Staff as an airDlane