For The Fallen
ABOVE: Among the dugouts the Australia First AIF troops had prepared on the Gallipoli Peninsula overlooking ANZAC Cove. This image appeared on page 23 of the “At The Front” section of “The Queenslander Pictorial, supplement to The Queenslander” of 13 November 1915.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN.
SOLEMN CELEBRATION
OF THE EUCHARIST.
SERVICE IN ST. JOHN’S CATHEDRAL.
SINCE St John’s Cathedral has been erected there has perhaps been no other occasion on which so solemn a service has taken place within its walls, or one which will be so much appreciated at the present time, as that held yesterday morning [ 10 June 1915 ].
The object was the solemn commemoration before God of those who had laid down their lives for their friends.
The order of the service was the usual order of the Holy Communion from The Book of Common Prayer, with special collects, epistle and Gospel.
The book of Edward VI., in which the prayer is made that “we and those our brothers departed, receiving again our bodies and rising again in Thy gracious favour, may, with all Thine elect saints, obtain eternal joy,” and also another petitioning “that the good work begun in these who are at rest, may be perfected unto the day of Jesus Christ.”
The epistle was 1 Thessalonians iv.13-18, and the Holy Gospel, St. John vi. 37-40.
The service commenced with the choir, headed by its cross, entering in silence, after which was sung as an introit “Let saints on earth in concert sing,” during which the Archbishop, who was vested in a violet cope, entered, attended by the assisting ministers also in funeral copes, and the Archdeacons of Brisbane and Toowoomba, Canon Pattinson, and the Reverend Francis De Witt Batty, who carried the archiepiscopal cross.
ABOVE: Future members of the First AIF formed up on what was then Lang Park, Ithaca (Milton). This image of the Metropolitan Rifle Club Reserves parading (with rifles) on the afternoon of Saturday, 5 June 1915, appeared on page 20 of “The Week” (Brisbane) newspaper on 11 June 1915.
The music rendered was John Stainer, which was sung by the choir of men and boys in an excellent manner.
The offertory was “Blest are the departed,” and during the communion the hymn “And now Father, mindful of the love” was sung.
After the blessing, the Russian “Contakion of the Departed” was beautifully rendered.
The words and music are of Russian origin, and were introduced into England in Queen Victoria’s time, it is understood at the instance of her Majesty and were rendered at similar services for the departed in St. Paul’s Cathedral and in the Royal Chapel.
This is the first time The Contakion has been rendered in Queensland and the words of it are:-
Give rest, O Christ to the servants with Thy saints;
where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing but life everlasting.
Thou only art immortal, the creator and Maker of man;
and we are mortal, formed of the earth and unto earth shall we return:
for so Thou didst ordain when Thou createdst me, saying,
Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return.
All we go down to the dust; and weeping
o’er the grave we make our song: alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
The service concluded with Beethoven’s “Marche Funebre” played by Mr. G. Sampson, F.R.C.O. [ George Sampson, Fellow of the Royal College of Organists ], who presided at the organ.
His Excellency the Governor [ Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams ], with Lady Goold-Adams, the State Commandant (Colonel George Leonard Lee, D.S.O.) and Mrs Lee and representatives of the allied nations were present, and also a large congregation, which included many in mourning, relatives of those who had fallen.
– from page 9 of “The Brisbane Courier” for 11 June 1915.
ABOVE: On the evening of Tuesday, 9 June 2015, the Canon Garland Memorial Society Incorporated staged the “We Remember” Concert, to mark the centenary of the Requiem to The Fallen, held in the same place on Thursday afternoon, 10 June 1915. This article appeared on page 9 of the June-July 2015 edition of the Diocese of Brisbane newspaper, “Focus”.
