Symbolised At

Wartime Sacrifice

Nz-French Link Is

Bourail Cemetery

From Our Own Correspondent THE close ties linking the British Commonwealth and the French Union were symbolised on May 8, when New Zealand and New Caledonia jointly paid homage to the Dominion’s war dead at the opening of the NZ cemetery at Bourail.

In January, 1942, a few weeks after the Japanese had started the Pacific War at Pearl Harbour, the NZ 3rd Division came into being in Fiji.

It consisted of the Bth Brigade, which had gone to Fiji early in the war, reinforced by the 14th Brigade. Major-General (now Sir Harold) Barrowclough was in com mand.

In November, 1942, this force was transferred to New Caledonia.

In addition, units of the Royal NZ Air Force and ships of the NZ Navy were prominent in the Pacific War.

In August, 1943, the 3rd Division went to Guadalcanal and fought at Vella Lavella, Nissan and elsewhere.

The division returned to NZ in 1944.

Three hundred NZ servicemen are buried at Bourail, and the formal opening of the beautiful cemetery coincided with both the anniversary of V-E Day in 1945 and the French national day which honours Joan of Arc.

SIR Harold Barrowclough, now Chief Justice of NZ, led the Dominion’s delegation. M. Jean Meadmore represented the French Legation at Wellington.

On May 7, Sir Harold laid a wreath at the Monument aux Morts, Noumea, as a tribute from the NZ Government and people to France’s war dead.

Eleven relatives of serviceme buried or commemorated at Boura flew to New Caledonia by way ( Fiji for the simple but ceremony. It was attended also t people from all over New Caledoni; General Barrowclough spoke ( New Caledonia's loyalty to Fightin France and to the Allied cause at difficult period in France’s histor; and thanked the Colony for provid ing at Bourail a lasting resting place for fallen New Zealanders.

M. Rene Hoffherr, Governor < New Caledonia and High Commk sioner for France in the Pacifr paid an eloquent tribute to Ne’

Zealand’s fighting forces.

Bourail Cross

of Sacrifi[?]

Dedication of [?] New Zealand [?] cemetery at Bour [?] New Caledonia on [?] 8, was marked by impressive ceremony which both counter were strongly rep [?] sented. Focal point the ceremony was [?] Cross of Sacrifice, [?] here shortly before [?] unveiling. —Photo by F.

Dunn.