When the government announced plans in 2002 for a Tomb of the
Unknown New Zealand Warrior to be established at the National War
Memorial in Wellington, the Funeral Directors Association of New
Zealand (FDANZ) offered to help with the project, and in particular
offered to present the casket (coffin) to be used for the funeral
and burial.
The offer of a casket was quickly accepted on behalf of Prime
Minister Helen Clark, in her capacity as Minister for Arts, Culture
and Heritage. On behalf of FDANZ, the Association's then
Vice-President, John Duncan, met representatives of the Ministry
for Culture and Heritage early in 2003 to ascertain what was
required.
At the first meeting, it was agreed the casket should be made of
a native New Zealand timber, and the merits of rimu, kauri, and
totara were discussed. FDANZ agreed to supply a coffin of very
simple design, suitable and appropriate for an unknown New Zealand
soldier who had died during the First World War. At a later
meeting, time frames were advised, and ministry representatives
confirmed their choice for a coffin made of kauri timber.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage subsequently asked that
two identical caskets be supplied - one to bring the Unknown
Warrior's remains back from France, while the other would stay in
New Zealand and be used for all rehearsals (and be available as a
substitute in the event of any damage to the first casket). In
addition to the two kauri caskets, a copper-lined inner casket was
also required. This would actually contain the remains of the
Unknown Warrior.
The FDANZ Executive commissioned member company Westland Funeral
Services of Greymouth, a major casket manufacturer, to produce the
caskets. The necessary kauri timber was sourced, and Mr Ray Thomas
of Greymouth, who had heard about the project, kindly donated
totara timber to construct the inner casket.
In July 2004, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage requested
the caskets supplied should be rectangular, of fully-panelled
'State Couch' design, similar to those used for the state funerals
of Prime Minister Norman Kirk in 1974 and former Prime Minister and
Governor-General, Sir Keith Holyoake, in 1983. This late advice
caused some consternation - obviously the project was already well
advanced, and additional kauri timber had to be obtained - but
Westland Funeral Services duly completed the three caskets that met
all specifications variously supplied by the Ministry for Culture
and Heritage, the New Zealand Defence Force, and the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission.
During September 2004, Defence asked FDANZ to also provide a
suitable shipping pallet to hold the casket while in transit aboard
the RNZAF aircraft.
Once the caskets were delivered to FDANZ President, John Duncan,
in Porirua, he fitted handles and linings, along with the engraved
nameplates' before handing the caskets and shipping pallet over to
the New Zealand Defence Force.
The solid brass plaques on the kauri caskets carried a lengthy
inscription drafted by Philip O'Shea, New Zealand Herald of Arms
Extraordinary to HM The Queen, which also appears on the
interpretative panel at the National War Memorial. Under a stylised
Silver Fern badge, as used on war grave headstones for New Zealand
servicemen and women, the inscription reads:
|
AN UNKNOWN NEW ZEALAND
WARRIOR
HE TOA MATANGARO NO AOTEAROA
This casket contains the
mortal remains of
a New Zealand soldier
of unknown name, rank, or unit,
known unto God.
He died serving his country on the battlefields of France
during the First World War of 1914-18.
He represents all New Zealanders
who gave their lives for their country in war.
On 6 November 2004, at a
ceremony in France,
the Unknown Warrior
was returned to the care of New Zealand and conveyed under
escort
to lie in state at Parliament House until 11 November 2004.
Following a Memorial Service at the Wellington Cathedral of St
Paul,
the casket was processed on a gun carriage through
the streets of the City of Wellington to the
National War Memorial
where it was placed in a tomb
erected in honour of all New Zealand's fallen.
|
The inner casket has a nameplate with an inscription that
reads:
|
An Unknown New Zealand Warrior
who fell in the Great War
1914-1918
for King and Country
He Toa Matangaro No Aotearoa
|
Also on the lid of the inner totara casket were a simple cross and
silver fern ornament, along with a traditional RSA poppy.
Finished to specifications supplied by the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission in France, the totara casket was almost as wide
and as deep as the kauri casket, but only around two-thirds the
length. It had a full copper lining, to allow hermetic sealing
after receiving the remains. A framework in the base of the kauri
casket held the totara casket securely in position, but allowed
easy transfer when the inner casket was moved in order to receive
the remains. A natural oiled finish highlighted the grain of the
totara, while the kauri casket had a full gloss, highly polished
finish.
The empty totara casket weighed 35 kilograms, while each kauri
casket weighed almost 90 kilograms.
The copper-lining of the inner casket was sealed in France after
receiving the remains of the Unknown Warrior, before the totara
casket was placed back in the flag-draped kauri casket for return
to New Zealand. Both the inner totara casket and outer kauri casket
had wax seals applied by the French authorities before the remains
were handed back to New Zealand's care. Neither casket was ever
opened again.
Following the ceremonies of November 2004, the duplicate kauri
casket was donated by FDANZ to the Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial
Museum at Waiouru. At a ceremony on 7 October 2005, FDANZ
President, John Duncan, presented the casket to Museum Director,
Major Chas Charlton. Inside the casket were a sample of the totara
used to make the inner casket, mounted with a duplicate of the
inner casket nameplate; copies of the Order of Service from 11
November 2004 and the Commemorative Booklet about the Unknown
Warrior; some photographs showing the caskets supplied by FDANZ;
and a copy of the December 2004 edition of Funeralcare magazine,
telling the story of the casket.
In addition to providing the caskets, FDANZ was asked to provide
a hearse for the transfer from the Royal New Zealand Air Force base
at Wellington airport to Parliament. FDANZ President, John Duncan,
was invited to be the funeral director for the ceremonies to be
held on 10th and 11th November 2004, and was requested to liaise
with WOI Tony Harding, the Regimental Sergeant Major at Trentham
Army Camp, for all matters relating to the Defence Force
involvement with the funeral.
In liaison with WOI Harding, it was agreed the casket would be
covered with the New Zealand flag, but there would be no insignia
or impedimenta on top - it would be inappropriate to designate
rank, or to indicate army, navy, or air force affiliation, when the
Unknown Warrior was to represent all war dead.
While he represented all New Zealand's war dead, it was never
forgotten that the Unknown Warrior was also an individual New
Zealander - definitely someone's son, possibly a brother or uncle,
husband or father, and perhaps with direct family still living. It
was notable on the day, and in the months since, that many New
Zealanders have claimed him as their own, and in doing so have
found closure to grief that dated back almost 90 years for some
families. This has reinforced the importance of funerals in
allowing individual people and communities to adjust to loss, and
to provide the comfort and reassurance we seek. Both of John
Duncan's grandfathers, and some of his great-uncles had served in
France during the First World War, so there was a sense of personal
involvement for him, too.
The ceremonial approach to every aspect of the occasion was
planned, purposeful, and full of symbolism. The funeral was run
with military precision. Every movement and procedure, and the role
of every participant, was meticulously planned, refined, rehearsed,
and practised again and again.
It was indicative of the detail and planning that went into
organising the ceremonies that the Manual of Programme and
Procedure ran to 95 pages. Procedures were promulgated for each
separate ceremony on a minute-by-minute, step-by-step basis.
For example, the cortege was to leave the RNZAF Military
Terminal at Rongotai at 11.35 hrs, and travelling at 30 km per hour
should take 23½ minutes to reach Parliament, where arrival was
scheduled for 12 noon. That allowed a 90-second leeway in the event
of any delay - there was none!
In conjunction with his role as the funeral director, John
Duncan made almost a dozen visits to Trentham Army Camp, and there
were many email communications with Defence, the Ministry for
Culture and Heritage, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in
France. Many hours were devoted to this project, including two full
weekends spent rehearsing with the army at all locations - the
airport, parliament, the cathedral, and the tomb.
For all rehearsals the spare casket was weighted to over 150
kilograms to ensure it was heavier than the actual casket. The
black metal bearers that held the casket above the open vault were
specially designed and manufactured for the occasion. The gun
carriage was refurbished at a cost of $35,000. Even the New Zealand
flag that was draped over the casket was manufactured to exact
measurements, along with an elastic cord covered in the same
bunting fabric, designed to hold the ensign securely in place.
The same six members of the tri-service Bearer Party (two
Warrant Officers each from the Royal New Zealand Navy, the New
Zealand Army, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force) stayed with the
casket throughout the entire repatriation from Longueval to New
Zealand, and through all the ceremonies from the Airport to
Parliament, and then from the Cathedral to the National War
Memorial. They had returned to New Zealand at 5.30am on 10th
November, and, after carrying the Unknown Warrior into the
Legislative Council Chamber, were still rehearsing with the funeral
director at the tomb, the cathedral, and at Trentham Camp until
7.30pm that evening.
Not many funeral directors have the privilege of directing a
State Funeral, and even fewer around the world will have had the
opportunity to be involved in a service for an unknown warrior. The
experience will remain a life-long memory for John Duncan, who says
it was an honour to represent the Association at this unique
occasion.
For more information regarding the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior,
see www.nationalwarmemorial.govt.nz/unknown/
.