PRINCE FREDERICK DULEEP SINGH AT HINDERCLAY

In the parish of Hinderclay on Sunday (20th June 1920) the war memorial was unveiled and dedicated in the churchyard at the close of evening service.

Very special sympathy is due to this small parish, for out of a total population of very little over 200, no fewer than 18 brave lives have been laid down for their country in the Great War.

At seven o’clock the memorial service for the fallen in the war was taken by the rector of Hinderclay, the Rev. J A Trimble, beginning with hymn 165, “0 God our help in ages past,” sung in procession. The proper psalms were the 23rd and 121st, and the lessons, Wisdom iii., 1-10, and Revelation xxi., 1-8.        

During the singing of Hymn 274, “Through the night of doubt and sorrow,” a collection was made for soldiers blinded in the war, after which the whole congregation, led by the choir, proceeded to the churchyard, singing hymn 391, “Onward, Christian Soldiers’.

The memorial cross bears the circle around it, like the ancient Christian symbols to be seen cut in the walls of the catacombs at Rome by the martyre of old, the circle, having no beginning and no end, signifying the eternal life and love won for redeemed humanity on the Cross, when God Incarnate offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.

The memorial stands in the south west part of the churchyard, and was veiled in a white ensign. Here prayer was made, and then RH Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, in the uniform of the Norfolk Yeomanry, spoke to the congregation. The Prince said that he came with the greatest sympathy to unveil this memorial in memory of the men of Hinderclay who had given their lives in the great war, and he was proud to feel that they were not only his comrades in arms but that many of them had been his brother choirmen, with whom he had had the privilege for several years of singing the praises of God, and sharing their worship in Hinderclay church. It was well known that again and again throughout the war the men of the Suffolk Regiment had been especially noted for their great courage, endurance and gallantry, and we had authoritative evidence that this regiment stood second to none in our valiant army.

After the Prince had unveiled the memorial, the hymn “When I survey the wondrous Cross” was reverently sung. Then followed a short address by the Rev. Canon J S Sawbridge, rector of Thelnetham, in the course of which he solemnly dedicated the memorial to the glory of God in memory of those fallen in the war. The Canon took as his text the passage in Philippians ii., 5-9, especially emphasising the words “He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.”

"We know well (he said) that suffering and death are the appointed lot of all. Man is born to sorrow as the sparks fly upwards. In the mist of much happiness sorrow is the refiner of the soul, and when the Eternal Son of God came from Heaven to take our nature and be our Saviour He came as “the suffering servant” and consecrated the Cross for ever as the highest symbol of love, self sacrifice for others, and victory and glory. As He Himself tells us, “Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” As St. Paul says, “God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ Jesus my Lord” and our Lord declares “If any man come after Me let him take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

And now for the last few years we have all been passing through the great tribulation of suffering, sorrow and pain; and very especially Our dear young friends who went out to suffer and die for us, and have been in the awful suffering of the battle and the trenches. We here dedicate this cross to the glory of God in memory of the eighteen young men cut off in the prime of life:­

We dedicate this cross to be a memorial in the parish of the great war, the great victory, and the great peace, and to be the symbol of divine sympathy and Divine power and wisdom to the humble and believing heart.

The Cross speaks to us of a victory in a greater war, even the war of God’s people against principalities and powers of evil and darkness. It has become through the Saviour’s love and sympathy the power of God unto salvation. This cross will speak to many a mourning mother of the love and sympathy of Him Who gazed from His Cross upon His own weeping mother, and spoke to her words of help and comfort. And this cross will be to multitudes (God grant it!) an incentive to courageous endurance and unflinching warfare against sin and Satan; a stimulant to duty, and to the full understanding of the great truth that the things which are seen are temporal, and the things that are not seen are eternal and that the one thing that the soul of man and this world needs is ‘The Cross” - the preaching of the Cross, the knowledge of the love of the crucified Saviour, Who died - yea, rather, that is risen again."

After the concluding prayers and benediction, the relatives and friends of the soldiers laid a large number of beautiful wreaths around the memorial, and the hymn which was such a special comfort to so many of our men was sung - “Abide with me.”