Memorial Service concluded with "singing of the Russian National Anthem"

[davidbohl]

My casualty received a memorial service in 1916 and it concluded with the singing(?) of the Russian National Anthem. They probably meant playing, but would this be a normal practice? He was an organist with St Andrew’s Seamen’s Mission Church, Garston.

Dave  

 

Runcorn Weekly News 28th July 1916 

GARSTON MEMORIAL SERVICE. 

LANCE-COPPL. W. FARRANCE'S SACRIFICE. 

 "HE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT."  

“He fought a good fight; his warfare is o'er—a good soldier of Jesus Christ" was the affectionate tribute printed on an artistically designed memorial card generously provided by a gentleman interested in the Garston Mersey Mission, where on Sunday evening last a memorial service was held to Lance-Corporal W. Willis Farrance, of Gladstone road, Garston, who for eight years had been the organist at the Mission and a member of the C.E.M.S. Lance- Corporal Farrance fell with other Garston boys in the Pals Regiment on the opening day of the big advance, and in the memorial service these other heroes had a place, the sorrowing relatives of all being present in the large congregation. The organ where Willie had so long officiated was draped in black, surmounting all being a wreath of red roses (his favourite flower) and lilies. Mr. George Atkin, of Garston, so well known and generous in his sympathy in all local causes, had also provided a laurel wreath, emblem of victory and peace, tied with beautiful broad white ribbon, and this was prominently placed over a draped engraving, "The Great Sacrifice," presented to the Mission in memory of Lance-Corporal Farrance by Mrs. Noblett, daughter of Mr. Thomas Porter. Mr. S. J. Hatch unveiled this picture in the course of the service, and made a sympathetic speech. Special hymns were chosen - “Nearer my God to Thee," "Bold Thou my hand," "Hark, my soul, it is the Lord" (selected by his fiancee, Miss Macgregor), and "Sleep on, beloved." Lieut. Phillips read the first lesson, taken from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15. and the second lesson, from the letter to Timothy, was read by Mr. Hatch. It was from the second lesson that the Rev. Thomas Williams selected his text: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." Mr. Williams paid a warm tribute to the religious character, the sterling moral courage, and the physical courage displayed by the late Lance-Corporal Farrance, and in a word of sympathy to the bereaved relatives he said that there was a suggestion of recognition in the closing sentences of the text. The crown of righteousness had been won by Willis Farrance, but there was also a crown laid up for all those who loved the appearing of the Lord. The service concluded with the singing of the Russian National Anthem, the playing of the French National Anthem and the Dead March, and the singing of a verse of the British National Anthem.  

[FROGSMILE]

7 hours ago, davidbohl said:

My casualty received a memorial service in 1916 and it concluded with the singing(?) of the Russian National Anthem. They probably meant playing, but would this be a normal practice? He was an organist with St Andrew’s Seamen’s Mission Church, Garston.

Dave  

 

Runcorn Weekly News 28th July 1916 

GARSTON MEMORIAL SERVICE. 

LANCE-COPPL. W. FARRANCE'S SACRIFICE. 

 "HE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT."  

“He fought a good fight; his warfare is o'er—a good soldier of Jesus Christ" was the affectionate tribute printed on an artistically designed memorial card generously provided by a gentleman interested in the Garston Mersey Mission, where on Sunday evening last a memorial service was held to Lance-Corporal W. Willis Farrance, of Gladstone road, Garston, who for eight years had been the organist at the Mission and a member of the C.E.M.S. Lance- Corporal Farrance fell with other Garston boys in the Pals Regiment on the opening day of the big advance, and in the memorial service these other heroes had a place, the sorrowing relatives of all being present in the large congregation. The organ where Willie had so long officiated was draped in black, surmounting all being a wreath of red roses (his favourite flower) and lilies. Mr. George Atkin, of Garston, so well known and generous in his sympathy in all local causes, had also provided a laurel wreath, emblem of victory and peace, tied with beautiful broad white ribbon, and this was prominently placed over a draped engraving, "The Great Sacrifice," presented to the Mission in memory of Lance-Corporal Farrance by Mrs. Noblett, daughter of Mr. Thomas Porter. Mr. S. J. Hatch unveiled this picture in the course of the service, and made a sympathetic speech. Special hymns were chosen - “Nearer my God to Thee," "Bold Thou my hand," "Hark, my soul, it is the Lord" (selected by his fiancee, Miss Macgregor), and "Sleep on, beloved." Lieut. Phillips read the first lesson, taken from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15. and the second lesson, from the letter to Timothy, was read by Mr. Hatch. It was from the second lesson that the Rev. Thomas Williams selected his text: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." Mr. Williams paid a warm tribute to the religious character, the sterling moral courage, and the physical courage displayed by the late Lance-Corporal Farrance, and in a word of sympathy to the bereaved relatives he said that there was a suggestion of recognition in the closing sentences of the text. The crown of righteousness had been won by Willis Farrance, but there was also a crown laid up for all those who loved the appearing of the Lord. The service concluded with the singing of the Russian National Anthem, the playing of the French National Anthem and the Dead March, and the singing of a verse of the British National Anthem.  

Perhaps it was sung in the English language David.  They seem to be very specific with the word ‘singing’, whereas the French anthem was apparently ‘played’. It implies some connection with Russia, or perhaps just referred to the Triple-Alliance.  At that time the anthem was God Save the Czar, adopted in 1833: 

God, protect the Tsar!
Strong and majestic,
Reign for glory, For our glory!
Reign to foes’ fear,
Orthodox Tsar.
God, protect the Tsar!

 

Edited 13 December , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[RNCVR]

Used very effectively by P.I. Tschaikovsky in the finale to 1812 Overture!

[rolt968]

I wonder if they sang the hymn which was set to the tune?

https://hymnary.org/text/god_the_omnipotent_king_who_ordainest

RM

[davidbohl]

Thanks all for your thoughts.

With the church being a Seaman's Mission and Garston having a substantial dock system on the Mersey perhaps it was frequented by Russian sailors ?

[FROGSMILE]

17 hours ago, rolt968 said:

I wonder if they sang the hymn which was set to the tune?

https://hymnary.org/text/god_the_omnipotent_king_who_ordainest

RM

That wasn’t the ‘National Anthem’ though, albeit I suppose it’s possible that the original news article was in error. 

[stevenbecker]

Of cause one has to wonder how many knew the words to the Russian National Anthem?

Or like most church services, you just make sounds to look like you do?

[pierssc]

I'm sure that we had a very old book of songs at home that had an English version of the Imperial Russian National Anthem that began "Hail to the Emperor, ruler and guide" (or words to that effect) whose words fitted the tune better than the literal translations.  Wonder what happened to it?  It must have been quite old....

The point is that they were playing the national anthems of the Entente powers.  I think we can take it that they sang something to the tunes of the Russian and British anthems, and the chances were that in a religious establishment they would use the words in a hymn book to the tune of the Russian one, as suggested by Mr Rolt. The fact that the words might not have been the correct ones seems within the scope of journalistic licence!  It's the thought that counts!

 

 

Edited 16 December , 2023 by pierssc