Unknown

In England this scandalous story has lately spread: "At the War Office they know who the Unknown Soldier is. They've known it all along!"

If "they" know, the Rev. G. Kendall knows. He was Senior Chaplain of His Majesty's 63rd naval division during the War. He brought Britain's officially nameless hero home.

"He is absolutely unknown!" said Mr. Kendall with some heat last week.

To hardboiled, suspicious newshawks, the clergyman explained. He said that near Ypres, Arras, Cambrai, on the Marne and "in two other salients" a total of six shell-torn and unrecognizable bodies of British soldiers were disinterred by an impartial commission of which he was a member. Placed in six coffins, all exactly alike, the unknown candidates for immortal, anonymous fame were stacked in a soldiers' hut, draped with the Union Jack.

To make cheating absolutely impossible, all concerned then retired to a distance. Lastly "a British officer of very high rank" was blindfolded, led into the hut, which he had not previously entered. Groping about he finally touched one of the coffins, chose the Unknown.

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