Letter from Ministry of Works concerning coffin of the Unknown Warrior

In November 1920 Mr David John Williams of the Brunswick Ironworks received a telegram from the Minister of Works requesting his presence in London and was given the Commission for the Ironwork for the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

The ceremony was going to take place on the 11th November in Westminster Abbey. Mr Williams had to design and attach the handles to the coffin, which was made from English Oak from the forest at Hampton Court Palace. He also designed the iron bands that bound the coffin and antique hammered the plaque that was to be attached to the top of the coffin. He worked for two days and nights to make these.

The coffin left England in November for the journey across the Channel to France where the remains of an unknown serviceman had been selected for burial. The body, in a teal casket, was placed in the coffin and brought to London, first on the destroyer HMS Verdun and then by train from Dover to Victoria Station. The procession made its way via the Mall to Whitehall where it paused for the unveiling of the Cenotaph.

At the Abbey the coffin passed through a guard of honour of holders of the Victoria Cross and was buried in the Abbey in the presence of a vast congregation, headed by the King and Queen.

Mr Williams received this letter from the Minister of Works thanking him for his excellent workmanship.

1920年11月，布伦瑞克钢铁厂（Brunswick Ironworks）的大卫·约翰·威廉姆斯先生收到工程大臣发来的电报，受邀前往伦敦，并获委任负责无名战士墓（Tomb of the Unknown Warrior）的钢铁构件制作工作。
仪式定于同年11月11日在威斯敏斯特教堂（Westminster Abbey）举行。威廉姆斯先生需为棺椁设计并安装把手——该棺椁采用汉普顿宫森林出产的英国橡木打造。他还设计了捆绑棺椁的铁箍，并手工錾刻了置于棺椁顶部的纪念牌匾，前后耗时两昼夜完成全部制作。
当月，该棺椁从英国启程，经英吉利海峡运往法国——当地已遴选一名无名阵亡将士的遗骸用于安葬。遗骸先被安置于青灰色棺椁内，再移入上述橡木棺椁，随后由皇家海军凡尔登号驱逐舰（HMS Verdun）运送回国，继而从多佛尔乘火车前往维多利亚车站。送葬队伍沿伦敦林荫路（The Mall）行进至白厅，途中驻足为和平纪念碑（Cenotaph）揭幕。
抵达教堂后，棺椁在维多利亚十字勋章获得者组成的仪仗队护送下入场，最终在国王与王后领衔的大批民众见证下，安葬于教堂之内。
事后，威廉姆斯先生收到了工程大臣的来信，信中对其精湛的工艺表达了诚挚谢意。