Photographs of 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（David John Williams）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）的铁艺制作事宜。安葬仪式定于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——该棺椁以汉普顿宫（Hampton Court Palace）林区出产的英国橡木打造。他还设计了捆缚棺椁的铁箍，并采用仿古锤制工艺制作了安装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，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以待安葬。遗骸先被安置于青灰色棺椁中，随后随驱逐舰“弗尔邓号”（HMS Verdun）运抵英国，再由多佛尔搭乘火车前往维多利亚车站。送葬队伍沿林荫大道行进至白厅，在此驻足为战争纪念碑（Cenotaph）揭幕。抵达教堂后，棺椁由维多利亚十字勋章（Victoria Cross）获得者组成的仪仗队护送入场，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，对其精湛的工艺致以诚挚谢意。