GENERAL AS WASHER-UP

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 229, 27 September 1928, Page 25

GENERAL AS WASHER-UP

EX-AUSTRALfAN SOLDIER.

A CANADIAN EXPERIENCE.

DRIVEN FROM UNITED STATES

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

VANCOUVER, September 5

Although be was making expenses and learning French through contact with the other employees at the hotel where he was engaged washing dishes, Briga-dier-General Charles Henry Gough, decided to accept an appointment more in keeping with his former condition of servitude. Thanks to the publicity, which he received when it was first discovered that a brigadier was a member of the kitchen staff of the j>alatia! Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec, General Gough received. ttie offer of an appointment with a company operating a steamship service on the St. Lawrence and in the Gulf. "I have not yet seen the gentleman who made me the offer,' said General Gough to a newspaper man in Quebec, "but if it is any sort of a job I will certainly take it. It is impossible for me to stay here now, thanks t' the publicity which I have received o\Ving to the indiscretions of a friend who arrived in Quebec on board the Australian cruiser Australia."

.Twice decorated and the recipient of a letter of thanks from His Majesty. King G«orge, Brigadier-General Gough, late of the Australian forces, unfolded his story to the visiting scribe.

Born at Faversham, Englanu , , in 18S4, and educated at the Wright Commercial School in England and the British Army School at Malta, General Ciough joined the army as a drummer, and after serving fourteen years with the British 1 forces transferred to the Australians, with -whom he enlisted for five years. This was in 1913, and lie saw service with the Australian forces in Australia, Egypt, Gallipoli, I'rance and England. He sustained a severe wound at Bullecourt and five pieces of shrapnel were taken out of his thigh, the bone being shattered. The thigh of a dead officer was grafted on to his own shattered limb, and he now walks just as erect as though never touched by enemy shell fire. Promoted Rapidly. Promoted on the field of battle, Brigadier-General Gough successively rose from the ranks until he was demobilised in June, 191!', with the rank of temporary Brigadier-General.

The same year he made his way to Canada, anfl then went over to New York on a visit. He returned to Canada, but shortly afterwards went back to the United States for a three weeks' visit, which turned out to be nearer three years in length.

"I held down executive positions and was drawing down good salaries while 1 also had my orchestra playing ni the Club Polle in* New York. . From 7500 Dollars to Nothing. "What with my job, my orchestra and the broadcasting that we were doing nightly, I was drawing about 7r>oo dollars a year and I would still be there drawing down that amount if it had not been fora man, whom I will nut name, but who informed the immigration authorities at Washington that 1 had overstayed my leave in the United States.

"I came to Canada m March, 1927, and established myself in the maritime provinces, roaming all round. 1 was in Monctoti for a while, as well as in the other cities, and managed to eke out a bare living by teaching music and tutoring in English.

"Three months ago I went to Montreal and made application for an executive position with the departmental stores there. The employment manager of one company wrote away to New York to the John Wanamaker Company for information about me, and then I found that my French was an obstacle towards my getting a position, although he told me to come back around September 1, when there might be something for me. "While I was naturally desirous of getting an executive position, I was willing to take anything, but couldn't find anything at all in Montreal, so, feeling in rather a cynical mood, came on to Quebec last week, and here I am washing dishes. To-night, as the regular man is not on, I am taking charge of the silver machine later on."

The General's wife and family at the time were residing in Nova Scotia, and at the time of this interview had arrived in Quebec exactly eight days previously, hooking up with his dish-washing job at the Chateau after three days. "I would much rather have been allowed to bury my identity and to carry on in a quiet mannr:. for I was making expenses here and addition tots learning quite a lot of French sM*og the boys, for none of them speak English, but it will be my last night here," he concluded.

It subsequently transpired that the General received a position with the Clarke Steamship Company. which operates on "the St. Lawrence River and Gulf.