A Hero of Lucknow

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 103, 28 October 1933, Page 23

A Hero of Lucknow

Canadians have been paying tribute, on the seventy-sixth anniversary of the Tclicf of Lucknow, to one of its nine survivors, Major C. G. Palmer, of Duncan, Vancouver Island, who, as a boy of ten, acted as ammunition carrier and dispatch-bearer in the beleaguered garrison, and later had a distinguished career in the engineering service of the Government of India. "The Times" simultaneously pays tribute to tho survivors in a sketch written by Arthur F. Dashwood, whom Major Palmer recalls as the "siege baby," as he was born at that time. Major Palmer is the only -living holder of the Lucknow Medal, awarded him in recognition of his services. All nine survivors were children at the time of (he sioge. Since the last anniversary tho ranks have been reduced by throe deaths. , Major Palmer, son of an Indian army general, retired to a farm near Duncan Twenty-four years ago, and has played a prominent part in local affairs us municipal councillor, police commiseiooejj giKl jjresidenfc of, Jlio JJjntcd

Farmers of British, Columbia. *'Our elders showed the anxiety they felt," ho said, "but we' children took things as they came—as children always do. I recall the excited buzz of talk about a Scotch girl named Jean, who said she saw and heard the Highlanders approaching two days before they got in and brought relief. Even we youngsters took note of that talk. I would not call the incident supernatural. It may have been that the girl had a much keener sense of hearing than wo, but nevertheless it was a popular topic in the garrison, and was regarded as a great mystery." "About India today? Well, I would like to put it this way: There are a lot of good men thero. So far as I can see, nine-tenths of life goes on just the same as it used to, and I think things will como out all right. That recent murder Of a Magistrate at Midnapore. It was a nasty thing, and the third murder thero sinco 1931. You know, those murders are dono by misled youths, who have been, contaminated, by tho teaching of wild fanatics. They fly off the deep end without much persuasion,