GIANT SOLDIER’S CAREER

Evening Star, Issue 22149, 2 October 1935, Page 15

GIANT SOLDIER’S CAREER

GENERAL WHO CHOSE A KING The huge British officer strode down the ranks of native soldiers. It Avas in Persia. The commissioned officer was going back to England. His last duty Avas to appoint a successor to command his native levies. He stopped in front of a non-com-missioned officer and said: “ You look the sort of man to command the others. What’s your name?” “Riza Khan,” said the man. The Riza Khan who later became Shah of Persia. . . . That Avas his first step to power—and one of the extraordinary incidents in the eventful life of Lieutenant-general Sir Fdmuiul Ironside, who has just been promoted to the full rank of general, lie stands 6ft sin in his socks and Aveighs 18st —so, of course, his friends call him “ Tiny.” He is the army’s greatest linguist. Ho speaks 16 languages, including French, German, Dutch, Nonvegiau, Russian Magyar, Hindustani, Persian, Arabic, and Flemish. His life story reads like a Boy’s adventure talehut he is so modest that only hi* close friends know it. Une of them said to an interviewer: ‘ ‘ Tiny ’ is one of the most modest soldiers in tho army. Ho joined up to wards the end of the South African War, when ho Avas about 20 years old. When that Avar Avas over lie joined tho Germans in the West African campaign and Avorked as a Boer bullock driver. ‘‘He learned all tlie inside organisation of tho Gorman Army in West Africa—knowledge that Avas useful in the Great War. ROSE TO BRIGADIER. “ If tho Germans had knoAvn lie avias British he Avould probably have been «hot as a spy, but he spoke South African Dutch so fluently that they had no suspicion. Then, after ho had seen everything that could be seen m the Gorman Army ho came homo as * student at the Staff College. “ In the Avar he rosCj step by step, m* the rank of brigadier. His next great task came after the Avar Avhen bo Avas sent to Archangel in North Russia as goneral-in-chief to tho command of all the Allied Forces against tho Bolshe.vists. ' He had to deal Avith jiao mutiny sflcr another. Plots were made to assassinate him, but he seemed to have a charmed life. ‘‘Once a Bolshevist opened fire on him with a re\'olver as he Avalkcd down a street Avith his servant. ‘ Tiny ’ ducked behind a lamp post, Avhich Avas about as funny a sight as you or I biding Behind a reed. Ho fumbled in his furs for his revolver, the shots miraculously missing him as 1 e did so. And then, in the nick of time, his servant shot tho Bolshevist. ‘‘ ‘ Tiny ’ has had many escapes like When he avub coining home from Persia the aeroplane crashed and he escaped Avith a broken leg. He is flying home from India hoav.”