AN OLD TIME FIGURE

Evening Star, Issue 22454, 26 September 1936, Page 21

AN OLD TIME FIGURE

MEMORIES OF SERGEANT-MAJOR BEVIN [Written by Caklson E. Holmes, for the ‘ Evening Star.’] The other evening I was visiting a friend, Mr John Bevin Brenjner, of Christchurch. He said, “ You’re an exDunedinite and you Scotsmen seem to take a remarkable interest in your town. Hero aro soino old books of clippings that will interest you. They belonged to my grandfather, Sergeantmajor Bevin, of the Dunedin Police Force.” I took the books home. There are still a number of people in Dunedin who will remember the late Sergeant-major Bevin, firstly as an efficient and popular police officer and, secondly, because Dunedin took a keen pride in the fact that he was one of the survivors of the charge of the Light Brigade. And, in these books, Ser-geant-major Bevin left many interesting clippings and comments which show just what \yent through his mind as a survivor of the ghastly error which sent so many Englishmen to an untimely end. One book entitled ‘ Notes on the Survivors of the Crimean War ’ has in_ it a page written by Sergeant-major Bevin. This gives the exact strength and the exact losses of each unit which took part in the charge. It reads as follows: LIGHT BRIGADE AT BALACLAVA.

Out of the 607 men, there were 327 Irishmen—this return was compiled at Horse Guards in the year 1874 and published in the ‘Broad Arrow or United Service Gazette.’ I took a note of it in January, 1875, at Dunedin. (Signed) John Bevih (late Bth Hussars). Records of the actual numbers taking part in the charge vary in the book, but it seems that the late sergeantmajor must have thought the list above as correct as possible, otherwise it does not seem likely that he would have gone to the trouble of including it. The book also contains the obituary notice of Mr Samuel Wilson, from a Christchurch paper dated August 23, 1884. Curiously enough, this is pasted up right alongside that of Sergeantmajor Bevin. Apparently some relative of the latter gentleman’s carried! o_» the work of finishing up the books with the obituary notices and complimentary write-ups of the popular police officer. In Mr Wilson’s obituary notice it points out that he was in the charge of the Light Brigade with Sergeant-major Bevin. It, however, gives the totals of the charge as follows:—Total force, 673. Number returned from charge, 195. The late Mr Wilson was more fortunate than his colleague in that he escaped unwounded.' In the charge Sergeantmajor Bevin (then a trooper) was taken prisoner by the Russians, and by a curious coincidence actually met a wounded! Russian whom he had cut down. To make the coincidence all the more remarkable, Trooper Bevin recognised the Russian as the man who had sliced his ear. “ Whereupon,” according to a newspaper, report pasted in the book, “ the two fraternised, and Bevin had to resort to much artifice to escape being kissed by the battered Muscovite.” NO CARPET KNIGHT. Right alongside this report is a remarkable breezy and sensationally personal write-up dealing with the ser-geant-major. It refers to him as ‘‘The Major” and says: “Bother sticking ‘ sergeant ’ ’ before it every time’—if he isn’t a full-blown major he ought to be. He’s jolly enough.” The article then points out that “ Our major ..is no carpet knight. He bears scars on hand, ear, and) one long sword cut right across the orown of Lis head, besides 20 body wounds.” The writer then pays tribute to the police officer’s bravery in these words: ‘“ An old soldier was wanted l by the police, and the villain got a pistol and vowed h* was an old soldier and he’d be the death of any d— — crawling policeman that laid hands on him. The battle-hloodl mounted to the peaceful major’s head, antf with a roar of * I’m an old soldwr, too, and I’m going to take you. Game out of that or I’ll tear ye limb by limb,’ he made 'such a rush at the . culprit that the latter dropped his pistol and surrendered.” The writer was a little free with the “ ands,” but he gives us a stirring picture of a man who was not afraid. The writeup then relates that “the major knows how to handle court cases. Artful old dog, the major. To see his look of blank simplicity when a Bench of extra-idiotic_ justices are making fools of themselves is a picture.” The candid scribe further cruelly continues: “ If their folly plays into the hands of justice as represented by the police, a spectator *in the swim ’ might see a suspicion of a wink trembling on the major’s eyelid for a moment; but the rest of his face looks as innocent as ever.” It is not to be assumed, however, that “ the major ” was—in modern parlance—“tough.” In a rather pathetic case, ‘ we read of him speaking “ in high terras of the accused .. . . and the Bench decided to dismiss the case.” Old Dunedin and the Crimea are intimately linked in these books, and it is hard t<> decide which is the most fascinating—the tit-bits of Dunedin as Sergeant-major Bevin knew it, or facts relating to the Crimea that history books would never relate. What, for instance, of the men who survived the charge of the Light Brigade? Did a grateful country shower them with honours? Read this clipping from Sergeant-major Bevin’s book: A GRATEFUL COUNTRY. Balaclava. The Survivors of the Six Hundred. A statement seems to have gained currency that 18 of those who came out of the memorable Balaclava Charge had been found together in a London workhouse —practically an impossibility. Here is the authentic list of the survivors known to be at Home: — —l7th Lancers.— Private (Brennan.—ln a London _ workhouse. Private Marshall.—Now disabled and .in -extreme want. Private Holland.—No resources. Private Smith.—Cripple; now’ in workhouse. Private Burns, Private Butler, and . Trumpeter Brown.—Very poor.

—l3th Hussars.— Private Cooper. Sweeping roads. Private Matthews.—Miserably poor. —llth Hussars.— Sergeant Brown.—Stood placarded: “One of the survivors”; pension Is 3 a day. Private Spring.—ln extreme poverty. Private Glanister.—ln extreme poverty. Private Richardson.—Served 12 years. No pension. Crimean medal with four bars. - Lost sight of one eye, other going, past help . . . drifts from workhouse to workhouse. Private Lawson.—Lucky enough to get into Royal Hospital, Chelsea, by which he forfeits his pension. —Bth Light Dragoons. . Private Doyle.—Almost starving. Trumpeter Donoghue.—Living on charity. Private Rogers.—Helpless; in workhouse. Private Keegan.—Out of work. Private Grant. —In Royal Hospital. Privates Farrell, Carroll, and Brewington.—ln great distress. After reading these miserable ends to men who deserved better, we are inclined to question the worth of the lines— When can their glory fade, , Oh, the wild charge they made I All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made, Honour the Light Brigade. It seems that the plight of these men inspired -poets and alleged poets to supreme efforts. One writer penned a caustic parody of ‘ The Charge of the Light Brigade ’ when it was found that .one of the survivors had died of huilfeer. Here is a specimen verse; “ Off to the workhouse,” you,’*(Back in dismay he drew, Peeling, he never knew When canon thundered. His not to plead and sigh, His but to starve and die, And, to a pauper’s grave, Sink—with a soul as brave, As when through the Vale of Death, Rode the Six Hundred.

This at least combines a little dignity with its biting sarcasm. But the following doggerel, written with real mid-Vic-torian maudlin sentiment, is only amusing to the mind of 1936. It is entitled ‘ A Neglected Hero.’ Here goeif: In a cold and dismal garret in a filthy London slum, Where the cheering beams of sunlight very, very rarely come, Lay an aged man—a cripple—on an old and tattered bed, While beside him stood a lady; ’twas to Jier the cripple said: “ What’s the matter, did you ask, Miss ? Well, I feel so weak and queer, And my heart beats fast and heavy, ’tis a fever', Miss, I fear. You should not have ventured near me; you, perhaps, may catch it, too. Not afraid? You’re awful plucky, and it’s very kind of you.” It wanders through several verses to finish up with: His true story makes us wonder —England! ’tis a crying shame That" ye so neglect the heroes who have won you power and fame. Another interesting interlude is a clipping from the ‘ Evening Herald ’ early m the year 1889. It says: The Hon. Cornela Prittie, the pretty sister of Lord Dunalley, was killed while hunting at Newgh, County Tipperary, on December 28. Underneath this, in the _ sergeantmajor’s precise handwriting, is: “ Poor young lady. She was a little tot when I was at Kilboy on furlough when I was in the Bth Hussars in 1857. I remember she used to play with the buttons of my dress jacket. “ (Signed) John Bevin, S. Major, late Bth Hussars.” P.S.—She was Lord Dunalley’s only daughter.—J.B. To come back again to earlier Dunedin. We find a man loitering in Maclaggan street. The keen sergeantmajor recognises him as a wanted man, but just can’t place the case in question. Despite the fact that the street is not busy he arrests the man for causing an obstruction on the footpath, and then, with the suspect securely locked up, he is able to locate the full details of a really serious case. An unusual relic contained in one of the books is a sheet of notepaper headed ‘ New Zealand Constabulary.’ In the late sergeant-major’s writing the following are called for duty at the races on May 23 and 25, 1885 Sergeant-major Bevin, Sergeant Macdonnell, Constable Hartnett, Constable Loose, Constable Hanson, Constable Cruickshank (mounted), Constable Walker, Constable Martin, Constable O’Sullivan, Constable Keenan. A name, Constable Drury, was added to the list and then crossed out. As the paper is yellowed with age and the ink in places badly faded, it is quite possible that .one or two of the names may be misspelt.

GOLD ESCORT. Other items of interest are several little clippings referring to the gold escort. In commenclably nonchalant terms we are informed that “ the gold escort, under the command of Sergeantmajor Bevin, arrived in Dunedin witlt gold valued at £36,000.” And we read, too, of a remarkable tribxxte to Ser-geant-major Bevin’s popularity in an old clipping from the ‘ Otago Daily Times.’ It seems that a concert was given in aid of the impoverished survivors of the charge of the Light Brigade. Dunedin —even 50 years ago—was always ready to help a good cause. “ Before the concluding item of the programme,” says the cupping, “ Sergeant-major Bevin, as one of the survivors of the celebrated Light Brigade, ascended the stage, where his appearance was the signal for a loud and prolonged burst of cheering, accompanied by the waving of hats and handkerchiefs. Sergeant-major Bevin thanked the audience for its kindness to his less fortunate comrades, and outlined the events leading up to the charge.” Dunedin basked in reflected glory when Sergeant-major Bevin was sent to Wellington to reorganise the police force there. It seems that the Wellington police fbree was in “ a sad state.” “ But—as a Dunedin journal said—“he will make his mark of the disciplinarian among the police of Wellington just as he made his fame on the. battlefield of Balaclava.” The paper then rounded off a highly complimentary article with: “ If any man can restore order out of _ chaos it is our gallant sergeant-major.” Dunedin seems to have had a very real affection for its efficient police officer, and it obviously desired to let the world know it. A remarkable feature of the personal clippings collected in these books by the late sergeant-major is this: Two or three papers detailed the decorations he wore on social occasions. In copipiling the clippings the sergeant-major carefully inked out some of the lists of medals he wore. The only reason that the writer can see for this is the modesty characteristic of the real soldier. Fortunately the ink used has, in one or two cases, faded, and the printed words beneath are legible. Time has defeated the gallant gentleman’s simple trick. I could go on for hours quoting extracts from_ these romantic old clippings touching on so many different aspects of life in Dunedin. One exceptionally amusing piece refers to political activities in the city. A would-be poet chronicles all the little weaknesses of well-known people in terms that, today, would send him to gaol for a good long term. In those days public characters must have been* extremely tolerant or else totally ignorant of the protection given them by the laws of libel. THE LAST, CONQUEROR. But, though he was, triumphant on the field of battle, the sergeant-major could not beat the old enemy—Tinje. And it is with deep feelings of respectful admiration that one reads the final words of Sergeant-major Bevin. That grand old soldier, just before ho died, said: “ I have felt the loss of one old chum after another as I scored their names out of the list of the survivors of that charge. I know there are still a few left who will sadly scratch out mine and ask when it will come their own turn. Duty is the watchword I learned early, and I have always tried to do mine. I have never wantonly or willingly injured anyone.” He died on May 11, 1892, at his residence in Dowling street. His military funeral was one of the largest ever seen in Dunedin. Two thousand persons were in the funeral procession. The funeral was in the following order:—Hussars firing party, Garrison Band, Ordnance Band, gun carriage conveying the coffin, deceased’s horse, mourning coach, mourners on foot, the police, Hussars, Dunedm Navals, Peninsula Navals, B Battery, Engineers, City Guards, North Dunedin Rifles, Wakari Rifles, Highland Rifles, Irish Rifles, Permanent Artillery, City Fir© Brigade, Salvage Corps, South Dunedin Brigade, Salvation Army, civilians on foot, carnages, horses. Thousands of citizens lined the streets all the way to the cemetery, while the hills around, as well as the cemetery itself, were crowded. Dunedin turned out in full force to pay its last respects to on© who had don© so much for the city, and who had, by tempering justice with common sense, won the hearts of the people with whom ho came’ in contact. One tribute to the memory of ser-geant-major Bevin was expressed by a fervid nexvspaper correspondent in these lines: “He wasn’t a bad sort, and, though he’s run me in several times when I’d been on a bender, he never drove his knuckles into my collar no more than was necessaiy. And when I get hauled before the Sxxpx-eme Court myself I am sui-e to find him there holding a responsible position, and he’ll make things easy for ine. There’s many as Dunedin could have spared better,”

M •T3 1 a o S cn '4th Light Dragoons w O O *4 118 39 79 8th Hussars ... ... 104 38 66 11th Hussars ... ... 110 25 85 13th 'Light Dragoons 130 61 69 17th Lancers ... ... 145 35 110 Totals ... ... !.. ... ~607 198 409