PRINCE’S WAR RECORD

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1920, Page 3

PRINCE’S WAR RECORD

WOKE ON THREE FRONTS. Among the various names which have been applied to the Prince of Wales, there is probably none which he appreciates moro than that of the “Soldier Prince.” By his own impatience at remaining at homo, and determination to go on service* at the earliest possible moment after the outbreak of war, by his record as a staff officer in France, by bis demeanour during his visits to Egypt and the Italian front, nud by his relations with the troops of the Empire j- ■ wherever lie has come in contact with them, lie has shown that lie is a soldier at heart, The bare outlines of the military record of the Prince during the war are as follow: After a period of training with the Grenadier Guards lie went to the front in November, 1914, when he was attached to the staff of Sir John French. Served with zeal and ability, and was bearer of tlie historic dispatch from Sir John French respecting the battle of Neuve Uhapelle. Arrived in Egypt in March, 1916, on appointment ns staff-captain on the staff of the General Officer Commanding the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Became D.A.Q.M.G. in May. Visited Italian -front during Austria’s attack in November, 1917, .Appointed major in Feb-

ruary, 1918. Received with much enthusiasm in Rome in May, 1918. Rode with the Guards on their, entry into for review by the King, March 1919. While that is a brief record of the various appointments held by the Prince, and.tlie duties performed by him, the details have been filled in. by very many anecdotes illustrative of his determination to be treated in a manner •--•' in no way different from any other junior officer on the staff. His impatience of the restrictions with which he was at first surrounded, and the special safeguards with which it was proposed to invest him, together with his resqlute breaking away from them . have been described often. Of his career as a soldier the following has been written: —“His war record proves that he is imbued with high courage and a strong sense of duty. Many pleasant incidents are related' by . returned soldiers of his kindly disposi--1 tion, his sympathy and consideration, his good comradeship with b(’otliers-m----nrms irrespective of rank. , . With soldierly instinct he declined to let himself be safely and comfortably assigned a position at headquarters, and insisted on field service, so that he might share in tlie arduous duties, the risks and responsibilities of his brother officers. Without boing foolhardy bo showed a philosophic indifference to danger.” • What 'the Prince himself thinks of his war experiences is best told in his qwn words. When being presented with the freedom of the City of Lpndon h© referred to some remark which had been jnacle fo his war service, gddipg, i'Tbo part I played was, I fear, a very insigpficapt one, but from one point of view ■ I sliajl never regrot piy periods of service overseas, in those four years I mixed with men. In those four years I found my manhood. When I think of the future and the heavy responsibilities which may fall to my lot, I feel that the experience gained since 1914 will stand me in good stead.”