GENERAL BIRDWOOD

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1920, Page 4

GENERAL BIRDWOOD

A DISTINGUISHED CAREER.

General Birdwood’s career has been a most distinguished one. In 1909 he was a colonel (brigade-commander) in India and was subsequently given the rang of brigadier-general, and made a full general just before the outbreak of war with Germany. When the Empire’s call brought thousands of tlie Overseas forces to Egypt, General Birdwood was appointed to the command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (the Aiijzaics) and under his able leadership the soldiers from overseas “made good” and established their reputation ,as Cleveland gallant fighters. Of “the Soul of Anzac,” the “diggers’ ” leader, Mr F. M. Cutlack, the Australian war correspondent, writes: “Birdie" saw some of .his dreams realised on the day of the Anzac landing. The fame of his new troops was flashed all over the world after that grim day; they, were a. neiv military wonder. And if the General said to himself then in private deliberation, that the leadership of these splendid Dominion troops was his golden chance to win personal fame, who will blame him ? The exultation of such moments defies analysis in cold Wood. Whatever ho may have thought, his spoke clearly enough, hut it is fame ultimately, perhaps, hut it is life or death in its present and great ecstacy in its swift gusts of crisis. “Birdie” made up his mind that If he had to die on Gallipoli, there could he no nobUr death than in such a company. Life was but little safer at the beach than up the gullies, anyway. So he spent the greater part of his time- going around the trenches and he was a familiar figure at the most dangerous posts He is a gallant little man naturally, and here was every incentive to gallantry ; he made ns plain as commanding officer could that he valued nothing else in life so high ns close comradeship with these men whose idea <>f fighting for a cause was to count no cost whatever. Ho got his reward in the sincere and abiding affection based on that simple ground, of every man at Anzac. No ordinary general preserving the normal headquarters’ habits could have written such a message to the Australia as “Birdie” wrote after tlie withdrawal from the peninsula. Our eight months at Anzac, he said, cannot help stamping on the memory of every one of us days of trial and anxiety, hopes and perhaps occasional fears, rejoicings at success, and sorrow—very deep and sincere—for many a good comrade whom we can never see again. T firmly believe though it has made better men of every one of us, for we have all had to look death straight in the face so often that the greatest realities of life must have been impressed on all of us in a way which has never before been posable. Bitter- ns has been my experience in losing many a good friend, I personally shall always 1 look back on our days together at Anzac as a time never to be forgotten, for during it, I hope, I have made many fast friends in all ranks, whose friendship is all the more valuable liecause it has been acquired in circumstances of stress and often danger, when a man’s real self is shown.