ASSASSINATED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2445, 24 June 1922, Page 3

ASSASSINATED.

FIELD-MARSHAL WILSON.

S SHOT OUTSIDE HIS LONDON £ : " ' •' HOME.-

TWO ASSAILANTS ARRESTED,

. London, 22nd June. Field-Marshal Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, was shot dead outside his home in Eaton-square, shortly after 3 o’clock this afternoon, by two m'en, who have been arrested. The Field-Marshal- had-just returned from unveiling a war memorial at the Great Eastern Railway Station, and he was leaving his motor car when two men suddenly appeared and fired three shots, ,all of which struck him, and he died immediately. An eye-witness -states that Sir Henry Wilson was about to open the door of his house, xvhen the men, who had apparently been in refuge behind a brougham, fired with heavy revolvers. Sir Henry' ducked, and .the first shots missed him. He then turned to face his assailants, and a shot struck him in the head, and he

fell. The brougham drove off when the firing began. A policeman, rusv hed to the scene, and the miscreants fired and wounded him in the stomach. They also wounded a •civilian who came to Field--Mar-shal Wilson’s assistance. The assailants dashed down Eaton-place, covering the police with their revolvers. They were hotly pursued • and one of them, finding himself overtaken, turned his revolver on himself, and fell badly hurt. He is now in hospital. The second was quickly captured.

The assassins are James O’Brien and James Connelly, both twentyfour years old. Connelly is believed to be associated with the Irish Republican Army, and there is little doubt, that- both are Sinn Feiners. The House of Commons immediately adjourned when the news of the assassination was received. Three bullets struck Field-Mar-shal Wilson. His sister and others in the house rushed out and bore him inside. He-breathed his last in n few minutes.

Constable heard the shooting and chased the assailants who fired and. shot Marsh in the stomach. Both captured men refused to give an account of themselves beyond saying that they were soldiers. Connolly was in possession of a copy of the official organ of the 1.R.A., and also a letter apparently in connection with it. The prompt action of Parliament

in rising in honour of Field-Mar-s’ shal Wilson’s memory was followed shortly afterwards by the King’s announcement that he had cancelled a private dinner party -at the Palace in honour of the Prince’s birthday, which was intended to be • the Royal Family’s own celebration '""of the Prince’s return. It is many years since London witnessed such a chase as that after the assassins. It took place in the very heart of the peaceful aristocratic West End; Policemen in the nearby station in Gerald Row heal'd the hubbub and'rushed out in shirt sleeves and led the infuriated crowd on the murderers’ heels. Some constables commandeered cabs and motors. The fugitives turned into Ebury Street, where they were run to earth. A smart battle preceded their capture. The police took np risks with the armed assassins and some flung their batons in the' murderers’ faces. One of the assassins was a big man over six feet high and 16 stone in weight. He whipped out a revolver and was aiming when a police truncheon descended on his wrist. The revolver fell and the crowd then attacked him. A man hit him over the head with a shovel. A carter flung a botte which broke on the assassin’s head and blood streamed down liis face. police were compelled to protect the prisoner, the erowd shouting: “Lynch them.” A-power-ful body of police arrived on the ? scene and enabled the prisoners to be taken to Geraidi Row safely.One of* the captured men after the shooting of Field-Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, with blood streaming from his face by someone- striking him with a bottle, declared that he was an officer. When the news reached the House of Commons Mr Asquith, at Mr Lloyd George’s request ci'ossed the House and conferred with him. Mr Austen Chamberlain and Mr Asquith, speaking with emotion, deplored the loss which the country had sustained of a man who contributed powerfully to our success in the war. Mr Chamberlain, in moving the adjournment, after saying a few words broke down. He said FieldMarshal Wilson’s death was not only a national, but- a personal tragedy. A Scotland -Yard communique states that O’Brien and Connolly were chased by Constable Marsh, who was seriously wounded. Constable Sayer continued the pursuit and received a shot in the leg and also a civilian was wounded. Constable Bush joined in the chase and succeeded in knocking O’Brien down with his fist. A revolver fell from O’Brien’s hands. It contained four live and two spent cartridges. The other man, who was overpowered by a constable, had a revolver in which were two spent cartridges and one live one either in his hand or his pocket. The revolvers were of the Webby service pattern. .Field-Marshal Wilson was shot three times, once through the body, once through the leg and once through an arm. FieldrMarshal Sir Henry Wilson,

who was engaged in the restoration of order in Ulster, was only 58 years of age. He was a son of Dr. James Wilson, of Cui'rygrane, Edgeworthtown, Ireland, and was educated at Marlborough College. He entered the Royal Irish Regiment in 1884, and transferring to the Rifle Brigade in the same year, served in the Burma campaign, 1885-87, in which he,was wounded, and again in 1887-89, receiving a medal with two clasps. He graduated at Staff College, 1892-94, and was appointed Staff Captain in the Intelligence Division in 1894. From 1897 to 1899 he was Brigade-Majoi* to the Second Brigade, Aldershot. During the South African War he served as Brigade-Major to the Light Brigade, and from 1900-01 acted as Deputy-Assistant Adjut-ant-General at Army Headquarters. He was mentioned in despatches four times, receiving a medal with five clasps, and was gazetted Brevet. Lieutenant-Colonel on promotion to Major, and also received the D.S.O. After filling various other appointments he was promoted Assistant-Adjutant-General, Army Headquarters, in 1903, and a year later became Assistant Director of Staff Duties at the War Office. He held the high appointment of Commandant of the Staff College from 1907 to 1910, and from then until the opening of the Great War was Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters. During the early months of the war he held the appointment of Assistant-Chief of the General Staff to Lord French, and then was given a corps. From the post of Liaison Officer with the French, he was given command of the Eastern District. He was British military representative at Versailles in. 1917, and in 1919 was promoted Field-Marshal. Referring in March last to Sir Henry Wilson’s appointment to draw up a scheme for the restoration of order in Ulster, Sir James Craig, Premier of Ulster, said: —“To those in the midst of the horrible campaign in Belfast, I would say that if any man can devise means to meet these hordes of T.R.A. and promotei’s of rebellion, that man is Sir Henry Wilson.”