ALL ABOUT GEN. FRENCH.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 4, 15 January 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

ALL ABOUT GEN. FRENCH.

OUR MOST BRILLIANT OFFICER

Field-Marshal Sir John Denton Pinkfitono French, to give him his full title and name, made his reputation in the South African War. Appointed .Major-General to command tho Cavalry Division in Natal in l£t>!), he was at the head of the troops at Elandslaagte, and he commanded the cavalry in Sir George White's forces in the battles of Reitfontein and Lombard's Kop. In the operations round Colesburg he was in command for over a year, and when Kimberly was brilliantly relieved, it was Sir John French who rodo at the head of the Briti-h cavalry. When Lord Roberts went out to South Africa and took supreme co-m----mand of the British forces, the great cavalry hiadcr continued his winning way. lie was in charge of th e cavalry at the cn-ptures of Bloemfotntein and Pretoria, and until the end of the war he led successful attacks against the rebels. Sir John French was, indeed, one of the British officers who did not lose his reputation in "t-lio grave of reputations'' ■, he enhanced it enormously. JUST ESCAPED FROM LADYSMITH. General Bulier gave the casting vote in favour of Sir John French being chosen to command the cavalry in South Africa, but it was only by the skin of hi s tooth that lie got free to take tbe command. H e just managed to escape from Lady.smith when war was declared by hiding himself under a seat in the last train to leave the town. That ho should have achieved tho great po-sition lie ha-s as a soldier is a little curious, for sailoring was his first love.

' The only son of an Irish father. Commander John French. 8.X., and a Scot--1 tish mother, "Jack" French, ns ho was • called, was boim in 1554. Both liis par- . ents died when lie was quite a child, and ho. was brought up by two bisters—- : lie had five sisters altogether. > His sisters sent him te a preparatory • school at Harrow, and when he was ■ about thirteen lie passed into the "JJri- • tannia"—to learn to lie a sailor. He was a wild young man in his school , days—a "regular young raecal,'' full of mischief, high spirits, and boyish im- • pudoneo, but without ail ounce of vice m him. The call of the sea gripped him for about fiv e years, and lie had risen to the rank of lieutenant when ho .suddenly astonished his relatives a"d friends by "chucking" the Xavy for tiio Army. Tlirough the militia he was gazetted to the fe'tii Hussars, and in lbSf ne went with the 19th Hussars, under Lord Y\ olseley, on the Xile Expedition. For h;s services in Egypt he received a media,! and Hasp a='d (the Khedive's itar. BOBX TO BR PEOMOTED. Since thru he has alwavs been marked or promotion. To look at him you would not consider him an ideal cavalryman. In his boots he stands only about five feet mx inches; and he is broad and thick-set, and inclined to bi* fstout. Hut give him a horse and a division behind him and you see one of the linest and most skilfully daring cavalry leader.? alive—a man who wouid not think twice about riding into the very valley of death itself, if needs he. And Sir John French is something more than a brilliant lead r in the field. After the manoeuvres of 1894 a good many shortcomings we're apparent in the Jlriti.h cavalry, and it was considered necessary to reorganize this •branch of the S rvice. The first, thing to be done was to re-write the Cavalry Drill book, and to do this Sir John French was brought in from hall-pay 'retirement to the Horse -Guards. H~e j did the work with a conciseness and thoroughness characteristic of him. In private life Sir John French is a mo>t popular person, but he shuns the limelight of publicity inert strenuously; in fact, s-o little does he talk out■si'V hu me-'s and domestic circles that he call (1 "SiUnt French. HAD SOME. "Get the meat yourself. w : i! ye'i?" ijld:;4Ji liltly asked tile young W'i'e. "I wish I'd knoivn a. little more about yu before i married you !" she robbed. ".Me tr>!" be chimed ill. as he propared to leave for business. "Well." she said, ill a sudden burst of temper. " I only hope t!i<> butcher will s;>e what a pig you ar j and keep you titer;•!" On hway to business Jenkins interviewed tlie bull Tier. " Do you.'' he inquired, "stock such a thing as a. piece of steak that can be masticated with ordinary teeth?" "Here's a pioee. "indicated the butcher, "tender as a woman's heart and soft as a woman's tongue." ■ Fixedly Jenkins looked at him. "I'll take sausage, then!" Jie announced.

RECRUITED: 100 TRAMP?

It- is reported that fear of the German fleet han caused great alarm in Ertglisli seaport towns. In Hartlepool, torpedonets are set in front of the docks every evenin"'. and elsewhere round the coasts the nervousness occasioned bv German mines said t'> be indescribable. The enrolment- of recruits for the British Army is proceeding slowly, and from a town of 700.000 inhabitants not nn-:re than 100 men reported themselves, the majority of them neing tramps. The nation has not been permitted to learn t.ho real situation at the seat of war. —GERMAN* "OFFICIAL NEWS."