NOTABLE MEN IN THE ARMY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 26, 1 April 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

NOTABLE MEN IN THE ARMY.

WHICH REGIMENT HAS HAD THE MUST FAMOUS MEN IN IT?

This is a very interesting and attractive subject just now, when Britain's troops, Regular and Territorial, are doing so splendidly to uphold the honour of Britain and to continue the glory of the Empire. So we may be pardoned for putting the question here. About the personal bravery of the men in every British regiment there can be no doubt. There is no jealousy—to pick or choose would be foolish and invidious. Also most) of our regiments have, at one time or another, had notable scldiers and Royalties connected with them in some honorary capacity or other. But that is not what we mean by the question above. Let us leave out honorary members and onlj deal with famous who have been ordinary and actual members ot the regiments; who have fought and marched with them in times of war or when on real duty, rather than merely at a "show" parade. Regarded from this point of view there cannot be the least ctoubt, *by those who know, that the Honourable Artillery Company, of London, carries off the palm in tins way. For one may find more famous names in its list of past and present real soldiers than are to be found on any other similar regimental roll. Of course, since the H.A.C. was incorporated as far back as 1537, and has always been regarded as the "crack' corps outside the Regulars, one would naturally expect to see some such result as this. Though now counted as a territorial," the H.A.C. has long had an intimate experience of war and fighting, far exceeding that of several in what we -all the "Regular"' regiments, *or instance, it did noble service at the time cf the Armada; during the Civil War in the reign of King Charles; and in the Gordon Riot period, lhen it took a prominent part in the Boer War, and everybody knows how splendidly it has upheld its ancient renown during the recent fighting in I'landers' and France. ihe H.A.C. is indeed a very famous regiment, and to it have probably belon<"d more really celebrated men of all spheres and rank- than to any other British regiment. For instance, perhaps there is no othe rregiment which can boast that it has had four kings as its colonels, each of whom m due course actually himself fought with some of its 1 members on the held or battle' These monarchs who thus belonged to the Honourable Artillery Companv, were Charles 11., James 11., William 111., and George 11. The last of the four led his troops at Dettingen 14/ years ago, after which no English king 'ever we'nt personallv into war till our own King George V. did so the other day in France! Tlvnk of such magnificent soldiers as John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough; George Monk, Earl of Albemarle: and Prince Rupert. All three were fighting members of the Honourable Artillery Company in their day! And what lighters' and generals they were, too! i In the brave days of the Civil War, when most of the London train-bands | and Citv's soldiers— amongst whom the : HA r were very prominent—went to] the aid of the Parliamentary troops, the famous corps could reckon in.its list such men as the Marquis oi Worcester, the Duke of Norfolk, and the | Duke of Somerset all names well-1 known to every student of English history for the leading parts they played in more than one great drama oi the times when they lived. In the H.A.C.'s ranks, too, when King .lames 11. raised the anger ot London and the opposition o the Provinces by his ill-fated "Declaration of Indulgence" was the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth, who later tried to turn the lessons of war he had learned in its ranks to some purpose at Sedgemoor, but failed so signally. And, hardly had the dashing andl daring Prince Rupert left the H.A.C.to act as one of the generals of King Charles 1., than there came into the corps a Londoner whose name you today would certainly never have expected to find there, one John Ml ton, atteiwards secretary to Cromwell, and author of "Paradise Lost. raney John Milton as a soldier, and a good one too. \nd one of the still-verdant H.A.L. Almost at the same time, there -parched in the ranks of this regiment one Christopher Wren, who was to immortalise himself afterwards by his architectural skill, and to rebuild St. Paul's as it, stands to-day! Ami Ins dose friend Samuel Pepys-the "man who wrote the 'dairy" as a schoolboy once said—was also a very active member of the H.A.C. in those days Th-se are but some of the celebrated men whose names to-day are famous far and wide for this or that notable work" later life, men who at one f time or another donned the uniform of this old and renowned corps. But they surely make it unique in this respect.