The Old British Soldier on Active Service.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 251, 16 February 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Old British Soldier on Active Service.

I drew tho attention of my friend to an officer in khaki "walking briskly on the road in front of us, says a writer in the Sheffield Weekly Telegraph. The soldier was evidently of high parently a middle-aged man, upright as poplar, walking with firm tread, keeneyed, smiling. "Do you know who that is? asked 1. "No," was the rcplly. "Hut he is presumably an officer of rank, and somewhere about fifty-five years old oi .so, 1 should -say." Then 1 gave my nend an eye-opener indeed. "That is Lieutenant-Colonel Dolton, ot tho Armv Service Corps, who is undoubtedly tiie oldest British officer serving to-day and doing active work. He is no less'than eighty-one years of age, young as ho looks, briskly as he walks, and energetic as ho is." " Good Heavens, you don't .ay so I" was the astonished ejaculation. "Well, by Jove, he's a credit to the Army, and no mistake I Why, he might easily pass foi f! v thing between hFty and sixty, and i <> w" ks like a >oung fellow ol forty; i.'Vi "g that tho reaacrs of this magazine would like to know something about such a grand old veteran, about one who is to-day certainly the oldest soldier of His Majesty doing real valuable active service, I recently had a long and interesting chat with Licuten-an-Colonel Dolton at his own home. "Yes," ho said smilingly, in response io my remark, "I was eighty-one years old on the sth of December th • veal. Not bad for that age, ch? No, thank God. I keep ill first-class trim as regards health and strength. My eyesight and hearing are evcellent, too, and altogether I have nothing to complain of m those respects." "You are, I suppose, the oldest soldier now in active service, Colonel.''' said I. "Probably T am. \ou we, I can t sit down idly when there s scribus work to lie done! I may be eighty-one, but I don't feel it a bit! Tell you a few things about my career? Well, I would rather not talk aliout myself at alL.fur I am a quiet man. not a talker, and I have not tho slightest wish to publicity in any shape or form. All I want is to do my duty and my best in any work I undertake." I pointed out, however, to tho veteran that the general public, and especially our soldiers and sailors, would bo but too delighted to know something more about one who had served his King and country so well and so faithfully. And, after some hesitation on his part. I at last got him to recount for me a few passages in his life. "I was born on December sth, 1835," ho said, "and 1 have boon over sixtv real's connected with the Army. 1 went all through the Crimean War, and took part in all the big battles there. Yes, 1 well remember tho Alma, Inkcrman, Balaclava, and Sevastopol. I could tell you many stories about them, too, l ut J prefer not to say much of episodes wherein I myself was concerned. " 1 was in the Scottish Fusilier Guard* at that time, and I remember Lord Kaglan, and also General Higginsou, and his splendid work through tho wholo campaign. Ho is, 1 believe, the last, and in any case the oldest survivor of our higher officers of the Crimeau era, for if I am not mistaken he is now ninety-six years of age. All honour to this one of my former chiefs, say 1 I Why, do you know, General HiggHison is a stimulus to me to-da, as ho wa« long ago! For when I tlrnk oi" his ( J(i, my 81 years make mo feel quite .'i youngster in comparison! When the Abyssinian War broke out Ui 1867. I was sent off to Egypt to t;iko charge of a number of men and to supervise tho transport of horses and mules for that campaign. 1 had, of tours**, ro iciwel many promotions since the Citlucan time, and had men from a private through all the intervening ranks-cor-poral, sergeant, sergeant-major, quartermaster, etc.—and was then matin what was called an assistant-commissary in a service which later became better known under the name of tho A.Ji.C. I myself bad to watcu over the transport of' some *,OOO mines and horses, so you can bo sure there was plenty to do, and much care needed to keep niattois straight. For an Egyptian mule is arther worse than other mules, 1 think, which i< saying a good deal! "I often amuse my grandchildren - • and puzzle them i it is their first join nov there with nio~when I take them to-day to see Clepatra's Needle on tho Embankment. 1 tell them that I once sat down on the top of that Needle; and they stare in absolute wonder. 'How could vou possibly sit or. a point like that, so high up, granddad.-' they >ay in surprise. Then 1 have to explain. "My soldiers in Egypt were playing a cricket-match one hot day en the sands against another eleven, and being warm mid tired I moved a short distance olf and sat down "ii tht end of a worn, alien obelisk, who.,e identity T did not trouble about just then, though noticed it closelv. However, lat-ci on, when it. was reported thutta© celebrated

Ncedlo was to lie brought to London, . visited tho Embankment and recognise it as the very same ono I had sat 01 when it lav on the Egyptian desert. " And von served your country duriiif the Boer War, too, old as you were then, Colonel, didn't you?" fe aicl I. " Us. 1 had retired from active ser vico as Hon. Major in 1890, having beer given a remission for my services, as iai back as IS7I. But when the Boer Wai came along the authorties desired U uso my experience of transport and sup plies, 'so 1 placed myself wholly at thcii clieposal, and again took up such worl as they required, me to do here ant there. When the present war lirokc out I was nearly eighty years of age but tin v found a use for me at the same old job \ had so long done, and they pul me in khaki again! I have had charge of a depot at Hounslow, dealing witl what concerns my former work in tin Army Corps, though a week or two aye I completed my work there. But I alt ready again if they need me, and on August 6th. this year, I completed my 'Diamond Wedding' with the Britisl Ajmv.'' ■And some of your Twickenham friends made you a iittle gift, to commemorate such an historic anniversary, didn't they?" '•Ye.s, would you like to see it? Jl was very unexpected, but most kmd ol them, and I value it greatly." The Lieutenant-Colonel showed me i lcaut : ful case containing a fine gold medal specially struck for the occasion On cue side of it was a representatioi: of " Una and the Lion,'' and the cast also bore a striking inscription, explaining that this gift came from friend; who honoured the grand old officer foi his loyalty to his King, h!s splendic services to Britain, and his faithful anc devoted labours for the parish church al Twickenham. "You have long taken a prominent part in some public affairs of the town. Colonel Dolton?" asked I. "In some directions,'' he replied. "1 have for years been on the committee ol St. John's Hospital; also a sidesman at tiio parish church: I took in hand the first company of tho Boys' Brigade in IS<JG, drilled them and taught them musketry all by myself. And to-day, i.ut of 101) lads wno thus canie.undcr my hands, 1 am proud to know that at least 2-50 have joined up and fought bravely lor England." •'Spiendid!'' said I. "A goadly bit you've done in this war, sir! Brtons jvcrywher© will be proud of you, and 2;lad to know how well you keep your strength." "Well, I still walk over four miles very day," said the veteran. "And f enjoy my hobbies as much as ever." " What are they, Colonel ?" asked I. Then this astonishingly " lino old English gentleman" rose and showed me something which further amazed me. Ho put before me manuscript l»ook on xiok, ledger size, full of tremendously ntricato and extremely lengthy arrays if figures, showing the movements of ho heavenly bodies as computed by phencal geometry, trigonometry, and ogarithms in ways wlifch might well mike a Cambridge wrangler green with mvy 1 . " I have alvvas been greatly interest'd in astronomy," explained he modesty. " I had a scant education as a lad, md when a man—after I to study :ho. stars —1 had to start the study of nahematics on my own ! But T laboured it them day by day fur years, till 1 had :horoughly grasped the higherAranch.'s of tho subject, and so I began to dieck, compute, and calculate for myself by means of those abstruse figures vhich so often puzzle and confuse workers in science. 1 still do it, and many K-ople refer to me for the vorifiation md confirmation of their own reckonngs in this respect." "(ireat Scott•!" said I aloud. The LJoJond smiled. But just think of one not ioginning such a thing till he was ilreidy nearly middle-aged, and yet •caching such perfection as that in on" if the most dlliculi and intricate of j;ienc. s! " Have you any moro hobbles, Icotiei?" I inqitii't'd, hall-a.raid. "Well, I suppose so! For 1 have novor either smoked or drunk any alcoholic liquors in my life! And, though 1 would iki tho very last man to preach, >•• even advice, when not asked, yet, since you ask me for a mess.ige to young uion to-day, I should lo g'ad for you t) say that 1 don't think anything is doing so much harm to them nowadays as cxessivc smoking, especially of c'garettes. In my opinion—and the , xaminations i f Army doctors during this war seem to jonfirm this view—there is nothing at present so sapping the vigour and strength of o :r younger men a, this." Lieutenant Colonel Edward Dolton ■i so to go with me to the door. He ran up and flown the stairs as if 1 e were bit fifty or less. Ho was as upright !>s i 09dlde, a thoorugh soidi.r, and 1.0 looked th(> very picture of health. Biitons all over the world will bo proud <i this grand old officer, who is King (.Verge's o'efest soldier tn active service.—George A. Wade.