IN RETREAT.

Shannon News, 30 August 1927, Page 3

IN RETREAT.

LORD BYNG -IMPROPERLY DRESSED. A million ex-service men of all ranks, who at one time or another have come under the excoriating criticism of superior authority for appearing on parade minus a button or wearing a tie, will read Avith delight that a great and famous and victorious general, the commander of a British Army in France, Avas turned aAvay from the royal banquet to President Doumergue because he was “improperly dressed” for the occasion. Viscount Byng of Vimy, Avho Avas never a stickler for the panoply of war, was invited to attend the party with Lady Byng. All the other Army commanders Aveve there as representing the British Army that had fought on French soil. Only Lord Plumer, who is in Palestine, was absent.

The others, Earl Haig, Viscount Allenby, Lord Horne, and Sir Hubert Gough, were in the full scarlet and gold of tlieir respective Army rank; all save Lord Byng, who, overlooking the fact that it Avas a full-dress banquet, presented himself in civilian clYess Avith white shirt front over which were draped his sashes of the Legion of Honour and the Order of the Bath, while on his black coat shimmered liis many Avellearned decorations in miniature.

Lord Byng mingled for a while in the hall conversing with gorgeously dressed friends. Then to his astonishment a Court official, deferential and embarrassed, came to him and informed him that as his Lordship was not attired in full dress it Avould be impossible for him to go up to be presented or to attend the dinner.

, There Avas still time, it Avas suggested to go back and change. But Lord Byng’s uniforms were 60 miles away at his home in Thorpe-le-Soken, and he could not go there and back under three hours, even with the speed limit seriously challenged. So the great soldier effected a masterly retreat and dined elsewhere, leaving Lady Byng to attend the banquet.