General to Colonel

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 643, 20 April 1929, Page 19

General to Colonel

Anomalies of Army Promotions "TINY” FREYBERG’S CASE ~P he was promoted temporary brigadier general nearly 12 years ago, Sir Thomas George Cope has only \ I Bfc just been selected as lieutenant-colonel to command the Second Seaforth Highlanders at Jhansi. At the very time when Sir Thomas Cope became a brigadier iu 1917, he was still only a major in his own regiment. One rank was temporary, the other was substantive, and now jof course, be is a substantive j lieutenant-colonel. j Sir Thomas Cope began his service ; in the Royal Fusiliers, and then as i temporary lieutenant-colonel comi manded the Sixth Battaliou of Buffs lin the war, nearly 13 years before ; his selection to command the Second ! Battalion of the Seaforths. 1 Twice wounded in the war, he has { the D.S.O. with bar, and the C.M.G., and was only 33 when appointed brigadier-general. One of the bi?st known examples of , the vagaries ot' promotion due to the war was that of R. C. Freyberg, V.C., the distinguished New Zealander, who at the age of 27 was a brigadier, although he was really only substantive I captain in his regiment. At the same I time, he was brevet-major and brevet- | lieutenant-colonel. He won the V.C., the D. 5.0.. and the C.M.G.. was meni tioned in dispatches six times, and wounded seven times. Lieutenant-Colonel W. V. L. van Somereu. D. 5.0., M.C.. is yet another remarkable case. He was reading for the Bar when war broke out. and, joining the Inns of Court O.T.C. in August. 1914. he went to France with the Ninth Royal Fusiliers as the junior subaltern. j At the age of 21 he nommaudj iug this battaliou!