ALL ABOUT GENERAL FRENCH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 117, 19 January 1915, Page 2

ALL ABOUT GENERAL FRENCH.

OUR MOST BRILLIANT OFFICER. ' Field-Marshal Sir John Denton Piukstone French, to give him his full title and name, made his reputation ■ in the South African War. Appointed Major . General to command the Cavalry Division in Natal in 1889, he was. at the head of the troops at Elaiuisluagte, and he commanded the cavalry in Sir George White’s forces in the battles of Reitfcnteia and Lombard’s Kop. In the operations round Colosburg he was in command for over a-year, and when Kimberley was brilliantly relieved, it was Sir John French who rode at the head of the British cavalry. When Lord Roberts went out to South Africa and took supreme command of the British forces, the great ! cavlry leader continued his winning way. He was •in charge of the cavalry at the captures of Bloemfontein and Pretoria, and until the end of the war he led successful attacks against the rebels. Sir John French, was, indeed, one of the Britsh officers who did not lose his reputation in “the grave of reputations’’; lie enhanced it enormously. JUST ESCAPED FROM LADYSMITH General Duller 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 his teeth that he got free to take the command. He just managed to escape from Ladysmith when war was declared by hiding himself under a seat in the last train to leave the town. That he should have achieved the great position he has as a soldier is a little curious, for sailoring was his first love. , The only sen of an Irish father, - Commander John French, R.N., and a I, Scottish mother, “Jack” French, as lie was called, was born in 1804. Both his parents died when he was quite a child, and he was brought up by two sisters —lie had five sisters altogether. His sisters sent- him to a prepara {ory lie cl at Harrow, and when he —as r.hmn, 'thirteen he passed into the ‘Britannia” —to learn to be a sailor »Te was a wild young man In IBs schnr’ - i nvp—a ‘“regular '-young rascal,” fib' f mischief, high spirits, and boyish •m'-vdeime, but without an ounce of dee in him. The-cal] of the se° grinned him fm bent five years, and he had risen to dip rank of lieutenant when he sud-Um-y astonished his relatives and ’'lends by “chucking” the Navy for "he Army. Through the militia he was gazetted to the Bth Hussars, and in 1881 in: went with the 19th .Hussars, under Lord Wolseley, on the Nile Expedition For his services in Egypt he received \ medal and clasp and the Khedive’s Mar. BORN TO BE PROMOTED. Since then he lias always been marked for promotion. To look at him you would net consider him an ideal cavRryman In his boots he stands only .bent five feet six indies ;and he is bread and thick set, and inclined to be stent. But give him a horse and a li vision behind him and yon see one d the finest and most skilfully daring cavalry leaders alive —a man win would not think twice about riding into the very valley cf death itself, needs be. And Sir John French is something more f'han a brilliant leader in the iield. After the manoeuvres cf 1594 a J good many shortcomings were appar ant in the British cavalry, and it was considered necessary to reorganise his branch cf the Service. The first hing to he done was to re-write the M avnlry Drill book, and to do this Sir Toiin French was brought in from half-pay retirement to (he Horse Guards. He did the work with a conciseness and thoroughness characteristic of him. In private life Sir John French is i most popular person, but he slums 'he limelight cf publicity most sirenu msly; in fact, so lb tie does he talk outside his mess and domestic circles hat he is called “Silent French,” . . .-r-~