RANKERS WHO HAVE RISEN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 275, 14 November 1908, Page 3

RANKERS WHO HAVE RISEN

FROM FULL PRIVATE TO GENERAL, If it may not be literally true that the British soldier carries a FieldMarshal's baton in his knapsack, lie may at least indulge in dreams of the day when he will be able to look down on a mere colonel from the loftier eminence of a General, as many another "ranker" has done before him. If he doubts this possibility, we no/jd only remind liiui that Colonel W. K Peyton, D.5.0., who a few weeks ago was gazetted JSrigadier-General of the Meerut Cavalry Brigade, did his first drill as a full-blown private in the 7th Dragoons twenty-three years ago, just two years before he won a commission; and that Brigadier-General Kobertson. C.8., D.5.0., wlio was recently promoted to that rank, has also climbed from the lowest rank of the Army ladder.

And what these men have done others have achieved, and still others will achieve. When " Willie " Mcßean—a bare-footed, shock-headed, awkward Scots lad—took bis shilling and enlisted in the 93rd Highlanders, he would have laughed till he cried if any one had told him that one day he would ge u General. I'robably he would have punched the prophet's head for his pains; but, all the same, Willie lived to be addressed as "General Mcßean, V.C.," and richly deserved his honours. lie gave such an excellent account of himselt in the Crimea that he returned home a lieutenant and a hero, very much to his embarrassment. "Ye maun still ca' me ' Willie,'" lie begged of his humble Scots friends; and "Willie" he always was to his last day. At Lucknow Willie surprised even himself, and the enemy still more; for when eleven of the fiercest mutineers got him in a comer and set to work to make mincemeat of him he was put right on his mettle, and polished off the entire eleven one at a time.

Luke O'Connor was an Irish lad nf seventeen when he first donned the Queen's uniform as private in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, little dreaming that he would follow in Mcllcan's footsteps. A vears service saw him ;i sergeant; anil four years later he won a .onnnission in the Crimea. It was in the battle of the Alma Itiver that the gallant young Irishman had his first chance of showing the stuff - he was made of. When Ensign Austnithcr, who \v!(s carrying the colours, fell mortally wound*!. O'Connor seized them and bore them gallantly through the thickest of the tight, though the blood was streaming from a severe lml let-wound in his chest. To orders and entreaties to go to the rear to have his wound seen to lie turned a deaf ear. lie would die on his legs rather than trust the colours to any other man; and, faint ami reeling from loss of blood, he carried them till t'lie last shot was fired.

For this act of gallantry lie received his commission, the Jii'-1 step of the ladder up which he later climbed to the rank of Major-General. More remarkable still was the career of Joseph JJrome, who. as a lad of twelve, rattled the drum in the lioy.il Regiment of Artillery, stationed r;i the Island of Minorca. Joseph rose through every grade until he was dubbed Lie itcmi 11M l.oiH'l'al; and, when lie died, loft behind him a son and a grandson, eauli of whom reached the same enviable goal. ]iut the most remarkable of all these ex-ranker Generals was undoubtedly John Ellev, a 'charity schoolboy, who left the tan-pits to wear the King's uniform as trooper in the Boynl Regiment of Horse Guards. And it was lucky for John that he did so; for he proved so capable a soldier that he rose rapidly to 'full General's rank. He was Wellington's most trusted adviser at Watar--1 ioo, was knighted by George 111., sat for Windsor at AVestmmster. and his virtues are perpetuated on a. marble tablet above his last_ resting-place in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.