WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 July 1916, Page 5

WAR NOTES.

RAPID CLTMP, UP LADDER OF PROMOTION. London, June 3. Prom private to lieutenant-colonel. Such Ims been the rapid promotion of Edgar R. Mobbs, the famous Rugby international three-quarter. ITc is now in command of.the regiment he joined as a "Tommy." Mobbs' Army career reads like a, page of fiction. When the war broke out lie applied for a commission, but this was refused on the ground that he was too old. But dttermined to "do his bit" he began a recruiting campaign on his own initiative, and very quickly raised a special company of the 7tli Northamptonshire Regiment. Then lie joined himself as a private. Shortly afterwards the commission which had been declined came along, and when the battalion went to the front last spring Mobbs held the rank of captain. The Xorthamptons were in the thick of the fighting at the battle of Loos, and Mobbs was one of the very few otlicers who went through it unharmed. Indeed of the officers left he held senior rank, and, promoted temporary major, he was put in command. In this capacity he has continued to act ever since. As a soldier Mobbs has won all the popularity he held on the football field, where lie was one of those stup-at-notliing daredevil sort of players who seemed to delight in making the fullest use of his great physical strength. As an ollicer he has inspired his men with his fine manly courage and disdain of danger. At Loos he was first over the parapet, and many stories are told of how he raced all cad of his company swinging an inoffensive swagger cane. Throughout this memorable battle ho also showed his soldierly qualities and—well, now he is n. lieutenant-colonel.