HERO OF BAGDAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1917, Page 3

HERO OF BAGDAD.

BRITAIN LOSES AN ABLE LEADER. "A BORN FIGHTER." The late General Sir Frederick Stanlev Maude, who recently died in Mesopotamia, entered the Army in ISB4. He came of a lighting family, his father being the late General Sir F. Maude, 0.C.8., V.C., Maude was a colonel when the European war broke out, and had previously been attached to the General Stall. Before that he had seen service in t!ie Sudan and South Africa, where he won his TXS.O. On the outbreak of the great war lie crossed over to France in charge of the 14tli Infantry Brigade (operations in Flanders). t Subsequently he was on the staff of the 3rd Army, and was then given command of the 13th Division at Gallipoli, witli the rank of major-general. He afterwards took his division to Egypt, and then on to Mesopotamia, where lie eventually succeeded Sir Percy Lake in the coinmnnd-in-ehief Maude's eomluet of the operations in that trying theatre marked the turn of the tide in our favor. With lightning thrusts, siveepin'g tactics, and clever employment of his cavalry, 'lie out-2ener:illed the Turks, seized one position after another, retook Kut-el-Anmra, and advanced swiftly 011 Bagdad. Maude's brilliant generalship last summer is too recent not to be well remembered. "The difference between Maude and many other generals," says a contemporary of Mm, "is that Maude has a real likinir for fighting. Fighting is a dier's business, but of the generals you see walking about T should say, speaking with moderation, that one out of ten positively loves fighting. The other nii.e may be fond of drill, or regulations, or administration, or various other kinds of army routine, but when they find themselves faced with a- light, or an unknown bit of country held by an unknown number of enemy troops, neither love of admin titration nor anything else will replace the need for an inborn love of fighting. The man who has not this inborn love of fighting will find the most admirable reasons for putting off the engagement, and when lie has put off the engagement his chance is gone. Maude is one of those rare generals who have this inborn love of fighting, and that is the reason he has come to the front, and has swept victoriously into Bagdad. He went out to France as a colonel, but his fighting qualities soon made him a man marked for promotion. When he left Gallipoli it was •with the reputation of being one of the ablest generals who sot foot 011 the Peninsula. The extraordinarily difficult nature of the task gave his fighting proclivities full play. Tls eould not hear sitting still, and whenever a lull came lie would bo the first to c\claim. 'When are we going to have a dash?' He looked forward eagerly to the arrival of enough troops to drive the Turks out of the Peninsula, and to the last minute lie was anxious to have another go at the Turks rather than leave the place. His success in Mesopotamia was expected by those who know the kind of man he is. He made ready, and then he went full rip with his soul full of the love of the fight." Sir Stanley Maude's home is at Watford. Lady Maude is a daughter of the late Colonel the Right Hon. Thomas Taylor, of Ardgillan. Castle, Co. Dublin. The general and his wife hare one son and two daughters. A New Zealand-born officer at present in Wellington who was with the British Forces at the recapture of Kut and the taking of Bagdad men Colonel Maude during the operations. Ho speaks of him as one of the finest types of English gentlemen, and a military leader whom everyone absolutely trusted. As a fighting general, he was revered by officrs and men alike, and his control was absolute at all times. "He knew his job" was the best commentary one could make on General 'Maude as a soldier. General Sir Stanley Maude was a cousin of Mr. Cyril Maude, the English actor, who will be in Wellington next week. 1