"SIGN HERE."

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1919, Page 93

"SIGN HERE."

j'&TCELANBER'S AMAZING BXPLOITi 1 ' . BAILED OP THE KING. AIJTOGiRAPH HUNTING EXIEAOfiDINAKy. j WAYLATOWJ THE CELEBEITIES. To have thrown a Royal procession into confusion by holding up the King's carriage for the purpose of getting Hiß Majesty's autograph, is an exploit which few men will be able to hand down as a family legend, yet this is only one of remarkable adventures that befell PriI yg,te , a young Hamilton soldier, who is now the possessor of an autograph album which is probably unique. This adventurous young man is the possessor of a modest demeanour, a likeable address, a smile that disarms antagonism, and a direct and unblushing method of approach—a combinatipn that lends an ingenuous and innocent atmosphere to his most breath-snatching requests. When he went to France he conceived it to be the duty of an enterprising young man to make the most of bis opportunities, and to return with an experience worth talking about, and with the proofs thereof in his possession. The proofs were to consist of sketches of the places he had seen and autographs of the persons he had talked with. A DIGGER TOURIST. The writer met him one day in the course of the big push last autumn, handing round the main dressing station of the New Zealand Division, then situated at Bancourt. His unit was temporarily out of the line, and the enterprising soldier had come to the conclusion that the opportunity was at hand for making a weak to get a private view of the ruins of Albert. The famous old city was, of course, mileß beyond the l.mits of the divisional area, and out-of-bounds, but he got there by the simple expedient of begging a ride on a motor ambulance, and trusting to luck to get back to his unit undetected. But that was a late incident in his search for experience and trouble. A few months previonßly he had been caught in the act of making sketches in the vicinity of Doullens, and was arrested as a spy. This was another occasion on which he had taken French leave, and was many miles away from his unit. But the quiet smile and the soft word again came to hiß rescue, and, after being detained for some hours, he was released and again safely made his butrow without a court martial. Once again he was arrested in the act of sketching at the famous Chateau-de-la-Haie, famous by its associations with the Emperor, and of vivid memory to many a New Zealand soldier who has spent a hot quarter of an hour there at shelling time.

POINCARE AT LE QUESNOY. A few weeks elapsed and the interpid autograph seeker was the subject of a special warning in Divisional Orders. It was the day when, after, the re-capture of Le Quesnoy, Poincare visited the walled city in connection with the picturesque ceremonial when the inhabitants gave thanks to the New Zealand Division as their deliverers. Once again i was not on the official programme, and according to the disposition of the troops, was supposed to be miles-away. While President Poincare was engaged [ with all the Brass Hats, as the High military Eangatiras are irreverently [ termed, a soldier broke the ranks, dashed up to the President, album in hand, and made eloquent signs indicating that he desired his signature. The President I smilingly acquiesced. The officers present stood aghast at this flagrant breach | of discipline, and the rash young man, seizing his opportunity, promptly lost himself in the crowd. Unluckily for him, however, he had been recognised, and was duly hauled before his O.C. Only the most skilful wriggling extricated him from a court martial.

EXPLOIT IN AMERICA. Even had he been court martiawed it would not have been his first experience of that august authority. Coming over from New Zealand his transport called at an American port. Not satisfied with such a meagre acquaintance of America he made a dash for >a certain inland city, >ri-ere he was large-handedly entertained by a leading citizen. Bad luck dogged him there, however. In the course of his exhilarating day in the Yankee city he unguardedly talked to a newspaper man —just lightly and casually about things' in general—and to his horror figured in a feature interview in the current day's paper, written with all the riot of fancy of the American newspaper man. The .information reached the ship and the escapee in due course appeared before a court martial on a charge of supplying taboo information. He was not built for the "clink," however, and wriggled free, by what means this deponent knoweth not.

WAYLAYING THE PRINCE ONCE MORE. It was a toss-up whether he should manoeuvre for an early return to Blighty after the armistice or accompany the Division to Germany. The lure of adventure was too strong, and he carried his pack with the troops of accupation. Once in Germany, the area of occupation was far too small for him, and one night saw him escorted out of Dusseldorf—then a neutral city and forbidden the New Zealand troops—by armed Spartacists. The coming of the Prince of Wales was an opportunity for an addition to the autograph album not to be missed, and the signature-seeker, espying the Prince crossing a paddock, bowled straight up to him and obtained the coveted memento with little or no trouble, notwithstanding the presence of staff officers.

Ultimately getting leave, the soldier went to England, slipping the trooptrain in Belgium, and visiting Ghent, Bruges and Brussels en route. He arrived in London with his leave almostt expired, but that was a minor consideration in the post-armistice days. The autograph hunter set his stall out to complete his collection, and for over three, months he cruised about, the United Kingdom, and claims to have interviewed or obtained the signatures of the King, the Prince of Wales, Mr. LJoyd George, President Poincare, General Pershing, Marshal Foch, Admiral Beatty, Sir Douglas Haig, General Debeney. Lord Reading, Mr. Winston -Churchill, Mr. Wm. M. Hughes, Mr. G. N. Barnes, de Yalera (the Sinn Fein leader), Madame Melba, and a host of others.

WHEN PEACE WAS SIGNED. The occasion of obtaining the signature of the King wa3 on the day of the return of the Peace Signatories to London. He had just succeeded in obtaining the autograph of Madame Melba

after performing prodigies of persuasion amongst sundry stage hands and dressers, and then made his way to see the {passing of the Eoyal procession in the ■vaulting hope of securing the coveted signature of the King. The task looked absolutely hopeless, as all who have had (experience of the London police \rta readily imagine. Near Victoria station a party of Australians came marching by. "Make way! Make way I Let me join my unit" cried the young Hamiltonian- The crowd fell back, even as the water sprang when Moses struck the rock. Swinging into step with the Aussies, the Digger drew near the Royal carriage. "I was absolutely in a blue funk," said the soldier in narrating his tale. "There was the King's carriage. With him were the Prince of Wales and Lloyfi George, and all the heads were in the carriages to the rear. 'Come on, my boy, it's the chance of a lifetime,' I told my- ( self, and then I made up my mind. In my pocket was a book of sketches I had made in Germany, and with this in my hand I made a dash for the Boyal Carriage. Before anyone could pull me up I had one foot on the step and arm over the side, and was talking to the King. I showed him the book of sketches, and explained what I wanted. He was a bit dulbious at first, and then he signed. Meantime, of course, the police had made a rush towards me, but an inspector,' seeing that the King had the book in his hand, and probably to prevent complications, waved everyone back. Then I handed the book to Lloyd George, and asked him for his autograph. He threw back his head, and roared with laughter, and then—well, he signed. The whole procession was, of course, brought to a standstill, and everything was confusion in a few moments.

"People came rushing out of their carriages to see what was happening, and amongst them were Mr. Winston Churchill, Lord Reading, General feeely ' (former War Minister), Mr Win/Hughes, Mr. George Barnes, one of the Peace Signatories, and others. General Seely Bhook hands voluntarily. Others were quite ready to give me their signatures, and I secured most of them, but finally things settled down again, and I got clear. I was pretty lucky, too, for I was three months overdue, and I still wanted some more leave before returning to New Zealand."

ON THE TRACK OF DE VALERA. Then the Hainiltonian went to Ireland, and the natural thing to aspire to was the signature of the Sinn Fein leader, de Valera. Th-e latest information about de Valera was that he had escaped from Lincoln Gaol, and to find him was like searching for a needle in a haystack. What talismanic significance an Irish name has, those from Erin know best, but maybe it was on the strength of his patronymic that the New Zealander bowled right into the Sinn Fein headquarters, and demanded to sec Mr. de Valera. The Sinn -Fein guard was astounded at the temerity of a uniformed man bearding tlicm at. thr hub of the Irish movement, but either the name or the colonial hat did it. Dp Valera was there, and de Valera condescended to j see the intruder. They talked for a ! long while about the feeling of the colonies towards Ireland, and, of course, the "Sign here" climax duly came. There 1 were high times in Limerick about then, j and the souvenir-hrmior wag in the middle of it. One day the news came that a riot had started. To visit Ireland without seeing a Donnybrook or a Sinn Fein riot is a worse offence than touring Italy and missing Naples, and the New Zealander made a bee-line for the hospital, where it was reported that skin and hair were flying. "It appeared that a Sinn Feinor who had lieen hungerstriking while under arrset had been removed from gaol to hospital, and the other gentry of the fraternity had decided to rescue him. Going to the hospital under the guise of visitors they engaged in conversation with the patients until somebody blew a whistle, and the party made a rush for the guards of the hunger-striker, and overpowered them, One of the constables, getting his hands free, drew a revolver, and shot his assailants dead, and the Sinn Feiners (goes the story) responded by launching a policeman into eternity, and wording | several others. While the blood flowed our soldier-artist was on the scene, sustaining a crack over the shoulder in negotiating the crowd. In the hospital he wa9 the recipient of the equally threatening attentions of police (who fook him for a colonial sympathiser) and Sinn Feiners, to whom the sight of a uniform was as bacon to a Hebrew But once again the soft word and winning smile came as a salve to naming passions, and the temperature of the riot sufficiently sank to enable the soldier to get his sketch. There are those who will, doubtless, think that the claimant to these escapades is drawing thr. long bow, but those who know him will testify personally to several of them, and, if the album of famous autographs should at any time be displayed look for Hie owner of an Irish name.—Auckland Star.