NINETY YEARS OLD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1940, Page 9

NINETY YEARS OLD

BRITAIN’S SENIOR FIELD MARSHAL DUKE OF CONNAUGHT. HAS SEEN ALL OF BRITAIN’S MODERN WARS. A Royal soldier who is the senior British Field-Marshal and who has witnessed all Britain’s modern wars, recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He is H.R.H. the Duke ot' Connaught, great-uncle of King George VI. Although he has lived in' retirement for many years, during a long and memorable career the Duke played no small part in forging and strengthening the links oetween the Empire and the Mother Country.

Seventh child and third son of Queen Victoria, H.R.H. was born on May 1, 1850—the 81st birthday of the Duke of Wellington, who was present as a Privy Councillor. The Queen decided to name her son after the victor of Waterloo, who became godfather to the infant Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert. During the remainder of his life the Duke of Wellington was closely associated with the Royal Family, and he inspired the young prince to make soldiering his career. As a younger son Prince Arthur was not subjected to the rigorous education of his eldest brother, the Prince of Wales, and he followed his own inclinations. He entered the Army in June, 1868, as a subaltern in the Royal Engineers. In 1870 he visited Canada during the Fenian riots, and in the skirmishes he had his first experience of active service. Four years later he was created Duke of Connaught and in 1879 married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, daughter of the famous soldier, the ‘‘Red Prince.” In 1882 the Egyptian War broke out, and the Duke of Connaught distinguished himself in command of the Brigade of Guards ?rnd was mentioned in dispatches. The following year came the Duke’s appointment to a Ma-jor-General’s command in Bengal—the first of a long series of Army appointments abroad. A PIONEER OF KHAKI. On his return H.R.H. was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth and then to the command at Aidershot, which during his lifetime the Duke has seen rise from a small camp to a great and important military centre. After the death of his brother’s (the Duke of Edinburgh’s) son, H.R.H. became heir to the Dukedom of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, but he refused it for himself and his son, Prince Arthur. A year later the Duke of Connaught succeeded Lord Roberts as General Commanding the Forces in Ireland, and in 1902, after he had passed through every branch of the Army, he was made a' Field-Marshal. Early in 1903 he again visited India to represent his brother, King Edward VII, at the great Durbar. In 1904 the Duke of Connaught was appointed Inspector-General of the Forces and President of the selection board; in this post he selected many of the officers who who were to form the “Old Contemptibles”—vanguard of Britain’s army of 1914. The Duke was also responsible for many of the Army reforms after 1904. It is interesting to realise that the Duke of Connaught was one of the pioneers who recommended khaki uniforms for service in place Of the picturesque red and blue.

From 1907 till 1909 H.R.H. was Com-mander-in-Chief and High Commissioner in the Mediterranean with headquarters at Malta and in 1910 he made his memorable visit to South Africa—which he 'had already visited some years previously on an official mission to the Portugese Government at Lourenco Marques —to open the Union’s first Parliament. The tour was a great success, and many South Africans will still remember the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and their popular daughter, Princess “Pat,” now Lady Patricia Ramsay. In 1911 H.R.H. was Gov-ernor-General of. Canada. The first member of the Royal Family to be appointed to such a task, the Duke made a splendid success of his term of office. The outbreak of the Great War brought new burdens, and as Comman-der-in-Chief the Duke of Connaught did much towards Canada’s war effort. The tremendous popularity of the Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia helped H.R.H. considerably. The Duke remained longer in Canada than he had intended, as his successor. Prince Alexander of Teck, had gone to the front with his regiment. The Royal Family has a strong link with Canada. In the 1880’s Queen Victoria’s son-in-law. the Marquis of Lome, had been Governor-General; his wife, Princess Louise, died last December at the age of 91. Thirty years later the Duke of Connaught was Governor-General; and again 30 years later the Earl of Athlone (formerly Prince Alexander of Teck) takes up the appointment he had to refuse in 1914. LAST GREAT MISSION. The Duke of Connaught returned to England in 1916; a few months later the Duchess died. Herself the daughter of a soldier, she had been a constant companion and great help to her husband throughout his career. On the Duke’s 70th birthday in 1920, his warmhearted, gifted daughter, Princess Margaret, who had married the Crown Prince of Sweden, died suddenly. She had been tremendously popular and was deeply mourned by her adopted country. In 1921 the Duke of Connaught emerged from his retirement to represent the King once more. India was passing through a difficult stage; the Duke visited that country to inaugurate the important Provincial Legislative Councils. His last great mission was a fitting climax to a long career of splendid service. In recent years the Duke of Connaught has been obliged to winter in France; till old age a strong constitution has stood him in good stead. In recent years, too, he has suffered bereavements; the death of Prince Arthur was a great blow to him. He is a link with great events in the past, and although he has retired from the eyes of the nation he can look back with pride on his memorable achievements as soldier, administrator and representative of the Crown.