GENERAL RAWLINSON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9491, 3 January 1919, Page 5

GENERAL RAWLINSON.

_j ♦'.' ■

V- A- KEEN PSYCH(HX)GIST: x

Not very many days ago I called on Gemeral . Sir ■ Henry ' Eawlinson, G'.G.V.O., K,CB., at the headquarterß of the British.4th Army in "France.. •'.'■Rawlie'!—i as .he is. affectionately .caalted by those who have campaigned with him for many years-—with his wonderfut.:4th.:Army wfis bat-tering' the Hun backwards from' in-, .fi'ont . of \ Amiens and hurling him from 'his: stronghoilds in th<9 Sonime area (writes Mr Frederic Colemaiv to tlio "Daily "Mail")- .WK'ilfe it would perhaps be putting it too stronsry to say that: I have seen : : Geiueral Ilawlinßpn in victory ami doieat, I have certainly met him "at times when tho tide of. war was •ebbing-' ami again when it has been , flowing fuß. I lirst met hini at. his hpad'quaittei-s on the Aisne, near Soiseoms,; ih September, 1914, when he was placed in .command of the newly-formed.4th GorpsV . In the followingl'mo-nth- I saw him. -up Yprc's, .when' the ,soldiers '.under,- "■'him ' were meeting ;the>. biauit of the .first shock •of tlie early 'clays of .the; Battle of Yprew' of 1914.:'.; In tlie sp'ringvof 1915 :I visited him when ']■( his, v headquarters >wei'e ; at>-.M!ervi3!lei 'bdtli -before and a:ftpr' ■the' Battle of 'Ne.uye- Clkpellej •': which was fought by troops under his >:ommand.; ' ,:■'.■■'■ : '■ „••■:•-..a•■'-'•'.■•.'.■.

} Wherever 'and.'.in whatever, circumstances I have .met--him there is; never much: chango in; -'.fßawlie's'■' outward ■demeanour. He is always affable and... coiirteous. ■ He is,always cool and con/ indent..'- In, appearance: he ;is.. a natxirjil soldier. His fine face and'efeiv ex r , ipre&sive eyes' are those of a keen, cat-; cuTa'ting ..strategist. Contact. withjGen.eral >: Rawlinson gives, one the immediate impression: tlaat the mara knows what he is about. He shows at all /tiniest a very fn-m grasp.of the mill-: tai-y. situation with ; which .- he .is con- ; ifrontetlV ; TpUuiar him cTisouss .a.'imli-; tary qucsiion: is an interesting cxporiience. He .iiilks ltucklly, even','tp .-the layman, in matters military,,.of 1 ■•■things'., that' a:' less .able/sqiklier would. make much less dlear. • ■..< "Rawlie's" most outstanding characteristic is the fact\that he cannot be hustled: As we Americans would say, you cannot "rattle" him. He never becomes flurried or nervoiis. He shows on frequent-occasions ah Trabonndea confidence -in the troops -lie commands. ; He possesses-real sympathy, for his sol!-, diers:and a real understanding of them. To be a genuine leader of.men. requires to-day, more than .ever before, a profound knowledge of hum an .psychoflbgy. Gonei-aJ Rawlinson -is nhvays studying men amd consequently has learnt much about thorn. . ■ - . ■• .;. He is. fond of a joke, and no-Com-mander on the western ■■ front has a more sincerely pleasant manner..;, His smile , 'is sppntaiiedus and. ..infectious. ;His ,eyes: spar'lele . with; .reaK;furi^iAvlien^ ■•s6ineVp6mt: : ;appeais-;;to'bilii»^OTSiq|^ raour^whicir-is-weM ;deyelpped;SWithaliv: he if a chaiTOing-mani.' But :abpye that, he is ah , evor-pbservantj .;.''. ; 't)airis'taktiVg military stutlent -.with a deep knowItedge ,of the lore; of battles and '■wa'rfaro. -He,works hard and-Joves his '.profession;: 'Ho is a fine soldier.