OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 104, 12 February 1940, Page 5

OBITUARY.

DARQN TWEEDSMUIR. PASSING OF FAMOUS NOVELIST. (United Press Association—Copyright.) , ..... .-(Received- This- Day,-2 .pan.) -f-, MONTREAL, February 11. Baron Twcedsmuir (Governor-Gener-al of Canada) died to-day as the result '"■* of concussion, of the brain received through, a fall* while dressing at the beginning of the week. \ # —:—v THIRD OPERATION NEEDED* * v FIVE SPECIALISTS CONSULT. (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) . MONTREAL, February llri. A conference of five specialists ’ decided that immediate blood transfusion was necessary, and a third operation will be performed. The donor is believed to be Lord Twcedsmuir’s son, Lieutenant Alastair Buchan. A scholar, author, war correspondent, politician and publisher, Lord Tweedsmpuir was barn in Scotland in; August, 1875. As a. writer John Buchan.lie became famous with the publication of a number of books. Ho was educated at Glasgow University: and Brasenose College, Oxford, oh which he was a scholar, taking the Newdigate i-nd Stanhope Historical Essay Prizes. In 1899 he was president of the union. He read law and was called to the Bar in 19G1. Soon afterwards he was appointed private secretary to Lord Milner, who had justs been made High Commissioner in South Africa. Even then books flowed from his pen. .notably ‘‘The African Colony.” Returning to England iu 1903, lie became a member of the publishing firm of Nelsons and devoted much of his time to writing turning . •cut a numbei of romances, some >T them based on his South African days

. .It.'was, however, in the World Wat that his gift of the lucid recording of facts was best- known. At the outset lie went to France as a special correspondent, : but was. soon appointed to British' Headquarters, with the rank > of lieutenant-colonel. In 1917 he was transferred to- England to take the onerous - post- of Director of Informa- i lion. Meanwhile he was preparing a detailed history of the war and also records of various phases of it, which appeared after the end of the conflictHe also showed the scholar’s sense of Higtofi'cal values in memoirs of eminent persoilrs'.and wrote scenarios for British' 'historical films. In' April, 1027, Mr Buchan wins elected OqftsC'rvative- M.-P. for the Scottish •University. (Ho was an- honorary LL-.D. of ' Glasgow University. In March, 1935, lie was appointed- Gov-ernor-General of Canada- the first commoner 'to ba appointed to that post.