AN ARMY ROMANCE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15393, 25 September 1915, Page 2

AN ARMY ROMANCE.

THE OFFICER WHO CAME BACK. HEROIC DEATH AS PRIVATE. One of the romances or the war lies behind the following official notice, which. aopeared in the ''London Gazette" on Friday: — The King ha 6 approved the cancellation of the removal frc:n the sorvice of Captain Hugh sale Smart, Indian Army (killed in act fan May 17th. 1915 :, which was notified in tho "London Guzette" of Jtme -Ith, 1915, with eflfcct irom December 23th, 1314. Among other things, the story goes to show that you must not always judge by first impressions, and that even official notices may have to be revised when the full facts come to light. And it shows, too, that while the lovo of Britain and her honour is stronger than love of life itself, and while there are still ideals on earth for which a man will die, war is not entirely a base thing.

Which, curiously enough, brings us to consider the ease of Piivate Thomas Hardy. 2nd Battalion Queen's ltoyal West Surrey Kegiment. To the otner men of the regiment he was a puzzle. • Gentlemen rankers'' arc common enough in the new regiments which, in tue Empire's hour of need, have sprung to arms so cheerfully without "the l>:iyonet-point of conscription. And Ihero were plenty of old soldiers, too, who had come back to the Army, and the oLI comradeships, with sueii an overflowing knowledge of drill that they had ;o;ne to spare for the new recruits. But he had said nothing of having served before —a wise thing on his part, for there would have been questions aske-.1. and inquisitive recruiting officers lii./.ht have wanted to see his papers. Vet he took to drill as if ho had bc-eu at it for years, and though he was almost too strict in saluting officers, someone lancied that one day, as he walked along rather dreamily, he glared at a fellow-private who did not salute him! THE PAST IN INDIA. And there were other little things that a soldier notices —suggestions that this voung fellow of thirty, whose face was tanned by a 1 otter sun than shines on England, *Had been used to exercising authority—sn that one day another private said, "I'm sure e's been in the Army before, an:l it wasn't ill the bloomin' ranks, either.'' When some of this gossip and speculation came to the ears ol the mysterious recruit, he only smiled. But on the steady monotony of route marches, when a man's feet go tramp-tramp in time with all the other feet in the column, and his mind is free to wander at will, his thoughts often went across the seas to India.

And ho saw there a young officer of the 53rd Sikhs, one of the most famous fighting regiments on the Northern Frontier. This young fellow, not yet thirty, was aliicaciy making his mark. He was known as a hard worker, with his heart in his profession. Ho had qualified as an interpreter, and wore the medal and claso for tervico with the Mohmanil Expedition of 1908. Captain Hugh Sale Smart would go far, men said. From the day when. i n August. 1905, as a youngster of twenty, ho had heen gazetted second lieutenant in the South Staffordshire Regiment, from Sandhurst, he had been steadily making his way. In October. 1907, ho was transferred to the Indian Army and a few months later was on active scrvicc on the North-West Frontier. There was a brisk little battle at Kurgha on May 24th, 1903, but afterwards peace broodecfalong the mountain wall, and ho had to settle down to the hum-drum duties of garrison and camp. Then came the greatest August in the Empire's history, and the news clicked over the wires to the lonely outposts in the frontier that Britain was at war again. TROOPS ON THE MOVE. And in India the troops began to move. The troop trains ran down to the coast, tho ships were stea'ing secretly from tho ports to Europe. Men who counted life itself a cuiiously small thing if they might striko a blow for England were setting their kit together and saying good-bye—and Captain Smart had to say good-byo to them, instead of going with them. Soon after war broke out he was mado a captain, but this step in rank was no consolation to a man who was left behind. Present'y ho was .transferred to tho Khyber Rifles, an irregular corps that watches,the frontier. And the disappointment ate into his koul. Here lie was. a sort c glorified policeman on a ''beat" that had given itself up to the ways of peace, while over there in France the guns were blazing, and men whom he had often met at me.ss and jn the field were leadincr tho platoons and companies and battalions into action.

December came, and with it a short spell of leave. Captain Smart went south from the frontier —and disappeared. He was due back nt his post on December 29th, but he did not return. Days, pnssed, then weeks, then months. Those who had known him discussed what could have happened. And on June 4th of this year, in the "London Gazette," appeared this notice: — ' Kin ? has approved the removal from the service of the under-mentioned officer oi the Indian Army: — Captain Hugh Sale Smart. Dated Dec. 231h, 1914.

So Captain Smart disappeared mysteriously from the all-too-peaceful military circles of India, and reappeared in England as Private Thomas Hardy, of the "West Surreys, training hard for early duty at the front.

The eagerly awaited orders came at last. The transports r>icked the West Surreys up at an English port, and dropped them Somewhere in France. And so by way of the roads that lead to the sound of the guns they reached the fighting-line. And there it was. on May 17th. that they took part in the battle of Festubcrt. when the German trenches on a front of two milc*3 were stormed and captured.

Private Thomas Hardy's great chance in life—and in death—had come. Ho knew as he went into action that in military circles he—that is to sav, the Captain Smart of the earlier nortion'of his double career —was counted as dead, nr as worse than dead, with the stigma, of "absent without leave" against his npm ( >—and that in war time. too.

He Teas one of the bomb-throwers — •">ne of the men who have to eo out- Tinder fire and hurl their ba"d-erenades 'nto the Gerr>n n trenches. It is .1 job that wins V.C.'s—or death. And so, nerbans. with w>mp that the fate and ffWuno ef bottles lot Private Hnrdv wine nwnv the b'ack mark +*>at stained the military record of Carvtnin Smart, he wont out the hell "nd hail of the German bullets. KILLED WTTTUE BOMP.-THR OWING. De*crihin<r the battle. Mr Buchan has written in "The Times" :— No lesc gallant was Private Hardy, of the Oueen's (West Surrey Regiment). who was badly wonnded in the left arm o>e was a man) but continued throwinc bombs •with his right, till he was shot dead. So fell a very gallant, and one may be sure, a very hanrrr gentleman. "What better finish can there be to the story than the "'sin official notice issued by the Press Bureau yesterday:— Captain H. S. Smart, 53rd Sikhs, attached Khyber Bifles, was granted short leave in

December laet and did not rejoin on its expiration. All enquiries failed to traco him, and ho was, therefore, removed from the It has einco ascertained that his action was due to , strong desire to join tlio Fore© in France. It appears that ho carao to th:s country and on lifted, in the name of Thcuia« iiardy, into the 2nd Battalion Queen's Royal West Surrey itsgimcnt. Whilo serving with this battalion a« a private he w;is killed in action at Fcslubert on the 17th May. 1915, where ho displayed euch gallantry that he would have been granted th« medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field had he ourviveu. In view of the special circumstances of the case the Secretary of State for India, with * tho concurrence of the Army Council, decided to submit to his Majesty that tho removal from tho Service of Captain Smart should be cancelled, and his Majesty ha» been graciously pleared to, approve this Proposal.—"Lloyds Weekly News," August 15th.