HOW PRINCE WAS KILLED

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 58, 18 September 1928, Page 11

HOW PRINCE WAS KILLED

The Prince Imperial, the only sou of the ex-Emperor Napoleon 111. aud the Empress Eugenic, was educated in England, to which his parents, after the establishment of the Third Republic, retired, living at Chislehurst. Ilia father died in 1873, aud the young prince was brought up by his mother, who lived to a groat age, dying comparatively recently. She cherished ambitions for her son, who exhibited most promising qualities of courage aud intelligence. He was trained in the military school at Woolwich, and as a young man went out to Africa to see service in the Zulu War, which had begun in January, 1879, and was marked by the severest fighting, including. the disaster at Isandlwhana, in which a British force of 800 with 470 natives was entirely wiped out. It was only at his urgent entreaty that the exEmpress allowed her son to go to South Africa, and she took the precaution also of visiting tho War Office and arranging that he should not be regarded as a British officer, but solely as a spectator attached to G.H.Q. Actually the Prince Imperial went out as an extra aide-de-camp to Lord Chelmsford, the commander of the British forces. IMPETUOUS BRAVERY. The Prince's impetuous and reckless bravery early caused disquiet to those responsible for his safety. ,At one time lie exposed himself so recklessly that General Buller declined to be further responsible. Lord Chelmsford realised the danger, and gave instructions that the Prince was to undertake no dangerous work without permission. Lieutenant-Colonel Harrison was told off to look after the Prince. There has always been sorno mystery as to tho events which led to the Prince's death. The Prince was given permission to select a site for a camp for ono of the British columns, and, with Lieutenant J. B. Carey and six white troopers, went out into a country which had not been properly reconnoitred as to the presence of Zulus. The six Basuto troopers, who should have accompanied the party as scouts, did not. put in an appearance. Lord Grenfdl, who went part of the "way, did not notice the absence of the native troopers, imagining that they were ahead scouting. It seems quite clear that tho Prince took the opportunity to give his "guardian," Colonel Harrison, the slip, and he took command of tho party. Carey afterwards declared that he had been told by Harrison not to interfere with the Prince. . Actually Carey permitted himself to be overruled by the Prince in a decision te visit some Zulu huts which were apparently empty. This "kraal" was reached at 3 p.m. on Ist June, 1879. The Prince gave orders to off-saddle, and a fire was lighted and coffee made. No precautions were taken against surprise. Forty minutes later the horses were saddled and the Prince gave the order to mount. Immediately a volley crashed from the long grass close by, and some 30 to 40 Zulus rushed the kraal. The horses bolted with the men half on and half out of the saddle. All was over in a few seconds. The Princß fought like a. lion, and his body was found with eighteen wounds, all in front.