PRINCE OF WALES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 68, 29 September 1928, Page 17

PRINCE OF WALES

♦ STORY OF HIS LIFE KOLE DUEINGr THE WAR EAGER FOR SERVICE By Walter and Leonard Toivnsend; edited by Evelyn Graham. Read and approved by Sir Godfrey Thomas, X.C.V.0., principal secretary to His Royal Highness. CHAPTER VIII. His Royal Highness knew that the Great War, which had so suddenly arrested his own future plans, like so many thousand others, was not his own particular war, nor his father's. He was serving his country in an attempt to end war for all time, and to crush the Imperialism and militarism of Prussia and of all countries. Whether England—or the throne of England—survived was not the only matter of importance. Other great issues lay at siake. In his studies of history the Prince had found that the wars of his ancestors' days had been fought for issues so narrow that tho final count had only affected their own immediate longing for power or preserved their already held estates. It is conceivable that when the young Prince was looking forward to joining his regiment after Oxford days he had in mind a life of satisfying self-discip-line, as exemplified by peace-time soldiering—a life in which sport, travel, and tradition played every part. There might be slight military activities, too, to uphold Britain's trading rights, or to keep tradition inviolate. But this was not a war to uphold tradition, to protect the English race of British trading interests —it was a war to protect and save the whole world from a world domination that could only bring misery and ruin in its train and indignity to the British Empire. The Prince had no illusions about the war. He knew that there was little glory to be gained by the victor or vanquished, and that for the most part it would resolve itself into day after day of unceasing vigilance, of trifling duties • —men are not always killing in wartime—or fights against cold and heat; of hunger, disease, and other privations; of dour struggles against depression, fear, and homesickness. He had no hate for the German people—it was not people we were fighting, but a system. Torn from school, from under tho very eyes of his watchful tutor, and thrown out into the maelstrom of a world conflict out of the adolescence of the schoolboy Prince was born a virile man with faculties sharpened by reserve and an intensive study of his fellow-men. In the summer of 1914 H.R.H. was a pleasant, amiable personage, whose slight figure was portrayed periodically cither with or without a few accompanying notes in the social news pages of the great London newspapers. Strange as it may seem to record in 1928, there was little in those days to indicate in the King's eldest son the possession of a striking personality, of a nature imbued with selfless, sportsmanlike attributes—a nature eager to join in'the democratic pursuits of tho people and give a new meaning to Royalty. The "Prince of the Peoplo" had not been born; the people were not ready for him, nor he for them. To-day hundreds of thousands who have never heard the Prince's deep, pleasant voice; who have never shaken hands with him or even seen him in the flesh, "know" him as intimately as any public figure in the country. In those tense, far-off days, when the rumours of war cast their dark shadows over tho whole of Europe, when the great British nation read in their -newspapers with dismay that diplomatic relations had been broken off between this country and Germany, there was tho young English Prince still at school! Very little had been heard or chronicled of his activities and character. Proud of him? Yes! all Englishmen were proud of their Prince; but they were proud because he represented all the best traditions of tho British Monarchy. But the Prince was not content to remain a tradition; he had, realised from an early age the value of tradition, but the value of lively activity he had realised of more vital importance. So that, while the majority of the people regarded him as a romantic, unreal figure on the eve of the Great War, apart from yet part of tho country, veiled by the mysticism of Edwardian Royalty, the young Prince of Wales was busy preparing himself in all earnest to take his part in the Great War of the nations in which he considered himself but a cypher. Had he wished the Prince could have been given a high rank in the army and joined Kitchener's staff in London and still maintained his self-respect and that of tho people. Tho latter did not rightly expect the heir to the Throne to jeopardise his life. BEGAN AT THE BOTTOM. Instead Prince Edward chose to begin at the bottom and take his chance along with the rest. A Prince does not necessarily make a good soldier. Tho Germans thought otherwise, however, and while Lieutenant Edward of Wales was doing his 'bit," content at being morely a unit in the British Army, the Crown Prince William of Germany was assuming a much more spectacular role in keeping with tho Continental viewpoint—that a member of the Royal family is, by virtue of his position alone, a leading light in all spheres of activity. At the very outset of the war tho Crown Prince took up a high commanding position in the German army, but the gross blunders he afterwards perpetrated, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of German soldiers, brought out in full measure the wisdom of our own War Office in their decision to put proper soldiers in command, dispensing with any attempt to glorify tho army by placing members of tho Royal family in positions for which they were not fitted by lack of experienco and training. At first the British nation was incredulous at the idea of the young Prince of Wales wanting to serve in an active capacity on the actual field of battle. They had expected that ho would serve in England as a matter of course, and regarded the wishes of H.R.H., if the truth were told, as a laudable attempt on his part to appear willing to take risks which he well knew would never be granted him. But when he persisted in his appeal to be sent to Prance and the public heard that the King and Queen put no obstacles —from a privato and personal viewpoint—in the way of the young Prince's wishes they quickly changed their minds, and, saw, for the first time, that tho boyish Princo in their midst had, indeed, become a man, and a man whose wishes were not to bo easily thwarted. Deep admiration mixed with concern for his safety grew in the hearts of all Englishmen, both at Home and abroad. Everyone discussed the grave consequences that rested upon tho Prince's going to Prance, and many pointed out that an exceedingly serious situation would arise if tho Prince of Wales was killed in action. The Prince had not undor-estimatod tho dangers of modern warfare —his

was not the ebullient ambition of an irresponsible youth over whom the war had cast a dramatic glamour. To tho warnings he received his reply to Lord Kitchener on the question of going to the front was brief and comprehensive: 'Have I not four brothers?" "If I were certain you would be shot," replied Kitchener, "I do not know if I should be right to restrain j you. What I cannot permit is tho chance —which exists until wo have a settled line —of tho enemy securing you as a prisoner! You have a lot to learn about soldiering yet. When you havo learnt a bit more, perhaps then you may go to France." Chastened by the words —which ho realised in his heart were truo enough —the Prince accepted the great soldior's ultimatum with a good grace, and without showing any bitterness at his great disappointment, set about to improve himself in Kitchener's estimation. His eagerness to fight proved, beyond doubt, his love towards tho country over which he will some day be called upon to rule. But it brought to light another fact—a more significant fact. It showed that, unlike many Princes before him, he did not live for the day when he would succeed his father and ocupy the throne. "I have four brothers!" the young Princo had said. There is no ignoring the implication tho words convey. "It will bo a proud day for me when I leave Oxford to take up service in a regiment," Edward said to his mother on ono occasion, for since the Navy having been denied him he had, without losing time in vain regrets, substituted the lost ambition with another. When he had, uttered the words, however, he could have had no idea how soon his proud day was to arrive, when he would call upon himself to press into service every energy he possessed to protect his country and that of Britain's Allies irom the menace with which they were suddenly confronted. JOINS GRENADIER GUARDS. _ On 10th August tho Prince of Wales left the comforts of Buckingham Palace and proceeded to Warlcy Barracks, to join the first battalion of the Grenadier Guards, to which regiment he had two days previously been gazetted as a second lieutenant. Iv his well-fitting uniform the Prince looked very slight and youthful. His days at Oxford had broadened his outlook on life tremendously. Up to the timo of his leaving the 'Varsity there had been more than^ a hint of shyness about Prince Edward's dealings with his fellow men, not quite so marked since he was older and could disguise it, but present nevertheless at tho outbreak of the war. In his new job tho Prince realised that shyness and embarrassment could serve no purpose. There was discipline to bo maintained, and he know how quickly the men took advantage of a lax officer. His energy and his personal interest in the men of his platoon was soon rewarded, however, and ho made rapid strides in his new career as a soldier. Although not excessively robust at this time, the Prince proved himself extraordinarily active and wiry, and his powers of endurance surprised his fellow officers. In mid-September, when the Grenadier Guards were to leave for Prance, the Prince thought that his chance had at last come, and that his great ambition was now to bo fulfilled. For days lie awaited with excitement tho appearance of his name "in orders" to prepare to leave for the front. But a second time H.R.H. was doomed to be bitterly disappointed. Summoning him to his office one morning, tho Colonel informed him regretfully that he was not to take his platoon to Prance. In :-eply to the Prince's disappointed question, he was once again informed that lie was, as yet, not considered "quite prepared" for active service in Prance. This continual disappointment might well have upset tho ambitious poise of the Prince. If he was, indeed, not proficient enough to go to the front, then the fault lay with himself, so H.R.H. figured to himself; therefore once again lie applied himself to his duties with added vigour. On one occasion as the Prince, together with part of the Ist Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, passed through London he was recognised as one of the officers. Immediately vociferous cheers were raised, but for once the young soldier %vas unable to acknowledge the expression of loyalty. Now he was an officer in His Majesty's forces. He had discarded the mantle of Princo for the more sombro khaki which he was to wear until the end of the war. There were occasions when the young Prince came to tho conclusion that it was, indeed, his title that kept him in England. Was he ever to cross the Channel or was he, by one excuse or another, to be kept prisoner at home? The answer to these jierplcxing questions was not long delayed, for in November, 1914, the Prince received the welcome and long-awaited news that ho was fit for France! But once again disappointment dogged him, however, for en route for France the news reached him that ho had been appointed aide-de-camp to Sir John French at general headquarters, and that he was not destined to join his regiment in the firing lino as he had hoped. However, he was to have tho great consolation that he would be overseas with the force and on active service. If ever the Prince of Wales felt the restrictions of his position to the full it was during those early days of tho European War, when he grew tired of asking the authorities to forget his title and allow him the privileges and responsibilities of every other Englishman. POSITION OF AUTHORITIES. The authorities, however, wero on the horns of a dilemma. Whatever the private wishes of tho Prince no unnecessary risk could be taken with the life of the Heir Apparent to the Throne of Great Britain. Certainly, as the Prince himself had pointed out, there were four brothers to follow him, but it had to be taken into account that should any harm befall the young Prince tho first to ask why his lifo had not been more strictly safeguarded would be the people themselves. Truly tho authorities were in an unenviable position! Then, too, there was the added risk that the Princo might be taken a prisoner of war in France. The result on the morale of tho British troops if the Prince of Wales had been in tho enemy's hands would have been disastrous. But the Ministers of the Crown might well have saved themselves such trouble in mapping out the Prince's activities in France. It is difficult at any time to keep a determined young man in check, and tho Prince, now he was actually in Prance, was quite prepared to wait his opportunity for adventure. Ho realised from the very outset that his movements were keenly watched. He was given work, important, work, too, but it kept him well behind the firing line, and ho was not hoodwinked by the motive.