GENERAL MAUDE’S STATUE

Evening Star, Issue 18541, 25 January 1924, Page 8

GENERAL MAUDE’S STATUE

UNVEILING AT BAGDAD. There was glorious weather for the ceremony of unveiling a statue of General Maude by tii-o High Commissioner of Irak, Sir’ Henry Dobbs, in tho presence of Kin" Feisal, tho principal British and Arab officials, Army officers, and civilians. A largo crowd of Ba.gdadis assembled to do honor to tho conqueror of tho Turks and the liberator of Irak. Reprceentalives of every branch of tho British air and military forces, tho Indian army, and marines surrounded, the statue. A picturesque feature was the playing of ‘ The Flowers of the Forest ’ by the pipers of tho 2nd Camoronians. Wreaths wore laid by King Feisal's representative, Sir Henry Dobbs, Air-Marshal Sir John Salmond, the Consuls of France and America, officers commanding military units, tho Chamber of Oommeroa, and representatives of tho cities of Bagdad and Basra. Sir Henry Dobbs paid’ a fl.no tribute to General Maude’s career as worthy of comparison with tho long line of conquerors of Mesopotamia—Cyrus, Alexander, Trajan, tho Islamic generals, and Hulagu. In tho few months’ rush- to victory, ha said, the world behold tho brief but brilliant flowering of a life of strenuous toil. The High Commissioner emphasised the importenco of the victories in Mesopotamia, where, after incredible labor in perfecting his organisation, Sir Stanley Maudo had avenged tho disaster at Kut and destroyed the Turkish forces* The capture of Bagdad, the first conspicuous success since tho battle of tho -Marne, revived the spirits of the -Allies throughout tho world, and caused consternation in Berlin and Constantinople. Sir Henry Dobbs recalled General Maude's proclamation after entering Baodad, and assured tho Arabs that Great Britain would not bo false to the pledges made by tho illustrious general. An investiture followed : the unveiling ceremony.