LADY WHITE

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 25

LADY WHITE

WIDOW OF DEFENDER 6F LADYSMITH Lady White, widow of Field-marshal Sir George White, V. 0., the defender of Ladysmith, died last month at her home, Wilderness House, Hampton Court. Eighty years of age, she had been ill, for a few davs only.. By a coincidence the date of her death was the anniversary of the relief of Ladysmith by Sir Redyers Buller after its 119 days’ seige thirty-five years ago. The news of Lady White’s death was brought to General Sir Hubert Gough sis he was laying a wreath, on behalf of the town of Ladysmith, on Sir George’s iitatue in Portland place, W. General Gough, when a captain commanding mounted infantry, had been the first of the relieving force to enter the town. “ Lady. White’s death on this anniversary,” he said, “is almost a happy coincidence. She had the same constancy and courage as'had her husband —qualities which made Ladysmith hold out to the bitter end.” It was only after three unsuccessful attempts that General Buller relieved Ladysmith on February 28, 1900. The townsfolk had suffered severely from shortage of food, and Sir George had lost many men in repelling the powerful attacks of the Boers. After the relief he said: “ Thank God we kept the flag flying! ” Lady White was the daughter of the Ven. Joseph Baly, Archdeacon of Calcutta. She married Sir George, then Major White, of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, in 1874. Four years later ho gained the V.C. for conspicuous bravery at the battle of Charasiah and at Kandahar. From then onwards their married life was frequently broken by Sir George being on active service, until in 1900 he went to Gibraltar as Governor. From 1904 to the time of his death in 1912 Fiold-xnarshcl White was Governor of Chelsea Hospital. . Sir George and Lady White had one son, Captain James Robert White. D. 5.0., and four daughters. The following tribute, was paid by General Sir lan Hamilton: “In the summer of 1874-Miss Baly was the star of the‘Simla season. Then she married Major White, and her star was in the ascendant for many years. “ Now, alas, it has set. And I think she would have wished it to have set on the very day when a group of old friends and old war comrades had gathered together to lay wreaths at the foot of the statue of her husband, whom she had helped to make famous through her constant, loving support.”