GENERAL WILSON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4815, 12 March 1918, Page 6

GENERAL WILSON.

A DISTINGUISHED CAREER. EULOGY BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE General Sir Henry Wilson, K.C.8., the British representative at the International Council at Versailles, has had a distinguished career. When the world-war began, he occupied the position of Director of Military operations at Army Headquarters in England, a command which he had held since 1910. The organising cf the first Expeditionary Force therefore devolved upon him, and the rapidity with which it was despatched lias been generally recognised as a tine military achievement. General Wilson was horn in May, 1864; he is therefore 53 years old. He was a graduate from the Staff College, entered the army in 1884, ind served through the Burma campaign of 188589 (wounded). He also took a distinguished part in the South African war, where he was four times mentioned in despatches, and received a medal with five clasps. He has held high positions in the Intelligence Department, and was Commandant at the Staff College from 1907 till 1910, being succeeded there. by General Sir William Robertson. Speaking in the House of Commons on December 20, with regard to Sir Henry Wilson’s appointment as British military representative of the Versailles Council, Mr Lloyd-George stated : “ The British Government has chosen as its military representative one of the most brilliant minds in the British Army, Sir Hy. Wilson, and not merely one of the most brilliant minds in the British Army, hut in any European army.—(Hear, hear.) A profound student of strategy, he has made a great reputation at the ' ead of the Staff College, and has a unique experience in this war, not merely, on the British, but on the French and Russian fronts. He has the great gift of being able to get on with people of other nations, which is very valuable when you are in alliance. It was he who organised the first British Expeditionary Force and there is no. doubt that that organisation was a very conspicuous success.-—(Hear, hear’.) Above all, he possesses the gift of imagination —a gift which is rare even among soldiers.—(Laughter.) Therefore, I think the House will agree that the Government, in the appointment whicla it lias made, has the services of a man of very great gifts, and very great experience.—(Hear, hear.) I am very glad to he able to say that, not merely on all the doubts that have been expressed on the possibilities of friction between the various distinguished men on this Council, who are concerned with these problems, befell dispelled but the fact of . this institution having been set up has in itself enabled the machinery for Allied action to. work much more smoothly than it has worked before.”—^Cheers.)