THE KING’S WAR RECORD

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 31 August 1929, Page 11

THE KING’S WAR RECORD

rjMIE rot urn of the King to London Ims boon made the occasion for the exhibition of a series of photographs illustrating his Majesty’s work during the War, both at home and oversea, says the “'London Times Weekly.” Two diaries, printed for private circulation, have been deposited in the Imperial War Museum, and a bound copy of the record will be exhibited, with the photographs, in the entrance hall of the museum.

different. As King he had the ceaseless cares of State upon his shoulders—cares which in peace time are sufficiently 'onerous, nut which in war time assumed almost, unbearable proportions —and in addition to these were the same sorrows and anxieties which beset all his subjects in those days of trial. As the year's rolled by, with all his visits, inspections, and ceremonies, the King hoard of tho death of relatives, of dear personal friends, of great public men and pmmen to whom be and the nation looked for help and guidance in the dark days before victory was in sight, and above all that terrible toll of casualties among the men who had come forward in response to the call of their King and country.

During the last 10 years much has been written in diaries, reminiscences, and other records of the War activities of soldiers, sailors airmen, and .civilians. all in their own sphere deserving well of the nation and Empire, but each of necessity confined to certain definite functions in which responsibility was limited and action circumscribed by the particular work on whcli the individual was engaged. When ! London poured forth its thousands to Buckingham Palace on that memorable August 5, and again on Armistice Day, probably fcpv realised in 1914 what was before the King, or in 1918 what the 1 War had required of him. Over and ■ over again the people read paragraphs in the -Court Circular and elswhere of Royal visits to the Front, to hospitals and munition works, often illustrated bv photographs which, though sometimes repulblished in album form, for the most part were relegated to newspaper files, -only to bo consulted ibv -historians and writers on the several aspects of tho War. It has been the privilege of few to go through tho two volumes printed for private circulation, each of 60 or more pages, in which are briefly set down in diary form the almost daily work of the King in the service ‘of -his people. Other individuals had their terrible war-strain—the loss of friends and relations, the daily and nightly nerve-racking air raids—but most had some definite war work to perform which distracted the mind and gave but little time in which to brood upon privat e griefs. With the King it was •

The air-raider was no respecter of persons and buildings, and tin* danger to Buckingham Palace was no less than the danger to other parts of London. Rationing and the countless little worries which were often harder to bear than dangers were the same for the Royal Family as for the rest of the nation. Tho days are long past when a King of England would lead his Army into battle, with his standard as a rallying point and his name as a .war cry; but in the Great War the King was no less a leader of his people; he gave them a daily example of quiet and , ever cheerful encouragement-, even in the darkest days, with keen interest in all the ramified occupations which the great world struggle brought into being, not merely by approval and appreciation but by personal contact, with the individual, with no respect to rank or position.

Space will not permit of a detailed account of the King’s War work, for it would be invidious to mention some individuals and military units and to ■omit others. This is the bald and unadorned record between the years 1914 and 1920, but owing to difficulties in extracting details, where hwo or more functions were combined on one occasion, the figures given arc considerably under the actual total. Of Navy, Army, and Air Force inspections both in this country and 'in France and

AT HOME AND OVERSEA

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM EXHIBITION

Belgium there were 451. The Grand Fleet was inspected four times and the Expeditionary Force was visited on seven occasions. On October 28, 1915, the King was thrown when, his horse fell at Hesdingucl, and his visit was cut short; but eyen when being moved q» a stretcher at Aire; he insisted on greeting .Sir John French and Sir Douglas Haig, and with his own hands decorated two winners of the Victoria Cross. On Sunday, July 8, 1917,1 the King was confined to bod with a chill at Barrineourt, but on 'Tuesday he entertained the French President and 20 other guests at a luncheon at Abbeville, and addressed a native labour; contingent.

The King, often accompanied by the Queen, attended 37 official religious services and 4-9 concerts, theatrical, and other entertainments organised to help War charities, and visited '2OO munition works. Miscellaneous visits to schools, clubs for sailors, soldiers, and War workers numbered 107; 320 visits 1 were paid .to hospitals and 56 ceremonial receptions, banquets, &c., were ; attended. Investitures to the number rf 72S were held in England and France, and on these occasions the King bestowed with his own hands 50.660 decorations. His Majesty met and spoke with countless generals, admirals, Ministers of State of all the Allies, managers of works,- superintendents of hospitals on 1,500 occasions, often addressing the people at large ovhom he had come to inspect. On each of his 320 visits to hospitals he made a point of saving a few words of comfort and sympathy to the large majority of patients. Tn the investi-1 tures alone he shook hands with over 50.000 individuals, which gives an average o'f well nigh 50 handshakes a day for the War period, in addition to all the other functions which he attended. His journeys for naval and military ' inspections covered over 25,000 miles, so; that it may fairly be estimated that in all the King’s visits, whether to munition works, hospitals, service units, or other organisations.: must have totalled about 50,000 miles.