OLDEST VETERAN

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 July 1930, Page 7

OLDEST VETERAN

CONJURING AS A HOBBY. The claim that Sergeant William Brercton, a: Chelsea pensioner of 92. is the oldest British soldier lias been quickly disputed. Troop SergeantMajor John Stratford, a Wolverhampton man, is nine years liis senior. Altogether Stratford spent forty years m the country’s service. He is the only known survivor of the Battle of Rlamnuggar fought- in 1848. lie also fought* afc Googerat and Chilliamvallah, and in 1870 served in the Persian Campaign. When lie retired! after twentythree years’ service in the Regular Army, ho became instructor to the Staffordshire Yeomanry. His last service was with the National Reserve from 1911 to* 1914. When Stratford reached the 100th anniversary of his birthday last July, lie received! messages from the King and from his old regiment, the 14/20th King’s Hussars. Although confined to, his bed. the sergeant-major still enjoys* good health. He smokes, plays whist, | and amuses himself and liis friends with conjuring tricks. Painting was his chief hobby, and on bis 100th birthday he sent to his special friends and his old regiment greeting-cards painted by hixnself.

Sergeant Brereton recently dined with his old regiment, the _ Connaught Rangers, at the Imperial Hotel, Bloomsbury. “I am always happy to be among my own regiment,” he: said, “some of the men I remember as boys. ’ ’ Tlie' veteran was escorted into the dining room, where be was given a seat of honour. His great age and the strain which the excitement of his visit naturally imposed upon him compelled him to leave the dinner oarlv.