MAJOR WILLIAM REDMOND.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VII, Issue 202, 20 June 1917, Page 3

MAJOR WILLIAM REDMOND.

‘AVE WHO ABE ABOUT TO DIE”

London, June 10. Details of Major William Redmond’s death are not available. It is believed that the following passage from one correspondent on the British front, and published before his death was known, refers to Gap--1 tain Redmond :—"‘l have spent most of the morning with the South Irish, who took Wytschaete Wood and village. They fought side by side with the men of Ulster.' An officer, whose loss they most deeply regretted, was taken from the battle in an Ulster ambulance. The man who told me clearly felt it as a sort of symbol of sacrifice that would s6on make all thing right in Ireland.”

The newspapers describe Captain Redmond as the soul of honour and courage. He was serving at an age absolving him from military- duty, and/he quitted Parliament in order to set an example in the field. He proved himself as true to the Empire as to the land he loved so well. Irishmen recall that his last appear-

ance in the House of Commons was' in khaki, in the historic debate on March 7, when he pleaded for reconciliation, and said : In the name of God, we, who are about to die, appeal to you to seize this opportunity to ensure a new and brighter era for Ireland. In the last letter lie sent to his wife he said : “Don’t fret—just pray. If I don’t come back, you will know that I have done my best for Ireland and for everyone.” Captain William Redmond was 56 years old, and had been at the front since early in the war. He was well known as the Nationalist ihember j for East Clare, which he had represented since 1892. He first entered Parliament in 1883. He had many interests in Australia, which he visited on a number of occasions, and he married in 1886 an Australian lady, Miss Eleanor Dalton, of Orange, New South Wales. He wrote two books, “A Shooting Trip in the Australian Bush” and “Through the New Commonwealth.” Since the war broke out Captain Redmond has been responsible for some remarkable speeches and letters, in which he made stirring appeals to the Irish parties to forever lose their differences in a patriotic and purifying fight for liberty’ and j ustice.