The Greatest of the Georges

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1936, Page 6

The Greatest of the Georges

A King whose Memory will Live

*&*ySte ’ f}N May 6, last year, his late Majesty, King George V, celebrated the 25th anniversary of his reign—a reign overcharged with historic events, both terrible and tremendous in their test of regal character. Through it all Their Majesties led the people in quiet courage and wisdom, unwearied in the discharge of their high duties, and being with their y subjects in sorrow as well as joy. -It has been a reign which has cemented the bonds of affection between throne and people. Well has it been said that King George would live in history as the greatest of the Georges. Heir Apparent. The second son of King Edward “VII, his late Majesty was born at Marlborough House, London, on June 3, 1865, but, by the death of his elder brother, the Duke of Clarence, on •January 14, 1892, he became Heir Apparent to the Throne. .. The sea called his late Majesty and he began his career in the Royal Navy as a cadet on the training ship Britannia at the age of 12. After passing ' through the ordinary course, he and his brother, in the summer of 1879, joined the Bacchante, a cruiser-cor-vette of 450 officers and men. With a cruise to the West Indies Prince George commenced a long pei'iod of voyaging, and visited South America, South Africa, Australia, the Fiji Islands, Japan, Ceylon, Egypt, Palestine and Greece. So long as he was able, Prince George remained a sailor, and after several years of training in various types, of battleships of the Mediterranean Squadron, he received, at the age of 25, his first independent command. In 1891 he was promoted commander, but the death of the Duke of Clarence early In the next year, changed the course of his life. Overseas Visits, In 1892 he was created Duke qf ■ York, and the following year married ' ' Princess Victoria Mary, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Teck. In the following years, the Duke and Duchess

of York paid visits to various parts of the Empire, and in 1901, opened the first Commonwealth Parliament of Australia, and visited New Zealand. King Edward marked the homecoming of the Duke of Cornwall and York from the Ophir tour by creating him Prince of Wales. Then, in May, 1910, King Edward contracted a severe chill, which he neglected, and became seriously ill. Nothing could be done, and, within a few days the King was dead. On June 22, 1911, came Coronation Day preluded by social events of all kinds. At the ceremony, by a departure from the precedent of the last Coronation, Queen Mary was also crowned. Later in the same year, at Delhi Durbar King George was proclaimed Emperor of India, during what constituted the first visit of a,, British monarch to his oversea dominions. War Clouds. Serious and ominous were the political events in Europe in the succeeding years. The King’s concern for peace was serious, and his avowal that the Entente aimed at preserving an equable understanding was undoubtedly sincere. A period of complimentary visits followed, but 1914 events cut them short, and the world was plunged into war. Quick to realise the seriousness of war, King George took care to keep fully posted of events at the front and the opinions of the Secretary of War. At various stages the King appealed to his people for sacrifices, and October, 1915, saw the Introduction of the Derby scheme for voluntary reinforcement of the depleted ranks of the Army. In May 1916, compulsory service was introduced. King George’s name was rarely separable from the crowded incidents of the war years. He was always prompt in honouring the achievements of troops, and their sufferings in the trenches always had his sympathy. Concern For All Forces. It was only natural that the fleet should be a serious concern at Buckingham Palace, for in that sphere the King was able to speak with authority. He paid many visits to the Grand Fleet and was a frequent caller at the Admiralty. However, he was just as often at Aldershot and Salisbury Plains, and many drafts of Colonial troops received his personal welcome. He often, too, visited the fighting fronts in France and Belgium. The visit of October, 1915, was seriously interrupted. The King was reviewing troops when his horse was startled, and, rearing, slipped and fell, with his rider underneath. As a result King George was severely bruised and had to be invalided for weeks. A pleasanter visit was in July, 1917, —the King’s fourth —when he was accompanied by the Queen. It was the first time for 600 years, that a King and Queen had been together at the seat of war. German Titles Abolished. It was at that time that the German titles and dignities in the Royal Family were abolished. In future the house was to be known as the House of Windsor. A happpy domestic event during the war was the celebration of their Majesties’ silver wedding in May, 1918, a special service being held in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The sum of £53,000 had been subscribed by the city of London, and this the King and Queen devoted to charity, together with a silver tankard which had once belonged to Charles 11. The Armistice in November, 1918, was the cause of a spontaneous outburst of public feeling, and crowds surged before Buckingham Palace gate to cheer time and time again their Majesties as they appeared on the balcony. The Allies had, triumphed. It was a proud day for the Empire, a prouder day for its King.

The After-war Years,

But worries weren’t over, for the struggle in Europe was succeeded by the trouble in Ireland. Before the war the King had, on July 20, 1914, in an attempt to break the deadlock on the Irish Home Rule question, summoned two leaders from each of the parties directly interested to a conference at Buckingham Palace but had been unable to effect an agreement. Now, in June, 1921, the King and Queen visited Belfast, where His Majesty inaugurated the new Parliament of Northern Ireland, and made his famous appeal for Irishmen to forbear, to forgive and to forget. In the following December an agreement was reached with the Irish Free State. An Intimate Glimpse. Early in 1922 the public saw the King in a more intimate way—at the wedding of his only daughter, Princess Mary, to Viscount - Lascelles, son of the King’s intimate friend, the Earl of Harewood. Thrice since had the King known the" joy of a father at the wedding of his sons, the Duke of York, in 1923 to the Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, in 1934 of the Duke of Kent to Princess Marina, and last year of the Duke of Gloucester to Lady Alice Scott. The outstanding event of 1924 was the opening of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, but in the spring of 1925 the King’s medical advisers suggested some form of relaxation and a health cruise to the Mediterranean followed. At Christmas of that same year, the King’s mother. Queen Alexandra, passed away. Gloom Of Illness, Two years of comparative quiet were followed by the gloom of the King’s illness of 1928-29 —years which proved, if proof was needed, of the depth of the nation’s affection for him. In February, 1929, thanks to the untiring efforts of a band of physicians, headed by the specialist, who afterwards became Lord Dawson of Penn, the King reached the convalescent stage. But recovery was of necessity slow, and he did not resume the opening of Parliament until October, 1930. The Silver Jubilee celebrations last year again served to show the depth of feeling of Britain and the Empire for their King. It was a time of rerejoicing and people from all parts of the Empire, as well as from other countries, joined in those memorable scenes, when a nation celebrated with its King.