THE LATE EARL HAIG

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 6 February 1928, Page 6

THE LATE EARL HAIG

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT

REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING

*' . The resppufc and gratitude of the whole BrifTsft jjpjpire for the late Field-Marshal '" ...JEaTj. Haig, and the noble work he has v ; ; accomplished, \vas reflected yesterday '- horning in this far distant corner of •" tjije globe by the only means within "a city's reach —a memorial service; ah Assemblage of Nelson citizens to pay a- last trib.ute to tfie illustrious dead. Nelsons memorial service was brief, but relevant. Conducted by ministers •,'<.- ... <if the yafions local churches to an attentive gathering, the ceremony was apprppvia.te, and fittingly represented the '•'_ act Qp a'' grateful people endeavouring to l",r. iiiovf in s.Onje measure their sorrow at tjig_passing of sijch a devoted spirit. """.'. The service was presided over by the '.''.' "Rey. P. N. Knight, who opened the proceedings before a gathering ihclud- ,.* . ing the Regimental Band, Territorials and Cadets on parade under Major W. C. Harley, and members of the Returned "- Soldiers' Association. There was a failattendance of the public. •' f 'Afte'r 'the ' singipg of Hymn 812 ("0 '* ■' God 'Our Help in Ages "Past") prayer was «••- offered by the Rev. D. McCosh, M.A. t. . • Archdeacon D,art followed with a selection"of Scriptbre'(lst" Joshua). "'"~~ Mr Harry Atmore, M.P., on behalf of the people.of the district, desired to pay'.tTiDuie'.."tp : ''the.' memory of the distinguished, soldier whose passing was deplored bv the whole 'civilised world. y.ZL. Tributes of respect to the fine char- • --icier and great ability of Lord Haig had ' poured into England from every portion • of the,' globe—even from Berlin, and: it was<fTttihg ''that we 'in this remote portion; of the earth should join in the approbation. Contemporary 1 , hiSiorifes were seldom just the leader < of uieft'own generation and he predicted that" the future historian, with a. better

' perspective than we had to-day, would mort lus'tly and accurately portray the niag'hificettt qualities of this splendid soldier" whose brilliant achievements and - perso'h'ai" attributes were partially i , obscured by his transcendent modesty. We vrexe more inclined to belaud foreign i leaders than bur own; but the name of Hfiig' Should be placed with those of W'eUingtou, Nelsou and the 6ther great Rational heroes in the shrine of our ' feyerept and grateful memories.

THE ADDRESS Hymn 1Q57 ("God of Our Father") ! v?ag%lowed by ant address by the Rev. h; J. : Ralph. /•'We hsve met tp-day to pay sincere tribute td' one "of Britain's great men Earl ft»g of'Bemersyde, whose sudden death last Monday came as a great sliock. i .'Know ve" not that a prince, a great man/hasten this day?- From friends . and one-time foes have come forth gener, ! " oils eulogies; and from this iar-flung corner of the Empire we raise our!voices m $ th> famous soldier who has the 7th Hussars in 1885, Haig began his - miliary career that was to BnW to'him the highest command a _ "iordi>rVcan" secure. In various parts ot . - ; W'Epipire he served with distinction, - till in" 1916 he succeeded French in the supreme command of the British troops ' <-- in France, a position he retained till the : '' successful termination of the wan The '■ ~ importance of his service during the days'of the war, the' sanity of his &efaeratship'.' : supreme vision of victory wnich" ever'inspired >is' plans and work, 'ipUj* ; h l im"asa ; magnificent soldier and a vWg"'Sharer ih J the common victory. Dur(ho"Stress df-war,*'when courage was tested sorely tried, Haig with , strength of mincLshow- " e«j ability of' no'mean order,' evidenced a S'ision, and e.\emp)ineH a coijrnge iti" strict Keeping with the best ♦Eracfifions"of his racJeV and Empire. He ! w^'agr^at'soldier;;'' ' '."lt'is v "pfteri"said that war tepds to proinote ahd «tt'cpurage' the baser elei til*M of human"'na£urei" But how true it '$ ■' 'tfiatb'' Mobility;' and self-sae'ri fice also c^nieI'forfp 1 'forfp fptjpi the vortex of war! service, glorious £Myshry accompany the clash of arms, and'|3o*UgWPaig is a" supreme example .'.. or v Jh'fc"'¥nVe soldier-gentleman and chiv- : alrdus : ■ knightl'-' Edmund Burke, great orator-and politician, of the 18th e'entiityV said of his day, 'the age of chiv- _;■> :§lry is'gope.' 'Had.he known Britain's r-' ppn^lpande'r-ip-phieffthat -opinion would haVe peen ch'angec}; for the great soldier

jyas "ar gr'ea't knight, and is remembered by'his fellow-Britons as a' fine Christian g§nlfemah. V P.uring that period when th'ej Kggnch, commanders were concerned v/!th"the'detence'oiP'Paris, the nobility of Haig stands forth in glowing colours. Whg, ojihep than a great gentleman, would have readily urged the appointment of a geperalissimo, and whole- . iieartedly sepyed as Haig served with Marshal Foph? It was for him a great sa,<ifificg, as only :i mqn of such sterling chWaeiesr w°?iid haye made. For that ! acfalofie EarlHaig will be remembered

,7Z — W'& spldier-geptteman, worthy, of an ■•'■■••-. place among the knights of the British Enipire. ,!un the. years that remained to him gst§C the' war, Earl Haig devoted himself to the interest* and cause of the disabled ex-servicemen. Loved and trusted by the *;' ■** men during the days of war, lie won C fsom them high praise and gratitude in '"'' the' 'days of' peace. He was unsparing in his efforts on their behalf, and the ,"; lbvfc and loyalty of the earlier years re- ■-< tnained undiminished. 'A prince, a .'; man, has fallen to-day.' Gone from the ranks of the living, leaving be- >'■ hind an illustrious name and a record of life- 'and service which claims the grati- ■' :_" tude and respect of all Britishers. Gone from the ranks of his fellows, but leav- ■',' It ■ ing behind an example that is a. powerful •* 'inspiration and a significant challenge—lo he Christian gentlemen and chivalrous knights. ;; "The words of Tennyson on the death of the Puke of Wellington' may He fittingly adapted thus: "Mourn for the man of amplest influence, : Yet clearest of atnbitinus crime', Onr greatest yet with least pretence, Great in' council arid great in war, Forernpst captain of his time, Rich 'in saving common-sense, ,' And, as the 'greatest only are, < In'his simplicity sublime. Such' was" he whom we deplore, The life of high" self-sacrifice is o'er." "The" pronouncing of (lie Benediction . -and the singing of the National Anthem concluded, the service. Arclidftaco!* J. R. Part apologised for the absence of the'Bishop of Nelson, who in the course of a brief letter expressing regret for not being able to attend, referred to Earl Haig as a splendid -oi dier and a splendid Christian."