THE PRINCE OF WALES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 8

THE PRINCE OF WALES.

&FTER THE ARMISTICE. HO TIME FOR FESTIVITIES. VISITS TO ALLIED ARMIES. AFFECTION FOR " COLONIALS." BY WALTER AND LEONARD TOWNSEND. (All Ilights Reserved.) No. XXVII. Tlio Prince of Wales welcomed peaco as much as any of the war-tired soldiers he had served with in France, but with his characteristic farsightedness he did not waste time in joining in tlio peace festivities, but at once turned his attention to the problems which ho knew his countrv would bo faced with tho coming of peace. 110 realised as much as anyone else that the return of tho glory-covered troops from France would be quickly followed by tho dangerous questions of employment, pensions, and the car? of those whom war had maimed and crippled for life. One of hi 3 first cares, however, was to Show his great appreciation, as heir to the Throne, to all the hardy colonials who had rallied to their country's call. During the few months aftor tho cessation of hostilities ho dashed like'a veritable wiU-o'-tho-wisp between the various British, colonial, and Allied Headquarters both in England and France. Not only did he just want to say " Thank you for your ' services to England," but also to get to know personally the various colonial people whom he was later to visit during his tours as England's ambassador. It is well known now that the Prince has a great admiration and respect for thoso sturdy dwellers and pioneers in the dominions overseas; that admiration and respect was engendered by frequent meetings in France with the overseas troops both in the firing line and at the various base camps. With the Australians. With his peculiar aptitude for grasping details and impressions it did not take the Prince long to get to know the habits, ambitions, and outlook of tne men of all the dominions-Canada, Australia and New Zealand—who had helped the Allies to win the war. There was Work-much work-to do in England, of course, but tho Prince felt that both as an officer and heir to the Empire he ■would bo serving his country best by remaining with the demobilising army. January, 1919, found him at the Australian Headquarters. He had spent just over three weeks in their company, living exactly as their officers, nnd attended only 'by a young staff captain. There was a complete absence of ceremony in the way his Royal Highness went among them, shaking hands here and returning a salute there; but what appealed most of all to the Australians was his good company. It was impossible to be either nervous or indifferent when the Prince o. Wales shared their company.' His ability as a raconteur kept the " Aussies in continual good humour, for no had a fund of good war stories, which he told with infectious humour; also he proved an excellent listener to the many and varied and not always innocent yarns of Australia's soldiers. The atmosphere of interest which revolved round these sons of the Great, Commonwealth created in his Royal Highness a fresh longing, unsatisfied, or only partially so yet—to travel and see these men in their own countries, to taste the hardships and he joys of their manly open-air life on the veldt, " way back" and on the prairie. itis rather old-fashioned courtesy held extraordinary charjn for these men of field and camp-house; and they had nothing but praise for his easy democratic manner and extreme frankness. There was not a divisional race meeting or a battalion football match at which the Prince was not present. From time to time he presented medals to those whose valour had been conspicuous on the field of battle. It speaks much for the Prince's stern devotion to his military duty that he- refused all invitations to be present at celebrations in London on that never-to-be-forgotten Christinas of 1918 in favour of the soberer festivities of the late battlefield and among his comrades id arms of the past war years. Americans Visited. The Prince's next visit was to the American Army ot Occupation on the Rhine. Quietly and . unostentatiously he arrived at Coblenz, and was received by General Dickman, who commanded the 3rd Army. His Royal Highness was tho guest of the General during his stay. The evening of his arrival General Dickman and the officers arranged a dinner in honour of England's Prince. It was a momentous occasion—this meeting of the Old and New Country within a month or so of peace on the conquered enemy territory. Enthusiasm ran high; speeches were made and demanded ; the amateur talent of the American soldiers was pressed into service in a pleasing impromptu entertainment which, vastly delighted the Prince. The following day, tireless as usual, the Prince visited the 4th Corps under General C. H. Muir, and took luncheon with him and the Headquarters Staff, returning to Coblenz in the evening, where he "attended a ball at the Officers' Club, dancing with a number of American nurses. What a contrast to the shy, self-analytical young Prince who in Fr«:ico 3even years before had confessed that he did not care for dancing. So gratified was the Prince with the undoubted sincerity of his welcome in the American ranks that he decided to prolong his visit, and further cemented the bond of friendship between the two countries by staying with them in the hour of victory. Crossing the Rhine early in ttie morning he visited the Regimental Field Artiller; and took lunch with Major-General * Hines, commanding the Corps at Nieu Wied, and then journeyed to Cologne. During tho actual activities, the Prince had not seen a great deal of the American troops, though he had heard of their splendid work. This visit in the aftermath was as significant and pleasing to the Prince as it was to America. Ceremony in Germany. And so the Prince passed from one strenuous post-war duty to another. Within two days of his departure from the American Army of Occupation he was presenting colours to three battalions of Guards regiments which had been raised during the war. Ho_ expressed the significance of the ceremony by alluding to " this hour of victory in a foreign land." Indeed, tho scene was momentous. The Prince stood with Goneral Pluiner and General Mathieson in tho spacious square of a fine German barracks, whore thre° months ago German soldiery were being drilled with machine-like efficiency for the " Great End." In his speech, the Prince, whose knowledge of historical detail has always been excelrecalled var ious battles in which ie Guards had distinguished themselves., ana called upon them to uphold tho tuition Then in tho wooded Stadt Park outside Cologne, the Prince made presentations to tho 4th Battalion Grenadiers and Coldstream Guards re minding them thai the First or Grenadier ass." ' Eager to bo introduced to all the fighting forces the Prince now paid tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force a gracing compliment by rushing to g reefc then, prior to their return to the southern home-land Bumping along m his staff car, the Prince ' tore up. to their headquarters one evening' and no one suspected nntil he was in their midst that the son of their Imperial E had paid them a visit. 6