OLDEST VETERAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

OLDEST VETERAN.

CONJURING AS A HOBBY. The claim that Sergeant William Brereton, a Chelsea pensioner of 92, is tho oldest British soldier has been quickly disputed. Troop Sergeant-Major John Stratford, a Wolverhampton man, is nine years his senior. Altogether Stratford spent forty years in the country's service. He is the only known survivor of the Battle of Ramriuggar fought in 1848. Ho also fought at (Joogerat and Chillianvvallah, and in 187.0 served in tho Persian Campaign. When he retired after twenty-three years' service in the Regular Army, he became instructor to the Staffordshire Yeomanry. His last service was with the National Reserve from 1911 lo 191/1. When Stratford reached the 100 th anniversary of his birthday last July, he received messages from tho King and from his old regiment, the 14/20 th King's Hussars. Although confined to his bed, the sergeant-major still enjoys good health. He smokes, plays whist, and amuse 3 himself and his friends with conjuring tricks. Painting was his chief hobby, and on his 100 th birthday he sent to his special friends and his old regiment greeting-cards painted bv himself. Sergeant Rrereton recently dined with his old regiment, the Connaught Rangers, at the Imperial Hotel, Bloomsbury. " I am always happy to he among my own regiment," he said, " some of the men I remember as boys." The veteran was escorted into the dining room, where he was given a seat of honour. His great age and the strain which the excitement of bis visit naturally imposed upon him compelled Jiim .to leave the dinner early.