ROMANCE OF AN IDEAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21076, 9 January 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

ROMANCE OF AN IDEAL.

MOTHER'S TRIBUTE IN WILL. MEMORY OF DEAD BOY. How a V.C. as a boy was cherished by a widow as the living ideal of her dead child has been revealed in a pathetic way through the medium of the will of Mrs. Louisa Frances Kate Thiele, of St. Leonards-on-Sca, Sussex, who died on September 29 last, aged 68. Mrs. Thiele, who was a widow, left property valued at £9434, and her will stated: "I leave the residue to Colonel John Standish Surtees Prendergast Yereker, 6th Viscount Gort, V.C., M.V.0., D.5.0., M.C., or his children, as token of my love and gratitude to him. . . . And I wish to express to him that the great happiness of my lifo has been in watching his fine character develop itself, his successful career, and the use .he has made of his talents, wealth, and position in the unselfish service of his country." Viscount Gort as a boy was cherished by Mrs. Thiele as the living ideal of her child, who died nearly 50 years ago. Viscount Gort is 45, and Mrs. Thiele had known him since he was four years old. In the early days of her widowhood — her husband was Captain Norman Thiele, of the R.A.M.C.—when she was the friend and companion of Lord Gort's mother, Mrs. Thiele's great,interest was the little boy in whom she saw so much character and determination. Lord Gort always made a point of seeing Mrs. Thiele in her later years, and from time to time they had luncheon together. No one was more proud than she of the wonderful bravery of his war record, which culminated in his winning the V.C., after gaining the D.S.O. with two bars, the M.C., and nine mentions in dispatches. " Mrs. Thiele always took a most affectionate interest in my career," stated Lord Gort, " and this is her way of telling me. I am sure she never dreamt that her tribute would ever be made public through the publication of her will. I am glad I gave her some happiness in her lifetime," In her will Mrs. Thiele asked that she should be buried in the grave of her child, " with a parcel containing his worn shoos and gloves placed as near my heart as possible."