FAMOUS BRITISH SOLDIER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21328, 1 November 1932, Page 9

FAMOUS BRITISH SOLDIER

BOER WAR LEADER DEATH OF LORD METHUEN FIELD MARSHAL'S CAREER By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, Oct. 30 The death has occurred of Field-Marshal Lord Methuen, aged 87 years. The name of Lord Methuen was familiar to the public at the time of the I Boer War as one of Britain's generals, ; who had the unique distinction of falling into the enemy's hands as a prisoner in j the last months of the war, when peace was almost in sight. He came of an ancient and honourable stock. Paul Sanford Methuen, third baron, was the son of the second Lord Methuen by his marriage with Anna Horatia Caroline, only daughter of the Rev. John Sanford of Nynehead, Somerset. He was born on September 1, 1845, and educated at Eton. In 1862 ho became a cornet in the Wilts Yeomanry Cavalry, and entered the regular army two or three years later. His first regiment was the Scottish Fusilier Guards, of which he became lieutenant in December, 1867, and acted as adjutant from August, 1868, to November, 1871. He was then appointed brigade-major for the Home District, In 1873-4 he took part in the brief Ashanti campaign, where he received his baptism of fire at the battle of Amoaful, and was awarded the medal with clasp. lie acted as brigade-major for the Home District till July, 1876, and in the following year for a few months, served as military secretary at headquarters in Ireland. From January, 1878, till March, 1881, Lieutenant-Colonel Methuen was claimed by the English Embassy at Berlin as military attache. During his stay in Germany he rescued on one occasion a would-be suicide from drowning in a canal, and for this act the then Emperor decorated him with a medal before the whole diplomatic Court. Returning to England Colonel Methuen was appointed in April, 1881, assistant adjutant and quarter-master general for the Home District, holding that position till November, 1884. His home duties were interrupted by the brief Egyptian campaign against Arabi Pasha in 1882. He served on Sir Garnet Wolseley's staff as A.A.Q.M.O. and commandant of the troops at .headquarters. Colonel Methuen took part in the affrays at Tel-el-Mahuta and Kassassin, and in the battle of Tel-el-Kebir. He was mentioned in despatches, received the medal with clasp, and was made Companion of the Bath. A third-class of the Older of the Osmanieh and the Khedive star were also conferred upon him. During 1884-5 Colonel Methuen achieved for himself an excellent reputation as a leader of irregular troops in the operations of the Bechuanaland Field Force under Sir Charles Warren, when he had command of the body of troops known as " Methuen's Horse," a name which still clung to the corps after it I was officially termed the Ist Mounted Rifles. He was mentioned in despatches and rewarded with the C.M.G. Subsequently Colonel' Methuen returned to South Africa as deputy-adjutant general to the forces, acting in that rapacity from November, 1888, till June, 18S0. He was [promoted major-general in May of the latter year, and succeeded to the peerage on the death of his father, the second Baron Methuen, in September, 1891. Battle of the Modder River Major-General Lord Methuen commanded the Home Division District from April, 1892, till July, 1897. At the Queen's Diamond Jubilee a large share in the organisation of the troops stationed in the metropolis to keep order, fell upon his shoulders. Subsequently in the autumn ol 1897 lie acted as press censor in Sir William Loclchart's campaign against the Afridis and Orakzais on the Indian North-West frontier. Lord Methuen, promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in April, 1898. did not have long to wait before he was called to active sevice in the biggest war which Britain bad waged for a century. He was eager to serve against the Boers, and went out in October, 1899, as lieutenant-general on Sir Redvers Buller's staff. Arrived in South Africa, Lord 'Methuen wjis entrusted with the command of the column destined for the relief of the besieged British garrison at Kimberley. At first he met with some apparent successes. With the' Brigade of Guards and the 9th Brigade, he drove the Boers back from their positions at Belmont on November 23. Two days later a similar success was achieved at Graspan, though with heavy losses to the Naval Brigade. On November 28 he fought what he described in his despatches as " one of the hardest and most trying fights in the annals of the British Army," at the Modder River. The Boers, under General Cronje. offered a stubborn resistance in this battle. Lord Methuen lost his chief of staff, Colonel Northcott, and three other officers killed, and the total British loss in killed and wounded was nearly 500. Pressing north of the Modder, Lord Methuen led his men into a great Boer trap at Magersfontien, where on December 11 General Cronje inflicted a crushing defeat on the British. The Highland Brigade lost heavily, including the gallant General Wauchope, whose regiment, the celebrated "Black Watch," was almost annihilated. Wounded and Taken Prisoner Lord Methuen had to withdraw again across the Modder River, where he remained on (he defensive till February 9, 1900. On that date Lord Roberts, with a greatly reinforced army, took up the operations which resulted in the relief of Kimberley. on February 15. Lord Methuen remained in South Africa. By a singular piece of ill-luck he closed his South African service with a crowning disaster. On March 7, 1902. General Dolarev inflicted an overwhelming defeat, on Lord Methuen's column on the way from Vryburg to Lichtenburg. The British force consisted of 900 mounted troops, 300 infantry, four guns, one pom-pom, and a large convoy. Three officers and 38 men were killed, and five officers and 72 men wounded on the British side. Lord Methuen, who was badly wounded in the thigh, and all the guns and stores, fell into Delarey's hands. Lord Methuen was sent into Klcrksdorp, which was in the British hands, for the proper treatment of his wound, and the action of General Delarev in recording this courtesy was in part at least attributable to Lord Met linen's own personality. Subsequent to the South African war Lord Methuen held important home commands. In June, 1904, ho was appointed temporarily as general in command of the Fourth Army Corps, and a year later the appointment was renewed as general officer, first-class, conimanding-in-chief the Eastern Command. His distinctions included the K.C.V.O. (1897), K.C.B. (1900), and G.C.B. (1902). He was honorary colonel of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Wilts Regiment and of the 3rd Battalion (Duke of Edinburgh's) Wiltshire Regiment from 1892. After May, 1904, he held the colonelcy of the Scots Guards. Lord Methuen married twice. First, in 1878. Evelyn, daughter of Sir F. H. Hervey-Bathurst, Bart., and second, in 1884, Mary Ethel, daughter of Mr. William Ayshford Sanford, of Nynehead Court, Somerset. His heir is the Hon. Paul Ayshford Methuen, who was born in 1886.