LORD GORT'S DEPUTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23699, 4 July 1940, Page 10

LORD GORT'S DEPUTY

ABSENCE FROM FLANDERS GENERAL LEFT IN CHARGE [from our own correspondent] LONDON, June 7 When General Lord Gort, Com-mander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, left Flanders for London, and the greater part of the force had arrived in Britain, he left MajorGeneral Harold Alexander in charge. "Major-General Alexander," says the Evening Standard, "an Irish Guardsman and brother of Lord Caledou, commanded a battalion at the_ age of 24, a regiment at tbe<r.ge of 30, a brigade at the age of 42, and at the age of 45 became the youngest major-general in the British Army. He is now 4S. "During tho last war he went over the top 30 times. Afterward he led part of the scratch: army operating against the Bolsheviks iu_ the Baltic States and Finland, while General Weygand was fighting them in Poland. Ho returned to his regiment in Turkey and captivated the Turks bv teaching them to dance an Irish jig. "He has an independent nature. Once, in manoeuvres, ho flouted the 'brass hats' by disregarding the cease firo order and continuing to lead his men into battle. Afterward they commended his insubordination and prophesied that ho would one day be commander-in-chief. "Major-General Alexander has an iron nerve, a complete lack of se!fconseiousncss, exuberant humour and the demeanour of an intrepid soldier."