“COUNTED OUT” AND THEN “ IN.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19800, 27 May 1926, Page 10

“COUNTED OUT” AND THEN “ IN.”

PRINCE OF WALES AND THE AUSTRALIANS. Last year the Manchester Guardian gava an account from a correspondent of the "counting-out” of the Prince of "ftales by the Australian soldiers In Egypt. The first mention of the matter appeared, it Is understood, in Mr D. H. Lawrence’s novel Kangaroo.” The Guardian’s notes were rapublished in the Australian papers, and the Daily Herald (Queensland), in reference to them, prints a report of the Incident from an eye-witness, who says that It occurred near Tel-el Kebir in 1916. His account follows the story already published about the Australians not understanding the distinctions in the British army as regards military rank. They misunderstood why the Prince (a junior officer) did not take their salute instead of the general (General M‘Kay), and thought it a slight upon themselves. This story, however, says that the soldiers counted him out not once but several times. The Prince was obviously hurt, the report continues, and when an Australian officer explained the situation to him he rode up when the parade was finished, passed the troops, saluted every regiment, and made St his business to ride past every one. The Australians by this time had tumbled to the tacts of the case, and did their best to make amends by counting him again, and each group as he passed did this.