ROMANCE OF AN IDEAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21545, 18 January 1932, Page 9

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-Sea, Sussex, who died on September 2D 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 Vereker, sixth 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 life 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 despatches. “Mrs Thiele always took a most afiectionate 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 shoes and gloves placed as near my heart as possible.”