JELLICOE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 38

JELLICOE.

A GREAT ADMIRAL Sir John Jellicoe, whose retirement from the position of First Sea Lord of the Admiralty and his elevation to the peerage is announced, was born with a hereditary love of the sea. His father was a captain who survived long enough to see his son appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet. Captain Jellicoe, who served tho Royal Main Steamship Company for many years, passed away in 1914, and in 1916 tho aged mother of the admiral died. His parents might well be proud of the brilliant career of their son, who had risen, at the age of 55, to the highest post of responsibility in the British Navy.

John Bushworth Jellicoe was born on December 5, 1859. Lady Jellicoe said recently that at least eight towns in the United Kingdom had claimed to be his birthplace, but Southampton was entitled to tho honour. He went to school at Rottingdean, where, in later years ; Rudyard Kipling''lived, and a school friend remembers him as "an attractive, sweet-tempeced. unselfish lad; we all loved him. We knew that ho was destined for the navy, and we made a little rhyme about him of. which I can recall only some words of the refrain; 'l'm John Jellicoe, Commander of the Navy.' " He entered the navy when he was 13 years old, and mastered his profession so thoroughly that he won the special prize of £BO at the Royal Naval College, and passed for lieutenant with three first-class certificates. Lieutenant Jellicoe's first active service •was in the Egyptian war of 1882, when he won distinction. Soon afterwards he was awarded a silver medal for saving life at sea. He was ill on board the Victoria, under Sir George Tryon, when the fatal collision with the Camperdown occurred in 1893 which sent a thrill of sorrow through tho.kingdom. Luckily, Commander Jellicoe Was picked up clinging to a raft,_ and soon recovered from his terrible experience. He went to China in 1898, and when the Boxer riots threatened the lives of Europeans in the Legations at Peking he commanded the naval brigade which rendered splendid service to Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Seymour. It was during this action that Jellicoe, who was Chief of the Staff, was fired on at Peitsang. He received the honour of Companion of the Bath for his services, and the Kaiser conferred on him the Order of the Red Eagle. ~ Two years of quieter work followed," as Director of Naval Ordnance. In 1907 he served in tho Atlantic Fleet as Rear-ad-miral, and was knighted. His remarkable powers as a naval strategist were specially shown during manoeuvres at sea in 1913, when he commanded the Red Fleet. Two years as a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty were succeeded by the command of the Atlantic Fleet in 1910-11. Next year he commanded the Second Squadron of the Home Fleet. The Admiralty claimed him as Second Sea Lord, during which period he had an opportunity of becoming thoroughly acquainted with the full resources of the British navy. He had much to do with the latest developments, which were soon exposed to the fiery test of war on a gigantic scale. At the outbreak of war Sir John Jellicoe received the command of the Grand Fleet, that "sure shield" of Great Britain. He had, within a few weeks of war, been among those who were entertained at Kiel, when the Kaiser flew his flag as a. British admiral on board a British Dreadnought I By the way, Sir John Jellicoe was one of the first eminent admirals to "aviate," for it is said that he had a. flight in an airship during a visit to Germany. The events in which he played so important a part during the first two years of the war aro familiar to most people. In its long vigil, which was of such vital importance to the cause of the Allies, the spirit of the Grand Fleet was inspired by the cheerful courage of its commander-in-chief. When at last the British fleet had its chance of meeting the enemy it gave such a good account of irself that Sir John Jellicoe could feel proud of the officers and men who fought so gallantly. After the North Sea battle in 1916 he was Dromoted Knight Grand Cross of tho Royal Victorian Order; and not long afterwards he received the Order of Merit, one of the highest distinctions the Crown can confer on a subject. Despite German boasts, the battle of Jutland was such a victory that, as Mr Asquith said, "A couple more of such victories and there would be nothing or almost nothing left of the German fleet." After the strain of oveß two years with the Grand Fleet, Sir John Jellicoe exchanged the command of the Grand Fleet for the pre-eminent office of First Sea Lord. He expressed the deepest' sorrow when he bade farewell to the fleet, and the sorrow was reciprocated by every British sailor.

In his first public speech after his appointment, he reminded the nation of the unprecedented task which is assigned to the British seamen of to-day, and of the unprecedented difficulties with which they have to reckon. Our Navy •of nearly 4000 vessels of all kinds is engaged in war activities in the White Sea. the North and South Atlantic, the Pacific, off the West Coas't of Africa, the Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea. " Without the mercantile marine,' said Sir John, " the Navy—and, indeed, the nation—could not exist." Asked recently for a message to a school, Sir John Jellicoe said: " Tell them to livo up to the highest 'traditions of their school, as wo arc living up to the highest traditions of the British Navy." That sentence reveals «the character of the man who has served the Empire so worthily in its hour of danger.