OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 21852, 1 November 1932, Page 5

OBITUARY

FIELD MARSHAL LORD METHUEN. DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, October 30. The death has occurred of Field Marshal Ijord Methuen at the age of 87 years. Paul Sanford Methuen, British field marshal and 3rd Baron Methuen, was born at Nynehead in September 1845, and educated at Eton. At 19 he received a commission in the Scots Guards and in 1877 was sent out to the Gold Coast on special service, taking part in the expedition under Wolseley against the Ashantis which ended in the destruction of Kumassi, their capital. Promoted brigade-major of the Guards, he was assistant military secretary to the commander-in-chief in Ireland in 1877 and then for four vears military attache in Berlin. Thence he went to Egypt in connection with Arabi Pasha’s rebellion being present at the battles of Kassassin and Tel-el-Kebir and being made commandant of headquarters. He next took part in Sir Charles Warren’s expedition of 1884 into Bechuanaland where he raised and commanded the mounted force known as Methuen’s Horse and received the C.M.G. for his services. Returning to England he was promoted major-general in 1890 and succeeded his father in the peerage next year. After commanding the Home District from 1892 to 1897 Methuen went to India as Press censor during the Tirah operations and was knighted (K.C. V. 0.). In the South African war he was given command of the Ist Infantry Division and assigned the task of advancing to the relief of Kimberley which was besieged by the Boers, who had prepared defensive positions on the way up to the town. Methuen’s attacks at Belmont and Enslin were successful and at the Modder River with the assistance of a diversion by the Kimberley garrison he drove the Boers back. But the strongest position, Magersfontein, still lay before him. Relying on his scouts’ observations, he decided on an attack under cover of darkness on the night of December 11, 1899. The Boers, however had made a quick change in their defences and Methuen’s forces suddenly encountered a terrible rifle fire from concealed positions which compelled him to order a retreat and abandon his effort to relieve Kimberley at that time. Later he was wounded and captured, but was generously released by General Delarey. At the end of the war he was awarded the G.C.B. and given the Eastern Home Command. Appointed Governor of Natal, he was made field marshal in 1911. During the world war Methuen was Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief at Malta and in 1920 was made Governor and Constable of the Tower of London.