OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 22076, 25 July 1933, Page 7

OBITUARY

ADMIRAL VON SCHRODER. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) \ Berlin, July 23. The death has occurred of Admiral Johannes von Schroder, director of the war-time air bombings of Dover and London. Admiral von Schroder was born in Berlin in May, 1858, and entered the German Navy as a cadet. Rising through the various grades of the service, he became inspector of naval gunnery and head of the Baltic naval station. He had much to do with the expansion of the fleet. When he left the service in 1912, he was promoted admiral and his name was retained in the navy list. Soon after the outbreak of the war he was again employed. He organized the Marine Corps which for almost four years formed the German right wing in Flanders, and he was known all over the German army as the “Lion of Flanders.” When the naval mutiny broke out at Kiel and Wilhelmshaven in November, 1918, the admiral was given the task of restoring order there, but the instruction was countermanded. After the war von Schroder joined the National League of German Officers and became a member of its executive. When the authorities in May, 1926, unearthed the monarchist plot to attack Berlin, overthrow the Republican regime, set up a Fascist dictatorship, banish the Republican leaders and confiscate the property of all Jews, the house of the admiral was among those visited by the police in quest of evidence, much to the indignation of the reactionary Press, which announced that the search had been without result there.

MR SEN GUPTA. FORMER MAYOR OF CALCUTTA. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Calcutta, July 23. Mr Sen Gupta died early this morning following a seizure. His English wife was present. He was imprisoned in 1932 following his return from England.

Sen Gupta, one of the most ardent supporters of Gandhi’s movement for the independence of India, was the son of the leading Hindu lawyer of a small town in Bengal. Sent to England for education, he became a student at Cambridge University in 1905. There he met Nellie Gray, a Cambridge girl and, finding their views on many things to be alike, they became engaged without the knowledge of her relatives. In the next four years Gupta took his degree and was also called to the English Bar. He then decided to return to India, the girl to follow him as soon as he had made arrangements for their marriage there. But at Port Said he turned back and a runaway marriage followed. It proved to be a thoroughly happy union, Mrs Gupta adapting herself to Indian life and helping her husband in every possible way in his political career. Gupta joined the Swarajists (Home Rule agitators), becoming one of the most active. In 1922 he was imprisoned with Gandhi and other Indian leaders for offences connected with Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement. As a popular hero among the Hindus he was elected Mayor of Calcutta in 1925 and was accused by his opponents of introducing his advanced political views into municipal affairs. Later he was elected a member of the Bengal Legislative Council and as leader of the Swarajist party never lost an opportunity of putting forward Gandhi’s cause. He was prominent in urging a boycott of British goods. After being re-elected Mayor of Calcutta in 1929 he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for reading to students literature which was held to be seditious. While in gaol he was again elected Mayor. Arrested once more in November, 1930, on a charge of making a seditious speech, he was given a year’s imprisonment. Throughout these tempestuous years Mrs Gupta aided him vigorously and when he was in gaol visited him daily as long as she was permitted to do so, afterwards keeping vigil outside.