LORD KITCHENER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 36, 27 September 1911, Page 7

LORD KITCHENER.

•‘K. of K.,” ns Lord Kitchener is familiarly termed, is by general consent regarded as the greatest soldier in the Empire, perhaps in the world, to-day. Certainly for some considerable time he has been the most-talked-of man in the Army; indeed, to the Tories, ho has been something' like King Charles’ head to Mr Dick. They have repeatedly attacked the Government througn him, owing Lo the 1 fact of his unemployment since his return from India in 1909.

Born at Ballylongford, Ireland, on Juno 2lh, 1850, Lord Kitchener entered the Royal Engineers in 1871, and after being employed on' the Palestine and Cyprus survey, he was put in command of the Egyptian Cavalry, took part in the Nile expedition, was Governor of Suakim, went through the Soudan expedition, commanded the Dongola expeditionary force, and then, as Sirdar, leaped into popular favour by smashing Mahdisrn by the victory of Omdurman. For this he was raised to the peerage, thanked by Parliament, and given a grant of £30,000. Next, his remarkable organising powers were utilised in South Africa, where he was Chief of Staff to Lord Roberts, and subsequently Comma mler-iii-Chief. Afterwards he was Com-rnander-in-Chief in India. On his return he was appointed to the Mediterranean command, but resigned before taking up the post. Last year he became a member of The Committee of Imperial Defence, and recently he commanded the Coronation troops. Only a few weeks ago he was appoint ed a director of the London, Chatham, and Dover railway. It is believed that, ho was disappointed at not receiving dio -Vlim;.royalty of India when Lord Qm'/.on insigned, and he will welcome his new office as giving him an opporLinity to shine in -am administrative capacity. Tall, magnificently built, with a stern face, ho is an ideal soldier in appearance, and'has always been credited with being a martinet. Many stories are told of him, a characteristic one being his reply to the War Office, which Sent him obsolete, guns went he asked for the newest. “I can throw stones at the enemy myself,” he is reported to Jiave written.

“K. of K.” Invs beim feted all the world over, hut lie is ii bachelor yet. 'l'he story goes that his love was rejected when he was a subaltern. •• Althongh he is a man of action who loves the battlefield more than the drawing-room, lie is a keen collector of old blue and white china. With the Khedive he is a tremendous favourite, and ho knows Egypt and the Egyptians thoroughly.