DEATH OF COLONEL LYNCH

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1934, Page 6

DEATH OF COLONEL LYNCH

HIS LIFE STORY UNCOMPLETED. REMARKABLE CAREER ENDS. By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. London, March 28. Colonel Arthur Lynch, the noted physician, soldier, author and politician, whose death occurred on Sunday following a relapse after an operation, promised the publishers to have the autobiography of his amazing and versatile career in time for autumn publication, for which, despite constant pain, he steeled himself. Working three hours a day for three weeks he dictated to two typists 20,000 words, but died' with the major and most interesting part of his story untold. He did not falter and did not complain. He dictated entirely from memory, which was phenomenal. His notes needed no correction.

His widow says that the literary executor will endeavour to complete the biography, which deals with famous friends of Colonel Lynch in all parts of Europe and America.' Colonel Lynch, who was once condemned to death for fighting against Britain, and later fought for her, was born at Smythesdale, Australia, and educated at Baljarat, Melbourne University, Berlin University, the Beaujon Hospital, Paris, and St. Mary’s Hospital, London. At Melbourne he qualified as a civil engineer. At Paris, in addition to studying medicine, he gained an electrical engineer’s diploma, while at London he qualified as both physician and surgeon. He also found time for literary work, publishing in 1891 a work on “Modem Authors, French, German and English,” and in the next few years, “Approaches; The Poor Scholar’s Quest for a Mecca,” “A Koran of Love,” “Our Poets,” “Religio Athletae” and “Human Documents.” On the outbreak of the South African war in 1899, he joined the Boer forces and was made colonel of the Irish Brigade formed of Anglophobe Irishmen who had settled in the Transvaal.

Escaping capture when the British occupied that region, he settled at Paris, and while there was elected M.P. for Galway. On going to London to take his seat he was arrested, and in January, 1903, sentenced to death for high treason. The sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life, but in 1904 he was released. ' Three years later he was granted a free pardon. His counsel at the trial was Mr. Horace Avory (later Lord Justice Avory). Colonel Lynch always held that he had done nothing dishonourable. * Republicanism was his political religion and he fought as a republican. Moreover, he declared that an unwritten agreement was made by Roberts and Kitchener with the Boer leaders before the peace treaty was signed that he and other British subjects who fought- on the Boer side should go free.

Colonel Lynch, who sat as M.P. for West Clare from 1909 to 1918, was a colonel on the British side in the World War. Among his many other books are “Psychology; A New System,” “Purpose and Evolution,” “Sonnets of the Banner and the Star,” “Roman Philosophique” (in French),. “ Ireland; Vital Hour,” “O’Rourke the Great” arid “My Life Story.”