A GREAT FIGHTER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14656, 25 January 1912, Page 3

A GREAT FIGHTER.

DEATH OF A FAMOUS BRITISH SOLDIER. General Sir Baker Creed Russell, for many years one of the finest cavalry leaders in the British Army, died at Euikestone recently at the age of seventy-four. He leaves a record of nearly fifty years' gallant service ;n the Army, and a teputation as a splendid fighter. Sir H. M. Stanley once described him as "a resolute, hard-headed man, with vim and nervo in him, a sharp 'sword for an enemy and a soft tonguo for a friend," and the description fitted. Born in Australia, ho was at Meerilt with the 6th Dragoon Guards when the Indian Mutiny broke out there. lie went aii through the Mutiny, light ng, loading many wild cava by charges, and displaying marvellous gallantry and leadership for a lad —as he then was—of twenty years. He fought in Ashanti in eight engagement's despite The ravages of fever upon hi s large-bonc-d. form. His next campaign was in Zululaiid, where he was in the f:ml hot pursuit of Cetewayo, and led tho force which stormed and captured Sekukuni's mountain stronghold. Jn all tho fighting in Egypt preceding and including Tebel-Kebir' lie was prominent, and it was his cmduct in the starlight charge of the Household Cavalry at Kassassin that made Wolseley say of him, "Ho is a born cavalry lender." Subsequently be commanded in Bengal, and too!; chance of the Southern District eavahv in England, retiring it last in 1f10.3, forty-eight years after entering the Army.