GEDDES, THE GOER.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7917, 11 August 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

GEDDES, THE GOER.

FROM HANDY-MAN TO ADMIItALTY-LORD. There have been some wild and whirling careers due to the upheaval brought about by the war but few indeed 150 equal that of Sir Eric Geddes, the new Controller of Supplies at the Admiralty. When hostilities broke out on that fateful August night in 1!}14, Sir Eric —ho .was plain “Mr.” then, by the way —was just an ordinary English railwayman, holding a responsible position it is true, as Deputy Manager of the North-Eastern line, but unknown to fame outside his own immediate circle. Then presently along came Lloyd George, on the look out for men “of push and go,” and snapped him up for his newly-formed Ministry of Munitions. Next ho became Director-Gen-eral of Military Railways at the War office. Then he was “collared” by Sir Haig, and whisked off to France, where he was given the poJt of Director-General of Transportation on tho Commander-in-Chief’s staff. NOT AN AMERICAN. His work there embraced the entire reorganisation of the transport service?, including the working of docks, main railways, light railways, and waterways. Later he was .appointed to exercisie general supervision over the whole of the transportation of the Army for all theatres of war, a tremendous responsibility, but one Which Goddesi discharged to the satisfaction of all concerned. And now he comes to the Admiralty with 'iflmost unlimited power.* as/ regards liis own special sphere of work, which will embrace ship-building, ordnance, victualling, and transport for the Navy, in addition to the construction of the new standardised ships for our mercantile marine. It has been repeatedly stated that Sir Eric is an American. He i* nothing ot tho sort, being a Scotsman born and bred. Doubtless the mistake arose through his having served his apprenticeship to railroading in the States, where he began as a switchman, and worked up through all the grades, handy-man, station clerk, fireman, engine-driver, and jto on, in order to gain a practical insight from actual experience into the business he intended! to devote himself to. THE- CABLEGRAM. From America he went to Indie., and he was helping to manage the Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway there when one day a cablegram arrived for him from England. It was from Sir George Gibb, then general manager of the North Eastern Railway, and now Chairman of the Road Board. Gibb had met Geddes at a private dinner party in London when the lattl' stayed there for a .few days on his waj to India, had listened to the young man’s story of his American experiences, and had been greitto/ struck by them, and by the narrator. He made a mental note of him as a young man that might some day be useful to him. Hence the above-mentioned cablegram. “ Would you be willing to accept post Claims Agent on the N.E.R. ?” So the message ran. Geddes cabled back the one word, “Yes.” HE HAS THREE SONS. A few hours' later he received another cablegram from Gibb: “When can you start?” The answer was : “Starting on Monday”—the cablegram was handed to him la.to on Saturday. And be was as good as his word. That is Geddes all over. Promptitude in decision ha,* always been one of his main characteristics. ■Curiously enough Sir Eric was originally intended for the Army, and was educated to that end at the Oxford l Military College, and at the Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh. But the “call of the wild” was in his blood, and he practically “ran away” to America, where he had some interesting experiences in. western lumber camps, and 1 on the cattle ranges, before starting in as a casual labourer, or “handy man” as it is termed over there, in a Station yaa* don tho Baltimore and Ohio Railway.

But the young man, .although he elected to rough it in this fashion, comes of a good family. Sir Erie is fond cf shooting and golf, but fonder still of work. He i* fortyone years old* was married in 1900, and has' three sons.