HERO OF MANY WARS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19767, 15 February 1927, Page 7

HERO OF MANY WARS

VISITS THE DOMINION SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S GOVERNOR (Special to “Chronicle.”) AUCKLAND, Feb. 14. Tho Governor of South Australia, Sir G. T. M. Bridges, arrived by the Niagara to-day to spend a month in the Dominion as the guest of thc Gov-ernor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. He expects to do some angling and deep sea fishing during his stay. Major-General Sir “Tom” Bridges, as he is popularly known, had a distinguished and picturesque military career prior to his appointment as Governor of South Australia in 1922. His name is a byword among those who served in what might to-day be termed the “Old Army,” and is synonymous with all that is daring and heroic in thc .ife of a soldier. His earliest association with an overseas Dominion was when he commanded the sth and 6th West Australian Mounted Infantry in the Boer War. He was present at the reliefs of Ladysmith and Mafeking. Scars of Battle During the Somaliland operations in 1902-1904 he was severely wounded, and earned the D.S.O. He was also wounded three times during the European War, lost a leg in 1916, and was seven times mentioned in despatches. After the retreat from Le Cateau he was given command of the 4th Hussars, and was sent by Sir John French to report on the siege of Antwerp during the German push toward Calais. He earned a brilliant reputation for resource and personal bravery. Attached to thc British Military Mission to the Belgian Army. It was on his earnest pleading that the Belgians were finally induced to open the sluices of the Yser and flood the country as a measure of defence.

The Toy Band The best known of his military exploits has been commemorated by Sir Henry Newbolt in the poem “Tho Toy Band.” The incident occurred during thc retreat from Le Cateau, when General Bridges was a Major in tho Dragoon Guards. A party of some 250 stragglers, exhausted after their superhuman efforts, were lying helpless on the road between St. Quentin and Roupy. No effort on the part of their officers could prevail upon the wornout men to save themselves, so General Bridges was sent out to investigate. Ho brought a toy drum in a village shop, prevailed upon a man to play a whistle and pipe, and with this improvised band playing stirring military music and tho popular airs of the day, so put heart into the men that they made a supreme effort and staggered into Safety. The Englishman’s Tale In Newbolt’s poem, which records ’this incident, occur the lines: — I As long as there’s an Englishman to ask a tale of me, As long as I can tell the tale aright, ' We’ll not forget the penny whistle’s wheedle-deedle-dee. And thc big Dragoon a-beating down the night. When no longer able, as a result of his wounds, to take an lactive part on th 0 field of battle, General Bridges became military member of thc Earl of Balfour’s Mission to thc United States in 19.17, and head of the British Wlar Mission to America in 1918. Later he was head of the military mission to Constantinople and Smyrna 1918-1920. This is his first visit to New Zealand.