Evening star., 1909-06-13
Bradford Is Father
of the British Army
Special Correspondence of The Star.

LONDON. June ;. 1909.
r 1EUT. GEN. WILMOT HENRY
BRADFORD. who has become the
father OF the British army by the
death of the late Gen. Raikes, is just
celebrating the seventy-sixth anniversary
of his commission He Joined the Royal
Irish Rifles-then the old SD Foot-as an
ensign May "a 1888. and his whole serv
ice has been with that regiment. He is
now its colonel in chief In addition to
being the father of the British army
Gen. Bradford is one of the last living
links with the great Napoleon. His
career reads like an Anthony Hope rc-
nance. the friends of his bovhood were
kings and princes. and he seems to haze
been fated at every turn to be the friend
of royalty.
Gen Bradford comes of fighting
stock One of his uncles. Col. Sir Henry
Bradford. served on Wellington's staff
at Waterloo and received wounds there
from which he died. He was engaged
at the time of his death to the beautiful
daughter of the Duchess of Richmond,
who gave the famous ball at Brussels
on the eve of Waterloo from which 50
many gallant British officers went to their
death.
Gen. Wilmot Bradford's father was a
was So strong in him that he left his
parish in charge of a curate and Went
out to the Peninsular war as volunteer
ch;plai in He was the first English clergy
man To do SO. After the war he went TO
Brussels chaplain To the British am
hassa,ior. Lord Stewart. who was after
ward the third Marquis of Londonderry.
and the future general was born there
in 1915. His fathers connection with
the embassy brought the boy in cor
fnr with o
playmates We're the Duke of Relchstadt.
the only Of the great Napoleon anu
Marie Louise of Austria. and Prince
Miguel Of Braganza. who was atterWard
King of Portugal
The old generals recollections also in
cIude sitting on the knee of the Emperor
Francis ii and hearing composition OF
RoSSin performed at a special concert
Bradford is not only living link with
| Napoleon. but with Napoleons father
/ in law
| When he was young lieutenant. with
| his regiment which then stationed
| at the late Queen Nictorias castle al
| Windsor he had queer experience The
| Windsor barracks were being rebuilt
| and the young officer was temporarily
quartered in the hotel at Slough. now
practically a Windsor suburb. but which
| town than Windsor itself. One night
| the landlord came to him with many
apologies and explaining that he knew
Lieut.. Bradford spoke German like
native of that country. asked him if he
would question a young German gentle
| man who had just arrived and find out
| if he was "all right He had little
| luggage and the landlord did not like
the minute inquiries about the castle anG
| it's occupants which were made by the
| young gentleman's single servant. Lieut.
Bradford undertook the duty and was
able to report to the worried landlord
that the young German gentleman was
| Prince Albert of SaXe-Coburg- Gotha
| This was October Q, 1889. and a week
| later the country was informed that the
| prince was to marry the young queer
| and become prince consort of Engl nd
| This was the beginning of a lifelons
| friendship between Gen. Bradford anC
| the prince, which was continued by th'
| late queen after her husbands, death
| The prince never tired of telling how
the young British officer vouched fo
him to the suspicious landlord and per
| haps saved him from being turned ou
! spy.
Gen. Bradford has not been fortunat,
enough to much war service. He
has borne his part. of course in a mum
ber of England's little wars, but hi
work has been largely organization ant
| preparation at home, which, if not s,
spectacular leading fororn hopes ha
often a good deal mere to do with tn,
winning of battles OF course he ha
| long since retired from active command
but he still turns out at the head %
his regiment on review days and gala
occasions.