The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-16
DIED AS HE SLEPT
Lord Roberts, England's Com
mander, Dead.
Passed Away in Hearing of
the Guns.
STRICKEN WITH PNEUMONIA
End Came at Headquarters in
France.
Was Known as "BObs" to All
the World.

London, Nov. 16.-The death OF Field
Marshal Earl Roberts. which occurred
Saturday evening at the headquarters
of the British expeditionary forces in
France, was extremely sudden. He was
in his usual good health when he left
England on Wednesday with his daugh-
ter, Lady Aileen Roberts, and his SON.
in-law, Major Levin. The party had
a rough trip crossing the channel but
the aged general felt no ill effects and
went through with his program on the
continent. In fact he was about to
return home when his death occurred.
Earl Roberts had motored to the Brit
ish bases and camps, had reviewed the
Indian troops and had conferred with
the leading officers 1t was not until
about dinner time Friday evening that
he complained Of q slight chill. AS he
was subject to trifling chest troubles.
he followed his usual course and went
to bed early. AS his temperature in
creased medical men were called in and
pronounced his condition critical. They
relieved the general Of his pain and he
fell asleep. His death occurred as he
s1umbered.
The passing of the great warrior has
created profound grief throughout the
country. In all churches. and in the
soldiers training camps, touching ref
erences were made Sunday to his death
and the dead march in Saul was
played.
In a telegram to Lady Roberts, Field
Marshal Sir John French in the name
Of the army serving in France, ex-
pressed deep sympathy saying:
Your grief is shared by us who
mourn the loss OF a much loved chief.
AS he was called. 1T seems filter to the
ending OF the life of a great soldier that
he should have passed away in the
midst of the troops he loved so well
and within the sound of guns
Was England's Hero.
Since the days of Nelson there had
been no hero in England who took a
stronger hold upon the popular fancy
than the little man whose official title
on the rolls of the British army was
the Right Hon. Frederick. Baron Rob-
erts of Kandahar and Waterford
Lord Roberts's life was essentially
military. He was born at Cawnpore,
India, September 80. 1892, the son of
General Sir Abraham Bundury. Forty
His record boasts of nine wars.
The act which endeared Roberts to
the British public more than anything
else he ever did was the famous
march to Kandahar. That was in
the late summer of 1880. The wild
hillmen of Afghanistan were in re-
volt; Roberts was In Kabul, the cap
ital. where he had been sent after the
murder of the British ambassador.
Sir Louis Cavagnari. Kabul had been
pacified and a new ameer placed on
the throne, and Lord Roberts was ex-
pecting orders to return to India in
q few days. In the meantime he had
set out on a horseback expedition to
explore the country --round the
Khyber Pass. When he was two days
out on his trip. he had a sudden un-
accountabl "hunch" to return to Ka-
bull. He did so and found news had
lust been received OF a crushing de-
feat to the English general. Burrows.
ut Maiwand. The routed English
forces had taken refuge in the city
OF Kandahar. where they were closely
besieged. Roberts telegraphed the
Indian government asking permission
to lead a column to Kandahar and
IL was granted. A force of ten thou
sand men was selected. picked men
all OF them, for 1t was no summers
day maneuvering to march more than
three hundred miles through wild,
bleak mountain country. where the
hand Of every man was against the
English nag.
One Of the most troublesome uhties
Of the march was to prevent footsore
noncombatants from tagging behind.
for certain death awaited anyone who
did go And 10 1t went over BIB miles
Of the toughest sort of country. For
three weeks Lord Roberts expedition
vanished, from the eye, -of--.the- civil
1tsod world: then the telegraph wires