Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-11-16


Field Marshal Roberts worked day and
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night for the welfare Of the soldiers
from the outbreak OF the war. He took
the greatest interest In the Indians and
Issued an appeal for funds for their
wounded and sick. lie made requests
for sportsmen TO contribute saddles for
the army. which brought q ready re-
spouse. lie made other requests for the
loan OF field glasses TO officers during
the war. And he wrote personal letters
OF thanks TO all contributors.
One OF his last speeches was made at
review OF a battalion OF volunteers, when
he referred sRrcasticaTiy to young men
who played foot bah and cricket at this
crisis.
The government, Il is expected. will
offer a tomb In Westminster abbey or
81. Paul's for the empires foremost SOL
dicr.
Roberts of Kandahar Pretoria ana
Waterford as Field Marshal Lord Fred
erlok Sleigh Roberts was known. sums up
briefly the career OF the noted soldier
whose death has plunged the empire into
mourning.
Scion of a noble Irish family. Lord
Roberts was born In 1882 In Cawnpore,
India, whore his father. General Sir Abra-
ham Roberts, was serving II wasJn the
Indian service that the sallant and eff
Client Irish soldier achieved his first and
lasting fame. II was IN South Africa In
his later years thu, this was supple
mented and hagnifiod by his achieve
ments In Great Britains victorious cam
paign against the Beers.
But Il II was as field marshal and earl
that Lord Roberts was formally known,
II was as "Bobs" that the men OF the
ranks knew him, loved him and greeted
him. In their estimation and in that of
the admlrlng public, which appreciated
and applauded his gallant services for his
country, no name could ut him better
than this diminutive of his family name
and word meaning hero" in Hindu.
Kaiser Praises Him.
Showered as he was with honors and
titles by his own country. It was not by
that nation alone that his military abili-
ties were appreciated. THE greatest SOL
der OF his time" were the words used
by Emperor william OF Germany in pay
ing tribute to him.
Roberts OF Kandahar," the emperor lie
recorded as saying. has much Of the
subtIety and ability TO perceive his OPP
portunities that have distinguished the
greatest military geniuses OF the past.
hold him the ablest OF todays soldiers"
For more than half century England
had occasion to take pride in the career
OF Roberts the soldier. As the career
rlpened 1t came TO hold him in the same
affection as Wellington. Give and Kitch-
ener. In nine OF It's wars he WAS In the
thick OF the fighting and many times was
wounded. As he fought he rose In rank
from a supernumerary subaltern In the
Horse artillery to field marshal and COM
mander of all the British armies. AS fur
Their rewards he was made a peer of the
realm and the recipient OF distinguished
orders, of which the chief was the order
of the garter. the most ancient and highly
priced OF all the British orders. This
browning honor came TO him In 1901
after his notable services in leading the
British cause to victory in South Africa.
Trained as a soldier.
| Lord Roberts military education began
early in life. While an infant in arms
1 no was taken TO England to receive edu-
: cation In the warlike art. The age of Is
] saw him back in India serving under his
| father, a distinguished general of the
! Victorian period. For more than forty
years he served in that oriental empire,
I UNFOLDING Great Britain's honor WITH his
sword and gaining worldwide fame. Be
! ginning with the Indian mutiny, the rec
ord OF his services is studded with bril-
/ liant exploits and gallant deeds.
The Victoria cross came to him early In
his career, after he had rescued COM
rade from certain death In the campaign
against the Indian mutineers and had re-
covered a standard captured by the
enemy.
Decorated by Victoria.
Queen Victoria herself pinned the priced
token upon the soldiers tunic The
mutIny medal for bravery was another
that he won in fighting the sepoys a
Delhi and helping TO drive them from
their siege of Lucknow. The Indian from
tier and the Abysslnian medals came q
him from his fighting throughout thu
Umbeyia, Abyssinian and Lusha cam
paign.
!. When the Afghan war; in which Lor'
Roberts was to win lasting fame, brok
out he had risen to the rank OF majo
i general. As such. in the Afghan war AM
/ in the following campaigns against tn
trIbesmen, the brilliancy Of the British
! generals strategy commanded the atten
ton OF the worlds great soldiers TIL
, two years war came to elimination
! with Bobs famous march through
> tangled wilderness and his dashing assault
4 OF Kandahar. resulting in the dispersa
: OF the ameers army.
Given Remarkable Welcome.
Englands new military hero, invalide
3 home, was given a remarkable reception
4 starting with his embarkation at Dover
D He was summoned 20 Windsor castle b
8 Queen Victoria who raised him 20
r baronetey. He received the thanks o
Y Parliament. was presented with the free
! dom Of many cities ana was granted de
Y grees by oxford and Dublin universities
A special medal was struck to commend
rate his famous march TO Kapdahar.
Sent to South Africa after the BIRTHS
disaster at Majuba Hill. in the Boer wa
OF 1881. the hero OF India found on h
arrival that peace had been declares
Shortly afterwards he resumed his SER
ice in the orient and in 1855 became con
mander-in-ehief Of the British army
4 India. post which he held for eigl
{, years. The rank and title OF field ma
! shall came to him In 1895 In the meal
4 time. in 1899. he had been raised to n
peerage as Baron Roberts of KandahS