Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-23
RUMDR
THAT SCOT HERO
LEADS RUSSIANS
England Stirred BY Report That
Hector Macdonald Not Dead
But Fighting Germany


Is Hector Macdonald - Fighting
Mae the greatest Scottish soldier
since the days OF Bruce-still livingg
Is he playing. a hero,s nart In the
present war;
These are strange and staggering
questions. But hundreds are asking
them. Thousands and ten Of thou
sands win be asking them soon.
All the werld knows that In the
years ago a coffin believed to contain
the remains OF the departed general
was lowered into grave In the Dean
cemetery. Edinburgh
Britain was heavy Of heart that day.
Westminster Abbey was the only
resting place &c for so grand a war
rior Bat his amazing career had end
ed. not In blaze OF glory, but In
blackness and horror.
Fighting Mac" the soldiers idol,
the man who had climbed By sheer
brain-power and courage from the
ranks to knighthood and great
command. had died by his own hand.
Thus, at least. al believed.
And now a story comes from the
front. and Ii gaining currency all over
the north OF Scotland. that the sui
cide's grave in that Edinburgh GENE
terry Is empty: that .Fighting Mac"
never died and was buried: that In the
uniform CT q Russian general he Is
lighting the Germans IN the eastern
theater OF war. opposing 60 PfnasIan
weight and ferocity that grim mimi
tmde Of resource, that supefhly calctl-
lated strategy, thar tliunlefbolt sud
denness u action that won I0f Britain
the iiattle of Onaddfmah. and that
placed Macdonald for all time among
the great military heroes OF the world.
Gen. Demetrieff, the mysterious and
brilliant leader OF Russian troops,
whose exploits during the past few
months have been OF Incalculable
service TO our great ally In the east,
Is said to be none other than Maj..gen.
Sir Hector Macdonald. X. G. b!
Demetrieff bears an amazing facial
resemblance to the great Scottish sol
dier. whose grave lies In Edinburgh.
This fact was commented on again
and again BY Scotsmen travelling In
Russia before the war.
When, therefore. Demetrieff drew
sword against the Germans. and began
to display military abilities OF the
highest order, small wonder the rumor
arose that here indeed was Macdon-
aid himself
No 30 who G. MS in detail the
portraits Of Demetr .esf and Hector
Macdonald can ri 10 be convinced
or the striking l.kentss that the two
faces bear to each other. They're
photographs Of the same man taken
at different ages! Is the thought that
Immediately springs to the mind.
The Features Compared.
Head and brow are of the same mas
sive cast in both portraits. The deep
set eyes hold the same bright, danht-
less expression. The Brse, straight
and broad. and big-nostfiIled- the nose
Of the born fighting mAnlIs common
to both; SO Is the pugnacions chin,
hewn out Of granite resolve; the rag
ged mustache, and the firm, generous
mouth.
In the case Of the heavy Jaw there
is some slight divergence, but not
more than u years Of life might well
account for.
Compare a present-day photograph
Of Kitchener with portrait taken OF
him at the close OF the Boer war, and
you viii see that the jawline has al
tered In precisely the same degree as
the difference between the jaw-Iine OF
Hector Macdonald and that Of Gen. De-
metrieff.
In fact. one might truthfully say
that the Kitchener Of today differs no
more from the Kitchener Of 1909 than
does the present day face Of Demet-
rteff from the face Of Fighting Mac"
as we knew and loved 1t.
Demetrfeff Is said to resemble Mac
donald as much in military character
istics as in feature. He Is leader Of
extraordinary dash and daring and
from the time OF the first Russian IN
vasion Of Galicia last autumn nc has
been a prominent figure.
At the battle Of Kandahar Macdon-
aid distinguished himself IN dramatic
fashion. ifs deeds Of yalor against
the Wild Ghazees that day were wor-
thy to rank with the deeds OF Richard
the Lionheart against the Saracens.
At the end OF the campaign Hector
vas offered hts choice between the
Victoria Cross and commission. He
chose the commission. and was there
ltncn appointed to a second ieutenant
ship In the Gordons, the regiment he
had joined as private nine years
before.
Fighting Mae" VIII go down TO pos
terity as the only man who ever re-
fused the VIC.
immortal Deeds.
immortal is the story Of Macdon-
aids deeds on the grim day OF Ma
tuba. when with force Of Is men
be held for seven hours the position
alIocated to him and declined TO sur
render when even the last OF his he
rofc Hfghlanders had fallen.
Taken prisoner, he fought with his
,lenched fists the Beers who attempt
"a to deprive him of his sword, and
10 would have been shot down in
.old blood but for the Interference OF
commandment. who cried, Don't kill
/ brave mani"
Immortal. too, is the tale Of how at