Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08

anu VIC SOSAhcyS WSIc WOIIleu.
Opinion Of Cockney.
Finally one of them turned to the
other with a lugubrious face. Jerking
thumb at the Prince he said This
Is rum game. If e gets killed e is
all right, see? But wot abaht us?"
1t is not generally known that the
Prince Of Wales actually participated
In the battle of Neuve Chappelle.
On April l5 1915, Sir John French
sent the following dispatch to the war
cf1ice:
ITO Field Marshal Earl Kitchener of
Khartum, K. p. C.. @. B. o. M.-His
the bearer Of this dispatch. His royal
highness continues to make most salts
factory progress. During the battle Of
Neuve Chsppelle he acted on my staff
as liaiSon oficer
Reports from the general officers
commanding corps and divisions to
| which he had been attached agree in
commencing the thoroughness in which
he performs any work intrusted to him,
I have myself been very favorably i'm
pressed by the quickness with which
his royal highneSS has acquired knowl-
edge of the various branches of serv-
ice. and che deep interest he has al
ways displayed In the comfort ard well
fare, of the men.
field and In hospital, have been greatly
appreciated by all ranks His royal
highness did duty for a time in the
trenches with the battalion to which
he belongs"
The Prince frequently visited various
commands, fraterniZed with the Tom
| mics, sat on the floor or ground with
them. passed his cigarette case around,
| lighting his own from that of any one
near at hand, snapped Jokes and re-
| counted stories with many of the rank
and file Dr. Archibald Henderson of
the University of North Carolina. biog-
rapher Of George Bernard Shaw, re-
counts the following amusing story:
One day an American officer was re-
| connoitering in the war zone when he
| met a pleasant faced boy in the uni
form of a British subaltern.
who are you?" he challenged.
The Prince Of Wales" the young
man replied
Sure" replied the American colonel,
with an accent Of derisive skepticisn.
Who are you, sir?" asked the young
man.
"Oh, I'm the King of England" re-
piled the oficer. Beat It,"
Identity a Surprise.
Some nights later the two men met
in a Red Cross hut and the American
oficer was visibly embarrassed on
learning that the young man was really
the Prince of Wales. With a twinkle
in his eye, the Prince waved him a
friendly greeting and called out cheer
fully: Hello, dad"
While the Prince was staying at the
Brigade of Guards Headquarters, Trer-
vile, he used to walk about, EstauraS
and La Gourge as though he were an
ordinary subaltern. He Jared the same
as all his brother officers in the mess,
eating what was given to him.
He was the idol of the troops. though
they never made much fuss about him.
Many time have heard the remark,
Look, Bill, there's the Prince! Blimey,
he's a lad, No swank about him"
In Bethune the Prince was billeted
with M. Daniel and his wife in the Rue
de Pot Etain. This spot was constantly
being shelled, as the enemy by some
means or other must have learned his
whereabouts.
I have been told that when the Prince
left this billet, swarms of officers dun
ned the old couple for plates. cups,
saucers, servietteS or any article that
the Prince might have used. Some
bright French lad tumbled to the boom
in souvenirs. collected all the odd
crockery he could find, and sold to adj
vantage.
Two more vivid war memories of the
Prince occur to me. The first was when
he paid visit of q week to Lord Haig
then Sir Douglas) on his famous train.
The train was magnificently fitted out.
The Prince, when he arrived, found
the field marshal out, but Sergt Sc
crett, Haig's batman, showed him over
turned to the batman; Jolly f1ne place
you've got hefe!" he said. "A jolly
sight better than many of the billets
I've had to scratch about in"
I remember falling in behind q GER
tain provost marshal who was accom-
panyfng the Prince for a short CON
stitutional" the next morning. and on
the return we met the commander in
chief. AS we walked back to headquar-
tiers my off1cer told me what had taken
place.
Responsibility Of Position.
We'll. what exactly is the length of
the leading string today, sir?" the
Prince had asked, laughingly.
Leading -string?" repeated Haig,
raising his eyebrows.
Yes" replied the Prince, 81 always
get my card marked, as the fellows
on the race courses say. must go no
farther than here, no more than
yards to the right of there, only a
yard and half past position x and
so on. I have got quite used to it."
And; Of course" said the field
marshal, with a sly twinkle, you have
always kept vigorously to your instruc-
tons, take It
We'll" said the Prince hesitatingly,
Il have endeavored to-"
The field marshal laughed. IT have
made no order" he said.
Then he spoke gravely: AFTER all,
your highness is Of age. You realize
the responsibility of your position, and
you realize the responsibility of mine,
especially as appertaining to you
With that sense Of responsibility
leave you-and, of course, trust you
TO look after us both"
AS a matter of fact, during his stay
with the commander in chief the Prince
from expeditions which might have led
him into danger.
Soon afterwards, however, when
near Merville, he travelled IN q staff
car, and made his way toward the
front line. / followed on a motor cycle
The Smelling was heavy just in front
and the driver had instructions not
to approach beyond a stipulated point
on the map. But e Prince himself
took the wheel. ana in a road block
managed TO separate the car from my
motor cycle. I followed the route he
should have taken, but traversed sew
. eral miles without overtaking him.
Inquiry Of Soldiers.
made inquiries Of soldiers coming
the other way. They told me they had
met no staff car. I knew then that
the Prince must have lodged into an
other road at the trafflc block ]
doubled back and went along the other
road at the fork. I had not gone far
! before I ran intn a regular hail NJ
long distance Smelling. The road be-
fore me was impossible for a car. MY
heart was in my mouth. What II the
Prince had fallen?