Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-17

troops which put down the Druse revolt
in Syria. Subsequently he was made
commanding general of the French
Armies in the Near East.
Gamelin's real rise to pre-eminence
came in 1881 when he was made chief of
staff of the French Army. In this post
he helped to build up the French Army
to technical superiority over any in the
world and completed the Maginot line
to the sea.
In 1886 when Adolf Hitler, in violation
of the Versailles treaty, sent German
troops into the Rhineland, Gen. Gamelin
told Premier Sarraut that he was pre-
pared to throw the Germans out easily
and effectively. He did not want to
undertake this operation, however, with
out a general mobilization OF French
troops from which Sarraut demurred
Subsequent German writings have re-
vealed that the German general staff was
prepared to withdraw its troops the mo-
ment the French showed indications of
fighting. Hence, it seems very likely
that had Gamelin's advice been taken,
Hitler's diplomacy of force would have
received a serious setback which might
have prevented his later moves against
Austria, Czecho- Slovakia and Poland.
In Paris, Gamelin leads a quiet life,
mixing little in the social whirl of the
capital, but going occasionally to the
opera with his wife. He finds relaxation
in riding and mountain climbing.
Four Keymen in Britain.
Great Britain has no military or naval
hero who stands head and shoulders
above his fellows as Gamelin does in
France. However, four men, holding
key positions in the empires armed
forces. seem likely bidders for fame.
First is Viscount Gort John Standish
old commander in chief, under Gen.
Gamelin, of the British Army in the
field.
A veteran of the World War, in which
he won the Military Gross and Dis
tinguished Service Order for bravery
Viscount Gort exemplifles the best ira
ditions of the British aristocracy He
was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst
the British West Point, and entered
the army in 1905.
Lord Gort's rise to the top Of the Brit
ish military hierarchy has been rather
recent. Director of military training at
army headquarters in India from 1882
to 1886. he was made commandant of
the Camberley Staff School in the latter
year and military secretary to the secre-
tary of state for war in 1887. Later in
the same year he was appointed chief
of the imperial general staff, relinquish-
ing that Office upon the outbreak of war
to take command of troops in the field.
Lord Gort's successor as chief of staff
is man who probably is better known
to the British public than he-tall dash
ing, soldierly Sir William Edmund Iron
side. K c. B., C. M. G., D. S. O., wearer of
the Croix de Guerre with palms. the Order
of ST. Vladimer and the ribbon of the
French Legion of Honor. and Great Brit
aims No. / soldier in the Kipling
tradition.
Ironside Life Full of Glory.
Only ST years old now, Gen. Ironside
already has lived life full of military
glory. Son of an army officer he entered
the army in 1899, and at the outbreak
of the World War had progressed to
the rank of major. He attracted world
attention in 1918 and 1919 when he COM
manded the British expedition sent to
Archangel, Russia, soon after the Boil
shevik revolution. From 1922 to 1926,
he like Lord Gort, served as commander
of the Camberley Staff College; from
1888 to 1885 he was quartermaster gen.
eral in India, and in 1888 was made
commander of the important British de-
lenses at Gibraltar. Just before his
assignment as chief of staff he was
inspector general of the army. He is
the author of "Tannenberg: The First
Thirty Days in East Prussia
AS Great Britain is primarily sea
power, more admirals than generals
have been established in the shine of
British history. Two officers of his
majesty's navy now are outstanding.
The first sea lord, corresponding to
the chief of naval operations in the
United States Navy, is Admiral of the
Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pound, G. c.
v. O., K. c. B., c. B., a 62-year-old
mariner whose mother, Elizabeth Pick
man Rogers, was an American. Ad-
miral Pound now has brother living
in Boston.
Educated at The Lines, Sir Alfred
first attracted attention during the
World War when he commanded the
H. M. S. Colossus at Jutland. His sea
service during the World War was rec
ognized by the award of the ribbon of
the French Legion of Honor, the Japa-
nese Order Of the Rising Sun and the
American Distinguished Service Medal.
Head of Blockade Fleet.
Director of the plans division of the
admiralty from 1922 to 1925, Admiral
Pound was made rear admiral in 1925,
and from 1927 to 1929 served as lord
commissioner Of the admiralty and as
sistant chief of the naval staff. In
1929 he was assigned to command
battle cruiser squadron and was pro-
NOTED to the rank of vice admiral the
following year. He was made full
admiral in 1885 and assigned as chief
of staff of the Mediterranean fleet. He
has been in his present post for about