VICEROYS 
 
 REMINISCENCES OFA GURKHA BY 
 MAJOR-GEN;NIGEI
 
 This book 
 
 ed below 
 
 
 SOUTHERN BRANCH, 
 
 r ' r CALIFORNIA., 
 
 ~AUF.
 
 UNDER TEN VICEROYS
 
 GENERAL BRUCE DISGUISED AS A NATIVE CI.ERK.
 
 UNDER TEN 
 VICEROYS 
 
 THE REMINISCENCES 
 OF A GURKHA. BY 
 MAJOR-GENERAL NIGEL 
 WOODYATT, C.B., C.I.E. 
 COLONEL ?TH GURKHAS 
 WITH 16 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED 
 3 YORK STREET ST. JAMES'S 
 LONDON S.W.i. $ MCMXXII 
 
 F~ O """ "^ f\ 
 
 5 o J 3 1
 
 Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Frame and London
 
 TO 
 
 MY WIFE 
 
 WHO, WITH HER BRIGHT COMPANIONSHIP, HAS EVER BEEN 
 
 THE LODESTAR OF MY LIFE ; AND WHOSE LOYAL AND 
 
 LOVING HEART, IN ALL THINGS GREAT AND SMALL, 
 
 HAS REJOICED IN MY SUCCESSES, CONSOLED 
 
 IN MY SORROW AND SOLACED IN MY 
 
 DISAPPOINTMENTS, 
 I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 ik. CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 13 
 
 v II. THE CALL OF INDIA ...... 29 
 
 AV * 
 
 III. INDIA IN THE EIGHTIES 38 
 
 IV. THE DUFFERINS AT SIMLA 49 
 
 V. LORD DUFFERIN AND THE AMIR . . . . 56 
 
 v VI. LORD ROBERTS 63 
 
 VII. I JOIN THE GURKHAS 79 
 
 VIII. WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN ..... 88 
 
 IX. KITCHENER AND CURZON . . . . .106 
 
 X. KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM . . . .127 
 
 . XI. THE HUMAN SIDE OF " K." .... 147 
 
 S XII. THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL . . . . .158 
 
 ? XIII. THE " LITTLE MAN " 171 
 
 Jj XIV. RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 189 
 
 XV. SEDITION IN INDIA ...... 203 
 
 XVI. PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS . . . .217 
 
 XVII. A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY. . . . .231 
 
 XVIII. THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 243 
 
 XIX. TERRITORIALS IN INDIA ..... 255 
 
 XX. SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER .... 272 
 
 XXI. GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR .... 282 
 
 XXII. INDIAN UNREST AND " BIRDIE " . . . . 295 
 
 INDEX 3*3
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 FACING PACE 
 
 GENERAL BRUCE DISGUISED AS A NATIVE CLERK Frontispiece 
 
 THE AUTHOR, WHEN G.O.C. LAHORE DIVISION, AND MOUNTED 
 ON HIS HUNTER-CHARGER " WARRIOR," WINNER OF Six 
 FIRST PRIZES IN THE RING, WINTER OF 1919-20 . 40 
 
 AN IB-POUNDER R.F.A. GUN CROSSING A RIVER ON A RAFT 
 
 PROPELLED BY TWO HORSES SWIMMING 80 
 
 LORD CURZON, WHEN VICEROY OF INDIA, ON HIS SHOOT IN 
 
 THE DISTRICT OF GARHWAL, SEPTEMBER, 1903 . .no 
 
 LORD KITCHENER AND HIS PERSONAL STAFF, DELHI, 1903 . 144 
 
 BRIGADIER-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE C. G. BRUCE, C.B., 
 M.V.O., LATE STH ROYAL AND 6ra GURKHAS AND OF 
 MOUNT EVEREST FAME . . . . . .160 
 
 GENERAL SIR BABER SHUM SHERE, JUNG, BAHADOOR RANA, 
 
 G.B.E., K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E., NEPALESE ARMY . . 166 
 
 NEPALESE EFFIGY, MADE OF WOOD AND CLAY, IN FRONT OF 
 QUARTER GUARD OF PASU PATTI PRASSA BATTALION OF 
 NEPAL CONTINGENT AT ABBOTTABAD, 1915-19 . .168 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HILL, C.B. . . . .176 
 
 PIPERS OF 2/3RD QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S OWN, GURKHAS, PLAYING 
 
 IN A VILLAGE IN FRANCE, WINTER OF 1914-15 . .186 
 
 GENERAL His HIGHNESS MAHARAJAH SIR CHANDRA SHUM 
 SHERE, JUNG, PRIME MINISTER AND MARSHAL OF NEPAL, 
 CHRISTMAS, 1920 ....... 220 
 
 QUETTA STAFF COLLEGE CHRISTMAS CARD, 1919, AT END OF 
 
 FIRST TERM HELD AFTER THE GREAT WAR . . . 248 
 
 BRIGADIER-GENERAL R. E. H. DYER, C.B., INDIAN ARMY . 290 
 
 THE STREET IN AMRITSAR CITY, PUNJAB, WHERE Miss SHER- 
 WOOD WAS LEFT FOR DEAD BY THE REBELS IN APRIL, 
 1919 .......... 292 
 
 " MAHATMA " GANDHI, THE INSTIGATOR OF NON-CO-OPERA- 
 TION ......... 298 
 
 GENERAL SIR WILLIAM BIRDWOOD, BT., G.C.M.G., K.C.B., 
 
 C.I.E., D.S.0 306
 
 THE TEN VICEROYS 
 
 1. THE MARQUIS OF RIPON . assumed charge 8th June, 1880 
 
 2. THE EARL OF DUFFERIN . ,, ,, I3th Dec., 1884 
 
 3. THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE ,, ,, loth Dec., 1888 
 
 4. THE EARL OF ELGIN AND 
 
 KINCARDINE . . ,, ,, 27th Jan., 1894 
 
 5. BARON CURZON OF KEDLESTON ,, ,, 6th Jan., 1899 
 
 reappointed i3th Dec., 1904 
 
 6. BARON AMPTHILL . . assumed charge 3oth April, 1904 
 
 7. THE EARL OF MINTO . ,, ,, i8th Nov., 1905 
 
 8. BARON HARDINGE OF PENS- 
 
 HURST ....,, ,, 23rd Nov., 1910 
 
 9. LORD CHELMSFORD . . ,, ,, 4th April, 1916 
 10. LORD READING ,, ist April, 1921 
 
 11
 
 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 
 
 " "W"M damned if I do," said my father, with a stamp 
 of his foot, and a chilling silence fell over the 
 Vicarage drawing-room. 
 
 -* The Reverend Edward Woodyatt was in a bad 
 temper ; indeed, he was in what his mother, the last of 
 the Drakelow Gresleys, used to call " one of Edward's 
 little pets." His mother's darling and spoilt from his 
 cradle he was, although the most lovable of men, not too 
 practised in self-control. 
 
 I can picture that scene in the drawing-room now, after 
 a lapse of forty years. My mother, very disturbed and 
 fanning herself, for it was a hot June evening, my eldest 
 sister looking pretty and bright-eyed with excitement, 
 my father walking up and down in the dickens of a rage, 
 but very handsome in his wrath, whilst I, the cause of this 
 most unclerical outburst, sat in a very low chair, my feet 
 well apart, my elbows resting on my knees, my hands 
 on either side of my head and my eyes fixed upon the 
 carpet. 
 
 My father was one of those men who, while possessing 
 plenty of energy and initiative in the small things he liked 
 doing, much preferred procrastination in anything big. 
 In such matters he took as his motto, " Never do to-day 
 what you can put off until to-morrow." Being myself the 
 opposite and very adverse to havering, I am afraid I must 
 have been a dreadful thorn in his side. Yet we were great 
 friends, and I enjoyed his whole-hearted delight in any 
 
 13
 
 14 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 humorous happenings in our little village, where he was 
 immensely liked and much respected. 
 
 He was an extremely good-looking man, with a neat 
 figure. In his younger days a bit of a dandy, and to the 
 end a great admirer of the fair sex. Dissent from the 
 Church of England was becoming more general in my early 
 youth, and very marked in our parts ; yet, being broad- 
 minded, he remained quite popular. I remember there 
 was a good deal of discussion amongst the neighbouring 
 clergy when, on the death of a local and prominent 
 dissenter, my father invited the pastor of the deceased's 
 persuasion to conduct the burial service in our church- 
 yard. 
 
 I can recollect during the Russo-Turkish war, how he 
 returned one day to luncheon bubbling over with merriment 
 about a chance encounter that morning with the local tax 
 collector. This man was an advanced Radical (classed, 
 in those days, as we should now class an extreme com- 
 munist), a rabid dissenter from the Church and possessing 
 an extraordinarily good opinion of himself and his fund 
 of general knowledge. The latter, derived entirely from the 
 county newspapers, was pretty superficial, but he didn't in the 
 least realise it. My father, being a practised public speaker, 
 had often come up against this local politician and found 
 occasion to put him right. This didn't change the man's 
 views, but gave him a very sincere regard for the vicar's 
 real knowledge and learning. 
 
 Well, they discussed the war, the stubbornness of the 
 Turk, the endurance of the Russian, the probable out- 
 come of the struggle, etc. Then, just before parting, the 
 tax collector made the following enquiry, and this was 
 what had upset my father's gravity so much : " And 
 Measter Woodyatt, them Turks, I suppose, they're all 
 ' Cartholics ' ! " 
 
 My mother, one of the Yeomans of Woodlands, Whitby, 
 was very clever and a great linguist, speaking French, 
 German, Italian and Spanish. Her humour was most 
 quaint, her fund of general knowledge prodigious, for she 
 was a most voracious reader, and her memory quite extra- 
 ordinary. For instance, her great-grandmother (Mrs. Hale, 
 wife of John Hale who raised the I7th Lancers, as the i6th 
 Light Dragoons) had twenty-one children, eleven sons and 
 ten daughters. She only once saw them all together,
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 15 
 
 when she fainted ! As most of the daughters married, 
 here alone was a nice mix-up of cousins of sorts. Yet 
 my mother remembered them all, their names, the number 
 of children they had, where they lived, and how they 
 prospered. 
 
 In addition to this she had the most wonderful spirits, 
 making her a very delightful companion. No sickness, 
 no pain, no trouble, daunted that brave heart. A few 
 minutes before she died my brother Barney (Dr. Bernard 
 Hale Woodyatt) came to her bedside. She was too far 
 gone, poor dear, to either move or speak, but smiling at 
 him she actually winked ; just to show that her spirits were 
 game to the very end. To my lasting regret I was in 
 India when we lost one upon whose like we shall never 
 look again. 
 
 At the time of which I am writing I was in the well- 
 known Liverpool firm of Phipps & Co., coffee merchants. 
 The head of the house lived at Chalcot, in Wiltshire, where 
 he was Member for Westbury. His eldest son, Charlie, 
 a junior partner, who later succeeded his father as Member 
 for the same constituency, then lived in Cheshire, and went 
 daily to business in Liverpool. 
 
 One day Mr. Phipps took away my father's breath by 
 a letter asking if I would like to enter the firm as soon 
 as I left Shrewsbury School. The offer was accepted, and 
 my mother could talk of nothing but what her eldest son 
 would do when he became a merchant prince. 
 
 But when the time arrived, it was found my destination 
 was to be Rio de Janeiro, then notorious for its yellow 
 fever. My parents, therefore, refused the appointment 
 on plea of too extreme youth for such a climate. The 
 result was that a boy from the Liverpool office was sent 
 instead and I was given his post. Three months later 
 he died of yellow fever, and my people thought they had 
 chosen wisely. 
 
 Work in the Liverpool office was pretty strenuous, for 
 we youngsters had to be at our desks by 9 a.m., and never 
 got away before five o'clock. We received no salary for 
 five years, during which period we were supposed to be 
 learning the business. Indeed, we were thought to be 
 lucky that our parents paid no premium for the supposed 
 advantages their sons gained in entering the firm. 
 
 This might be quite right in cotton, where you got many
 
 16 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 valuable connections outside, but coffee was quite another 
 pair of shoes. 
 
 The work consisted mainly of book-keeping, letter- 
 writing and checking bills of lading, while the correspondence, 
 being mainly with New York, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro 
 and Valparaiso, did not enable us to get to know anyone 
 at all. Fellow clerks kept going out to Rio de Janeiro 
 and returning. Men like myself, who had started in this 
 firm doing five years' work for nothing, and then were 
 " articled " for another five years on a moderate salary 
 in the South American branch. 
 
 After two years I began to wonder what prospects the 
 future held. I did not propose to be a clerk for ever, 
 but there were dozens of sons, nephews or cousins of the 
 name of Phipps, who would all be preferred for partner- 
 ship before me. The life was by no means objectionable, 
 but there was nothing tangible to look forward to. Many 
 of my friends were soldiers, and I began to conceive a great 
 hankering after the Army. 
 
 Another disturbing factor was the increasing influence 
 of a newly-made partner, a German, called Gorstenhoffer, 
 whom I detested so cordially that it seems now a sort of 
 premonition of the feelings we should all bear, later on, 
 towards his fellow-countrymen. 
 
 With these thoughts in mind and full of foreboding, 
 I had journeyed home and selected this hot June evening 
 to ask my father to sound Messrs. Phipps & Co. regarding 
 my future prospects ; adding that, if no definite promise 
 of a partnership were forthcoming, I thought the Army 
 offered me a much better career. 
 
 This was the bombshell which called forth the domestic 
 storm with which my chapter opens. 
 
 In the end I got my way and, as Charlie Phipps explained 
 in a very nice letter that it was impossible to make any 
 promise as things then stood, I left the firm and entered 
 the Cheshire Militia. Managing to pass the Army entrance 
 examination at my first attempt, I was duly gazetted a 
 lieutenant in the ist battalion Dorset Regiment on I2th 
 May, 1883. Unfortunately I was then over twenty-two 
 years of age, and this was a dreadful set-back all my 
 service. 
 
 In justice to my father I must confess that he had every 
 reason to be upset, for my record to date had been such
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 17 
 
 as not only to cause him some anxiety, but also very con- 
 siderable expense. During my two years in business he 
 had been obliged to allow me 300 a year, which I had 
 greatly exceeded. I had also been much addicted to 
 hunting, football and running. 
 
 The first had his sympathy, but hardly his countenance 
 because of its costliness. The last he detested because he 
 considered the whole surroundings low, and unfit for one 
 of our class to indulge in. As regards football, I am afraid 
 I did let it interfere with my studies considerably. 
 
 Having given up the Rugby game, after playing it a good 
 deal in Liverpool and London, I founded a " socker " club 
 in our village, called the " Over Wanderers," which soon 
 embraced the adjoining town of Winsford. This was, I 
 believe, the beginning of real football in those parts, and I 
 heard afterwards that later on the little club achieved some 
 prominence. If this should catch the eye of Mr. Hamlet, 
 of Winsford, it will call to mind the many jolly games we 
 had together. 
 
 Living in the middle of the hunting in Cheshire, I had 
 attended all " meets " anywhere near my home from my 
 earliest years, commencing the riding part on a female 
 donkey, bought to provide milk for a sickly baby brother 
 rather to the detriment of the milk ! 
 
 She was really an excellent animal, but only went her 
 best pace when one bestrode her extreme hind-quarters. 
 The usual procedure was to beat her hard with the 
 open hand while on foot and, when she got into a good 
 canter, leap on behind ; she would then gallop for 
 about two hundred yards, when the process had to be 
 repeated. 
 
 It is not everyone who has been " blooded " by old Regi- 
 nald Corbet off a donkey, yet such was my privilege. The 
 meet was not far from my home and my age about ten 
 years. After finding in the nearest covert, hounds went 
 off with a burst and the donkey and I were soon done to 
 the world with the strenuous exertion required by our 
 method of progression. 
 
 Riding homewards somewhat disconsolately, and when 
 passing my father's churchyard, I suddenly heard the 
 music of the hounds behind me, and they actually ran into 
 their fox amongst the tombstones ! It was not long before, 
 pushing open the gates, I was in at the death, whilst very 
 
 B
 
 i8 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 shortly the M.F.H., "Old Corbet," as we boys called him, 
 jumped the low wall of the churchyard, followed by his 
 huntsman. 
 
 Having had a nice burst of twenty-five minutes and now 
 a kill, he was in a high good-humour and, calling me up, 
 blooded me very liberally, saying : " You're a damned 
 good boy and that's a damned good donkey. Now go 
 home and tell your father to give you a glass of 
 port." 
 
 Having seen and spoken to me last at the meet, I firmly 
 believe he imagined I had followed a considerable portion 
 of the run. 
 
 We boys always knew what sort of a day Old Corbet 
 had had when we saw him jogging home, for, if good, his 
 cap was tilted backwards ; but if bad, the peak was pulled 
 right down over his eyes. 
 
 Many celebrities came Cheshire way. Amongst them 
 the late Mrs. Cornwallis West caused me to fall in love 
 before I was in my teens, for I thought her the most beautiful 
 woman imaginable. She was not a hard rider, I remember, 
 but she had a very large circle of admirers, who regularly 
 jostled one another to see her home. 
 
 A great flutter was caused in the Tarporley Hunt by the 
 attendance two seasons of the late Empress of Austria, 
 piloted first by Bay Middleton and then Rivers Bulkely. 
 She was a fine horsewoman, splendidly mounted and rode 
 quite hard. Two other things about her I can recollect 
 as striking me : 
 
 (a) Her marvellously fitting habit. (b] The extra- 
 ordinary slimness of her waist. Mentioning these to 
 a boy friend, he told me his eldest sister assured him 
 she had worn tight stays since her cradle, and that 
 her habit had to be done up with a button-hook after 
 mounting. 
 
 No conveyances were ever seen at meets in those days, 
 except perhaps a farmer's gig or a child's pony-cart, whose 
 occupants hoped to see some of the fun by following tracks 
 and by-ways. 
 
 People hacked to their hunting, sometimes a very consider- 
 able distance, and were content to jog home afterwards. 
 There is no reason to suppose our forbears had more 
 stamina than we ourselves, so when one hears a man 
 talking of his father or grandfather hunting six days a
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 19 
 
 week through a season, one takes it with a large grain of 
 salt. 
 
 The days I write of were those of the old Tarporley Hunt 
 (whose members wore a green collar) in the sixties and 
 seventies of the last century. I can recall quite easily the 
 names and faces of such "green collars" as Corbet, my 
 first M.F.H., Squire Wilbraham, Tom Cholmondeley 
 (afterwards my Militia C.O.), J. Tomkinson (Jamie), etc. 
 And many who were not " green collars," like Charlie 
 Phipps, my business boss, " Monkey " Hornby, John 
 Birkett, Harry Rawson, with John Jones (the First Whip 
 and then Huntsman for a total period of thirty- three years), 
 and many others. And later the younger generation, 
 including Willie Court, Bo. Littledale, Will Higson and 
 Mosley Leigh. 
 
 Tom Cholmondeley was a fine judge of a horse, and a 
 great horse-master. Jimmy Tomkinson, on account of 
 his hard riding, was always called " Tommy Jumpkinson," 
 and was the only man I ever heard say he could catch hounds 
 when they had once got a start. This, however, he was 
 frequently known to do. Squire Wilbraham used to confess 
 that his going entirely depended on his horse, because 
 when he got near a fence he always shut his eyes until he 
 landed on the other side. Mr. Rowland E. Egerton- 
 Warburton, in his famous Cheshire ballad, " Farmer Dobbin," 
 says of him : 
 
 " Squire Wilbraham of the Forest, death and danger he defoies, 
 When his coat be toightly buttoned up, and shut be both his oies." 
 
 Of Tom Cholmondeley he wrote : 
 
 " An' a chip of owd Lord Delamere, the Honorable Turn." 
 
 John Birkett I don't think I ever saw take a fence, but 
 he was a great man down a lane. " Monkey " Hornby 
 was a sort of privileged person and could go anywhere he 
 liked, even into covert. In his early days he rode all sorts 
 of crocks and got many croppers off them, for nothing 
 stopped him. 
 
 I had an amusing morning one day with old Harry Rawson, 
 who had lost his horse. I think he had meditated attempt- 
 ing to ford a brook. He certainly wasn't going to try and 
 jump it. Anyhow I was some fields away browsing the
 
 20 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 donkey, which I was getting too big for. I saw old Rawson's 
 lanky figure on foot and the horse careering in front of me. 
 Leaving the donkey for the old man to ride if he liked, 
 and making a short cut, I caught the mare behind a 
 wood, and getting up had a nice gallop towards hounds, 
 who had turned their fox back to covert. Then very 
 demurely I dismounted and led the mare back to her 
 owner, who thanked me effusively, but eyed me, I thought, 
 rather suspiciously. 
 
 As time went on and the donkey was discarded, I 
 ran with the hounds for miles and miles, and later on 
 got an occasional mount, while every fiver given me was 
 spent on a hiring. Some very good animals I got, too. 
 I think the fiver gave me the horse for something like 
 seven days, and I am afraid he went back always very 
 much finer than when I got him. My father had to feed 
 him. 
 
 To lead up to the running mania, I must record that, 
 before going to Shrewsbury School, I had been much bitten 
 with it because of the enthusiasm of my old nurse's nephew. 
 At his periodical visits to his aunt, I used to sit at his feet 
 in the nursery, and listen to the wonderful performances 
 on the running-path of Jack This and Billy That, until 
 I knew quite a lot about it. 
 
 At school I took it up strongly, scoring many victories 
 in the winter term " cross country runs," due probably 
 to my early training in the hunting field. In my second 
 or third year, though fully young for it, I had the temerity 
 to enter for the Senior Steeplechase. It was a very barbar- 
 ous performance in those days, as the course was three 
 miles of stiff country over thorny hedges and other obstacles. 
 Quick-set hedges, four feet to five feet high, were called 
 " belly hedges," because you had to learn to take off some 
 way in front, hurl yourself on your belly on top of the 
 hedge, and then wriggle over. 
 
 The costume consisted of ordinary thick under-drawers 
 and long-armed vest, with " fighting " drawers (sort of 
 bathing drawers, as worn by boxers) over the former. Round 
 the stomach was a broad wash leather waistbelt to keep out 
 thorns, and on the hands stout leather gloves. 
 
 After donning these garments the sleeves of the vest 
 were firmly stitched with stout thread to the gloves, the 
 legs of the drawers to the socks, the waistbelt to the vest,
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 21 
 
 round the waist, and the edge of the fighting drawers to 
 the lower pants, all round. 
 
 There were two very old traditions about this steeple- 
 chase on foot, namely, that neither the boy who " broke" 
 the first hedge (i.e. was first over) nor the boy who led across 
 the cavalry field (a huge pasture of forty acres used for 
 yeomanry training), ever won. You don't think of these 
 things when excited, and I happened to do both without 
 realising it at the time. 
 
 Then came a set-back. The next fence was a " belly 
 hedge," at which I had never been good. Getting much 
 too close before jumping, I never got on top at all, but 
 slithered down to the near side. A run back for another 
 attempt, and the same result. A third shot and I was 
 over, but not before the whole field had passed me. 
 
 The favourite, Ffolliott Sandford, was now leading, and 
 it was veritably a case of the " first shall be last and 
 the last shall be first." At the same time a great feeling 
 of sickness came over me, and I remembered how some 
 blighter had persuaded me to swallow two raw eggs 
 half an hour before the race as "very good for the 
 wind." 
 
 General fitness and a long stride helped me to keep going 
 and, after a couple of meadows, even to overtake two or 
 three of the field. Then came the bend home, and though 
 I felt I was catching up, still Sandford was a field ahead 
 with two others at his heels. 
 
 Over the last " belly hedge " and my eye saw the final 
 obstacle but one, in front of Sandford, and I knew it for a 
 teaser of a fence, with a really wide and deep ditch on the 
 near side. Away went the sickness, and I sprinted hard, 
 for there was just a chance that the leader would miss his 
 jump and fall back into the ditch, which was exactly what 
 he did. 
 
 Not only that, but the two others, rather spent, did the 
 same, and all three were in the ditch together, greatly imped- 
 ing each other in their panting and clutching efforts to get 
 out. Much exhilarated by the sight, feeling now absolutely 
 fresh and putting on all the pace I knew, I jumped 
 the whole lot clean men, ditch, hedge and all and once 
 more regained the lead that I had lost. 
 
 It is impossible to say how it was done. It must have 
 been the two eggs ! There is little more to tell. Blind
 
 22 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 with joy, I burst through the last fence anyhow a stiff 
 bullfinch and rushed up to the winning flags. Even 
 equipped, as we all were, with thick drawers, leather waist- 
 belt, gloves, etc., I finished in tatters, and it took two men 
 quite an hour to get the thorns out of my body and limbs. 
 Brandy was then rubbed in, which, for a few minutes, 
 made one dance with pain. 
 
 Good old Shrewsbury, with hundreds of years of tradition, 
 quaint customs and old-world appearance. I talk as it 
 was over forty years ago, and before the school moved to 
 the beautiful site across the River Severn. Those were very 
 happy days, though I fear I did little for the school in the 
 scholar line. My one and only form prize was a classical 
 one, my first term, obtained simply because of being put 
 too low down at the time of entry. 
 
 Not satisfied with long distance running, I then took 
 up sprinting, and at the annual school meeting managed 
 to win both the senior hundred yards and the quarter mile. 
 This fired me more than ever. 
 
 On going into business in Liverpool, I found my old 
 nurse's nephew, Harry Ellis, had blossomed into a kind 
 of professional trainer in charge of some running-grounds. 
 During the following summer, getting some leave, I lived 
 with him, for a six weeks' course of training, to the great 
 disgust of my people. 
 
 Running was a good deal the rage then. It was the 
 old days of Lillie Bridge, where the Amateur Champion- 
 ships were held annually. These took place the week 
 after the Oxford and Cambridge Sports and generally 
 resulted in University candidates carrying off several 
 events. 
 
 These were the days also before the advent of the Amateur 
 Athletic Association. Although the status of amateur was 
 clearly defined and the professional debarred from competing 
 at amateur meetings, still a great deal of betting went on, 
 with crowds of " bookies " on every course ; while, under 
 false names and false entries, the " pro " was always 
 trying it on. 
 
 When I got on to the back mark in the 120 yards and the 
 quarter mile many such gentry were encountered, some of 
 whom never saw their " number go up," but ran at short- 
 ened odds as " first past the post." 
 
 One " Sheffield handicap " runner, to whom I was con-
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 23 
 
 ceding six yards in the 120 and twenty-five yards in the 
 quarter, at a meeting in Shropshire (attended without my 
 trainer), waylaid me on the way to the railway station with 
 two villainous-looking bookies, and treated me to the most 
 insulting remarks. After a "set to" of three or four 
 rounds, which it was quite impossible for me to avoid, he 
 knocked me out badly by a smart left-hander to the 
 jaw. 
 
 In the above races he had repassed me quite easily, just 
 on the " worsted " itself, in the heats and finals of both 
 events. His grouse was, that I had objected to him as a 
 professional, and so the committee had refused him the 
 first prizes until he proved his status. 
 
 As a matter of fact, I had not objected to him at all, but 
 the third men in the quarter and sprint had objected to 
 both of us, as professionals ! Having no difficulty in proving 
 myself an amateur, the two first prizes came to me eventually, 
 after my friend had failed, within a month, to comply with 
 the committee's demand. 
 
 Harry Ellis was looked upon as very up-to-date in his 
 methods, eschewing, as he did, the old raw meat theory, 
 and training his clients according to their temperament, 
 physique and condition on arrival. For payment of about 
 two pounds a week, I got his best bedroom and parlour, 
 his frequent attendance, the use of the running-ground, the 
 services of two "rubbers-down," and his personal attention 
 at all races. 
 
 There is no doubt he made a bit on me at meetings 
 later on ; for, walking up the strings for the final of 
 a sprint, I often heard the hoarse cries of the bookies, 
 " Two to one bar one," " Two to one bar one ; it's 
 Woodyatt I bar," and then I knew he and his pals had 
 been plunging ! 
 
 Life at this training estabh'shment was very dull for 
 one's mind \ Once asking an old " has been " in the Militia 
 how he had felt when he was in good training, he said, 
 " Splendid, just as if one was on wires." Well, my experi- 
 ence was exactly the opposite, for I felt deadly slack, and 
 the slacker I felt the better I ran that day. 
 
 There were some queer people under Ellis's charge: 
 runners, walkers, bicyclists, and even professional fighters. 
 They came in all sorts of condition, some fairly fit, but 
 the majority very gross ; the fighters especially so, having
 
 24 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 done nothing but " bust " since their last encounter. 
 
 Such men, having come to the end of their ready cash, 
 had got some rich young Liverpool or Manchester " blood " 
 to finance them, and put up the money for their next " mill." 
 Ellis had no compunction about these men. Those who 
 were fat and lazy he tied to the back of a dog-cart, and 
 took out for a ten to twenty-mile " trek " every other 
 day. 
 
 One boxer called Jim Crow had an insatiable thirst 
 which he could never control. Failing any form of alcohol, 
 water sufficed, but he would have liquid of some sort, 
 and a great deal of it. 
 
 Crow was a good fighter with a substantial backer, and 
 a big contest had been arranged. It was absolutely essential 
 he should be got fit, but there was this terrible weakness 
 to be watched, and dealt with. He used the most appalling 
 language and remained in a veritable state of gloom when 
 nothing but his modest glass of beer and a limited amount 
 of water were to be obtained. 
 
 One day Ellis came to me saying he was much concerned 
 about Crow, because he had been in such a good temper 
 for a week ; that he must be getting extra liquid somehow ; 
 that he had started a tremendous craze for shower-baths 
 at all odd times, and that he (Ellis) was now going to put 
 a suspicion he had to the test, by filling the shower-bath 
 reservoir with salt. 
 
 That evening a " watcher," looking through a peep- 
 hole, saw Jim Crow make a cup of his two hands below 
 the shower-bath preparatory to taking copious draughts, 
 as had evidently been his recent custom. His face and 
 language when the briny substance reached his palate were 
 too much for the watcher, who sank to the floor in an agony 
 of suppressed laughter. But not so suppressed as to prevent 
 the irate Jimmy from hearing him. Rushing out stark 
 naked, he gave the spy such a hammering that he was 
 soon writhing in another kind of agony. 
 
 My own daily routine was : 
 8 a.m. Breakfast of two lightly poached eggs, two 
 
 pieces of toast with very little butter, one 
 
 cup of tea. 
 
 8.30-9.30 a.m. Lie down for one hour. 
 9.30 a.m. Out walking, with Ellis beside me on a bicycle.
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 25 
 
 Hands up, pace five to six miles an hour, 
 distance ten miles. Clothes very light. 
 
 12.30 p.m. Reach running-ground, rubbed down by two 
 men, first with rough towel and then by 
 hand. Run 200 or 300 yards very fast, or 
 practise twenty or thirty starts from a pistol. 
 (This was before that splendid position of 
 '' off the hands " was invented.) 
 
 1.30 p.m. Dinner. Mutton chop or beefsteak, or cut off 
 the joint, with toast, very few vegetables, 
 and one small glass of beer ; followed by 
 milk pudding. 
 
 2-3 p.m. Lie down again. 
 
 3 p.m. Another ten miles as in morning. 
 
 5 p.m. Much the same as at 12.30, but varied. 
 
 6 p.m. Tea, one boiled egg. Watercress, toast, some 
 
 butter with a little jam and two cups of tea. 
 9 p.m. Oatmeal gruel, and then bed. 
 
 Of all the routine, the after-meal " lie down " was the 
 most hateful. Somehow there was little inclination to 
 read, and though one was really very tired on going to bed, 
 it was most difficult to get to sleep. Weighing was a daily 
 matter viewed with much importance. Ten stone six 
 pounds was the first record, which after three weeks came 
 down to nine stone six, then the weight went up until 
 after six weeks it was eleven stone four. The result of 
 changing flesh for muscle, so Ellis said. 
 
 The last fortnight, the hard work, with little liquid, 
 affected my kidneys pretty badly, and every night I was 
 then given a small quantity of gin and water. 
 
 The first day I arrived at the running-ground, it was the 
 case of running a full quarter mile, straight off. In vain 
 I protested, and in vain I pleaded that I had just completed 
 the orgy of an annual Militia training ! Ellis insisted that 
 it was to be done to enable him to gauge my powers, and 
 not only that, but he was brutal enough to put out a man 
 about 100 yards from home to what he called " pull 
 me out." 
 
 So I stripped and ran, knowing I should be sick at the 
 end, which I was, and so painfully, that no sea-sickness 
 has ever been worse. The time was 58^ seconds, at which, 
 after such an effort, I was very disgusted, but Ellis seemed
 
 26 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 quite pleased. That I vastly improved in style and pace 
 at this establishment is proved by a quarter-mile run, after 
 six weeks' training, at Birkenhead Football or Cricket 
 Club Sports, when the record would have been beaten 
 easily had the full 440 yards been completed. 
 
 In those days there were two records, one for a cinder 
 track (49 seconds, I think), of which there were then very 
 few (though Lillie Bridge had one), and one for performances 
 on grass (52 seconds). The Birkenhead track was a 
 grass one. My start was five yards, with Schofield, the 
 North of England quarter-mile champion, behind me at 
 scratch. 
 
 There were over twenty starters, the limit being thirty-five 
 yards. The favourite was a Winchester boy who, although 
 he had just won his school quarter in wonderful time, 
 had been given the limit of thirty-five yards. A cousin's 
 wedding three or four days before had called me. There 
 training was broken and all sorts of forbidden things eaten 
 and drunk, both at the old-fashioned wedding breakfast, 
 and for two whole days after it. 
 
 With the pistol I went off as usual, as if only running 
 loo yards, and was most lucky in the way I got through 
 my men. A lot of them, being green, ran wide, and in 
 these cases I slipped past on the inside, for " a foot from 
 the ropes " was my motto, except when passing anyone. 
 At half distance the whole lot had been collared, except 
 the Winchester boy, who seemed to me as far away as 
 ever. 
 
 Nearing the " straight " I found he was coming back 
 very quickly, and half-way past the grand-stand I passed 
 him, but heard frenzied cries from this stand of " Well 
 run, Schofield ; well run, Schofield." Naturally I thought 
 I was being overtaken and, running " all out " to the 
 worsted, looked round to find that Schofield was catching 
 the Winchester boy, and that was what the shouting was 
 all about. 
 
 Staggering off to the dressing-tent to lie down on the 
 clean straw, it soon became evident that there was a great 
 hubbub going on. Schofield, on coming in, was asked by 
 someone if he had won, and I heard the reply, " How the 
 devil could I win with the time over two seconds inside 
 the record." 
 
 This set me thinking, and presently up came one of the
 
 WHY I BECAME A SOLDIER 27 
 
 stewards with Walter Platt, of The Field, the official time- 
 keeper and handicapper. With outstretched hands they 
 beamed congratulations, which astonished me so, that I 
 asked, " What f or ? " " You've just done 49! seconds, on 
 grass, off the five yards mark," said Platt. " I most heartily 
 congratulate you, and I'm now going to measure the track 
 with a steep tape." 
 
 Unfortunately the length was found to be only 436 
 yards, or four yards short of the quarter mile. A pity, 
 but still it was the best race I ever ran. The average 
 pace for the distance of 431 yards I actually ran was over 
 8 J yards a second, and so I should have been well within 
 the record had it been a matter of going nine yards 
 more. 
 
 Running in those days was very exciting, but my father 
 objected to it strongly and was right in saying that it was 
 somewhat low, and that he would not continue my allow- 
 ance if I went on with it. At first no heed was taken, 
 and Ellis found me plenty of cash by betting at the weekly 
 meetings. 
 
 As a sprinter, however, I was never to be compared 
 with my brother, H. C. Woody att, of the " United Hos- 
 pitals " and " London Athletic Club " (now a doctor at 
 Brockenhurst). " H. C." undoubtedly beat even time for 
 the 100 yards on more than one occasion ; but official 
 time-keepers are, rightly, very chary of giving even ten 
 seconds dead, if there has been the slightest advantage 
 to the runner, such as a wind behind, a bit gained in the 
 start, etc. 
 
 This brother of mine, during his time in London, won 
 every challenge cup given for sprinting ; beat the 100 
 yards amateur champion in a special scratch race at Crewe, 
 and created an " United Hospitals " record for their 220 
 yards event (22 and th, or fth seconds), which has not been 
 equalled yet. 
 
 In the early morning, a Sunday, after my scrap, en 
 route to the station, with the Sheffield handicap runner, 
 in Shropshire, I arrived home, where I had practically 
 been forbidden to go. I was in a somewhat knocked- 
 about condition, and turned up just as my father was start- 
 ing for early service. He didn't say much though he 
 looked a good deal the only remark being, " You seem 
 to have been in the wars ; have you given up running? "
 
 28 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 and when I answered, " Yes," he added, " Then I'm very 
 glad to see you, and by the same token you'd better 
 ask cook if she can give you a raw beefsteak for that left 
 eye." That was the end of my career on the running- 
 path.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THE CALL OF INDIA 
 
 IN December, 1880, I was gazetted a second lieutenant 
 in the ist Royal Cheshire Militia Light Infantry, a 
 cumbrous title, changed next year to 3rd Battalion 
 Cheshire Regiment. 
 
 We came out annually in Chester, the officers messing 
 at the Grosvenor Hotel. The training had always to be 
 arranged so as to close before the Chester Races on the plea 
 that the town would otherwise be painted red by our 
 gallant men ! A large majority of these were Irishmen, 
 with very many old soldiers amongst them. We did a 
 certain amount of soldiering, but the whole thing was 
 largely a big social county merrymaking, with enormous 
 lunches, and cheery guest nights every week. 
 
 The Colonel was Tom Cholmondeley, a capital judge of 
 a horse and a keen rider to hounds. The second-in-command 
 was France-Hayhurst, of Bostock, and then came Tom 
 Marshall, of Hartford, one of the keenest non-regular 
 soldiers that ever stepped. As ardent a Volunteer as he 
 was a Militiaman, everyone was delighted when in 1906 he 
 was created a civil K.C.B. Amongst his many accom- 
 plishments was an expert knowledge of rowing. My 
 father, who was at Christ Church just before or just after 
 him, told me of his very peculiar case. Having broken 
 down in training when bow of the Oxford eight, he was 
 put in as cox on purpose to keep him in the boat. Then 
 he became president of the O.U.B.C., an unprecedented 
 honour for a man who had not actually rowed in the 
 race. 
 
 A. N. Hornby (commonly called " Monkey ") was one 
 of our company commanders, the darling of his men and 
 the leader in every kind of frolic. He was then thirty- 
 five, and the picture of manly strength, health and good 
 
 29
 
 30 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 looks. Hunting all the winter and playing cricket all the 
 summer ought to keep anyone fit ! Captain of England 
 for cricket and football the same year, he was about the 
 best-known man in the British Isles, and as popular 
 in Chester as he was at the Old Trafford, or in Black- 
 burn. 
 
 His father's mills were located at Blackburn, and he 
 could have been Member for that constituency any day he 
 liked. When put into the mills after leaving Harrow, he 
 encouraged cricket amongst the hands to such an extent 
 during the dinner hour that this period was often pro- 
 longed to two or even three hours. At last, in despair, 
 his father gave him 500 a year to keep away ! 
 
 We were great friends and I often stayed with him at 
 his first cottage near Nantwich. Soon after joining, on 
 account of my running reputation, I was put on the battalion 
 annual sports committee, of which Hornby was president, 
 and we set out one day to buy the prizes from a Chester 
 jeweller. " Monkey " was very particular about the cup 
 for the officers' race, which he informed me he invariably 
 won. I am not sure he did not pay something extra for 
 it out of his own pocket. Anyhow, he didn't seem too 
 pleased when I managed to beat him, though I was nearly 
 caught myself by a very speedy half-back called Forbes, 
 of the London Scottish, who had just joined us. 
 
 Another skipper was Rhys Jones, who had been in the 
 Regular Army, but then lived mostly by his wits. One big 
 guest night, when over sixty were dining, he offered to bet 
 anyone, or everyone, anything from a fiver to a pony that 
 he would not "go as you please" seven miles round the 
 Rhoodee (Chester racecourse, and, I think, one mile round) 
 next afternoon in an hour. Nearly everyone took him 
 on, and a lot of money was wagered. 
 
 Now almost every man you meet would say he could 
 " get " seven miles in an hour. It does not sound very 
 difficult, yet out of about fifty of us only seven managed 
 to do it. Some began by trotting, then walked, then got 
 behindhand and lost. Others began by walking hard, 
 and then got such pains down their shins they couldn't 
 run. All found, a thing they hadn't thought of, but Jones 
 had (!), that the grass had not been cut for ages, and was 
 abnormally long and rank. Those who won trotted all 
 the way, though some of them very gently.
 
 THE CALL OF INDIA 31 
 
 As mentioned in the last chapter, my commission, on 
 passing into the Army from the Militia, was dated I2th 
 May, 1883. It was great chagrin to me to be gazetted to 
 the ist Dorsets at Aldershot, and not to a battalion in 
 India. Not that I then wanted the Indian Army, but 
 desired so much to serve in that country. Nor could 
 I get to the 2nd Dorsets at Peshawar, as there was no 
 vacancy. In vain I waited nearly six months for one and 
 then, taking my courage in both hands, went personally 
 to the War Office. In those days the official to see on such 
 matters was the military secretary, though I did not think 
 he was at all likely to consent to see a humble lieutenant 
 like myself. 
 
 In fear and trembling my card was given to the messenger, 
 and very shortly I was admitted to the Presence. Now, 
 in those days I had not the faintest conception of what a 
 military secretary was like. Barring that his name was, 
 if my memory does not fail me, Lord Edward Seymour, 
 I was not sure of his rank nor did I know anything about 
 him. 
 
 I had pictured to myself a somewhat brusque, but debonair, 
 young officer who would hurl curt questions at me, and 
 probably tell me to go to the devil. Instead of that I 
 found a most delightful old gentleman in a frock-coat who, 
 getting up from his revolving chair, shook hands warmly. 
 Waving me to a seat, he said : "Sit down, sit down, and 
 tell me what I can do for you." 
 
 It only remained for me to explain that I wanted to 
 transfer to a battalion in India, and suggested the 2nd 
 Cheshires, as I knew many of the officers. 
 
 " Of course, of course," said my friend, " and you have 
 a claim, having done some years' service in the county 
 militia, a very strong claim, and we are doing all we can 
 to encourage the Territorial connection. Let me see" 
 (consulting the Army List), " I notice that the last joined 
 subaltern in the 2nd Cheshires is three months junior to 
 you, and " (looking up at me) " I'm afraid we can't antedate 
 you, and put you in over his head." 
 
 Hastening to explain that it didn't matter in the least, 
 I deeply wondered, and have wondered ever since, what 
 he would have said and done if I had insisted on being 
 put above this officer, for he was such a dear, kind old 
 gentleman.
 
 32 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 After some talk about India I took my leave, and in 
 December, 1883, shipped in the troopship Malabar to join 
 the 2nd Cheshires at Peshawar. 
 
 It was when talking of India to this military secretary 
 that the lamentable ignorance about that country in 
 England, now acknowledged as a truism, was first brought 
 home to me. Never having had a relation out there, I 
 was pretty ignorant myself, but had talked to everyone 
 available with any knowledge of the subject, and found I 
 knew a good deal more about it than this War Office 
 official. 
 
 When orders eventually arrived, no one at my home 
 had any idea whether Peshawar was in Madras, Bombay, 
 Bengal, or the Punjab. Hearing that a painter working 
 in the house was an ex-soldier and had been to India, 
 my mother rushed off to ask him if he had ever been to 
 Peshawar. 
 
 " Oh ! yes, mum, I was there two years," said the painter. 
 " What sort of a place is it, and is it healthy ? " she asked. 
 " Well, mum, I don't rightly remember, except that we 
 was always having so many funerals we christened it the 
 Valley of Death ! " 
 
 In connection with this ignorance an amusing story was 
 told me by one of my generals, years later, about an incident 
 at the War Office in the early eighties when holding an 
 appointment there, obtained in a rather peculiar way, as 
 follows : In the second Afghan War he had been a field 
 engineer and accompanied Sir Sam Browne and the Political 
 Officer when a ford over the Kabul river was reconnoitred 
 for the passage of the loth Hussars by night (31 March '79). 
 The spot was selected and this young engineer said he 
 would get the ford staked. This was not done, however, 
 as the villagers objected and the general decided it was 
 unnecessary. 
 
 But the sapper was not satisfied. He felt uncomfort- 
 able, and noting the decision in his pocket-book, gave it 
 to the general to sign, as he said he would like to feel 
 exonerated for the neglect of a very obvious duty. Rather 
 annoyed, Sir S. B. scribbled his signature and the date. 
 
 As everyone knows, the loth Hussars lost an officer and 
 forty-six men crossing this ford. England, being horrified, 
 rose in her wrath and said, " Who's to blame ? " As a 
 matter of fact, the ford was all right if correct crossing
 
 THE CALL OF INDIA 33 
 
 taken, for some Indian cavalry went over first, and arrived 
 on the other bank quite safely. 
 
 Enquiries were made, and the War Office eventually 
 got on to the field engineer, who had evidently failed to 
 carry out a most necessary precaution a precaution, 
 too, which was not only his particular work to see to, but 
 moreover is specially referred to in our Regulations. 
 
 My friend sat quite tight until the last stage, when he 
 was told it was proposed to remove him from the service, 
 and what had he to say ? His reply was to enclose that 
 invaluable leaf from his pocket-book ! 
 
 Not only was he not removed, but he was given a good 
 appointment in Whitehall, and eventually rose to become 
 Major-General G. E. Sanford, C.B., C.S.I., and to command 
 the Meerut Division. 
 
 His tale about the ignorance relating to India, or rather, 
 in this case, the assumption by the higher authorities 
 of the universal existence of such ignorance, was as 
 follows : 
 
 In 1882, after his return from Malta, the late Duke of 
 Cambridge, as Commander-in-Chief, assembled the War 
 Office staff, and, after some conversation on various topics, 
 addressed them, in most ponderous tones, with a very 
 guttural accent, and a rich rolling of R's : 
 
 " Gentlemen, in conclusion, I want to tell you about 
 Maltar, which I have just visited. I was very glad to see 
 Maltar, and Maltar was very glad to see me. 
 
 " It was a great pleasure to me to see the trrroops, who 
 were looking very well, and the trrroops had much pleasure 
 in being inspected by me. 
 
 ' You doubtless know that I also saw for the first time 
 some Indian trrroops. 
 
 " I saw them all Sikhs, Gurkhas, Punjabis, etc. They 
 moved well and are fine fellows, very fine fellows, but 
 black, gentlemen, you know, quite black." 
 
 A Devonshire friend of mine in the Indian Civil Service, 
 and also a volunteer in India, was a very fine rifle shot, 
 especially with the match rifle. He was shooting at Wimble- 
 don in the eighties, when word was suddenly sent round 
 to say the Duke of Cambridge was on the ranges, and would 
 see all the competitors from India at the flagstaff in half 
 an hour's time. 
 
 My friend, a stalwart Oxonian, struggled into his private's 
 
 c
 
 34 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 uniform, and the batch was hastily dressed in line to await 
 the approaching Duke. It consisted of officers, N.C.O.s 
 and men, both regulars and volunteers, together with 
 Indian orderlies, etc., all fallen in anyhow, a motley 
 crew, for there had been no time to arrange anything in 
 order. 
 
 The Secretary of the Association, meeting the Duke near 
 the right of the line, was told to explain who each man was. 
 The Indian Civil Service volunteer, being very tall, was on 
 the right, and the secretary named him as " Mr. X, 5th 
 Punj ab Rifles. ' ' " Ah ! " said the Duke, ' ' A Punj abi , I know 
 the Punjabis, I met them at Maltar, fine fellow, very fine 
 fellow " ^and passed on ! 
 
 My only personal experiences of the famous Duke were, 
 firstly, at a review at Aldershot in 1883, very soon after I 
 had joined the ist Dorsets ; and, secondly, at Cannes, in 
 1901, when he was a very bent old man. 
 
 At the review, it was my misfortune to be the right guide 
 of my company on the saluting base (the old drill). I 
 thought I had gone past quite nicely, but the Colonel 
 afterwards shattered my self-complacency by rudely enquir- 
 ing why the blazes I moved my left arm when marching at 
 attention, and whether I had been taught to do so in the 
 Militia. 
 
 I then remembered that as I squinted to my right and 
 viewed an enormous figure in a blue frock-coat with very 
 large and high patent-leather boots and ample bosom 
 covered with Orders, I had, at the same time, heard a loud 
 voice calling out : " Who the devil is that officer swinging 
 his left arm, who's that swinging his arm ? " 
 
 7, then, had been the delinquent ! It quite spoilt my 
 afternoon as I sculled in gloomy silence up the Aldershot 
 canal. In after-years it came home to me that I was only 
 really a bit ahead of my time, for are we not now carefully 
 enjoined in " Ceremonial " to swing the disengaged arm, 
 when marching past, as at all other times ? 
 
 I did not care for Aldershot in the summer. Having 
 always been a rowing man, the excellent cricket was no 
 use to me. Polo I could not afford, and that canal is a dull 
 place to boat on. 
 
 It is a far cry to the old troopships, Euphrates, Crocodile, 
 Malabar and Serapis, conveying troops to the East. They 
 were commanded and officered by the Royal Navy, a duty
 
 THE CALL OF INDIA 35 
 
 naval officers were said to loathe as being not only very 
 irksome, but derogatory to their dignity. 
 
 My first experience, getting on board H.M.S. Malabar 
 at Portsmouth during a cold evening in early December, 
 1883 (and accompanied by a prize-bred bulldog called 
 " Muggins "), was rather an awkward one. Standing in my 
 wake at the gangway was an offensive-looking person with 
 a letter addressed to me. He turned out to be a representa- 
 tive from my tailor, hanging round to make me pay for my 
 last suit of dittoes. 
 
 This was an unfriendly act I much resented, having just 
 paid a very substantial bill for every mortal thing up to 
 that one suit. Sarcastic enquiries as to whether the firm's 
 prices justified the assumption that they did business for 
 cash only, simply elicited the reply that " it was extremely 
 difficult to get money out of gentlemen in India ! " As the 
 man kept following me about and was a perfect nuisance 
 regarding his six guineas, the only thing to do was to get 
 into uniform, and ask the ship's adjutant to put me on 
 duty. It was then a simple task to order him off the boat ; 
 which I did promptly. 
 
 We subalterns were herded together at the bottom of the 
 ship, aft, in a large space called the " Pandemonium," 
 and not badly named at that in this particular instance. 
 That is to say, although we were a merry crowd, we were 
 certainly a lot of demons in our craze for mischief, and in 
 our treatment of the officers of slightly higher rank who 
 occupied thinly partitioned cabins, named horse-boxes, 
 just above us. Pillow fights with them, or between ourselves, 
 were of nightly occurrence. Then the purser, or his satellites, 
 most inconsiderately refusing to renew our burst ones, we 
 had perforce to refrain, and the majority of us found only 
 greatcoats under our heads at night for the rest of the 
 voyage. 
 
 We were, of course, always in uniform, with dinner in 
 mess dress. In addition to the field officer and orderly 
 officer of the day, there was a subaltern on duty for every 
 watch, who, to his intense disgust, had to go and salute, 
 on the bridge, a naval officer years younger than himself, 
 and report " coming on duty." 
 
 For days, the main attraction at dinner was sampling 
 the various continental wines, of which there was an 
 enormous assortment, being tempted thereto by the
 
 36 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 ridiculously low prices after the land charges we had been 
 accustomed to. 
 
 Lieut .-Colonel F. C. Keyser of the Royal Fusiliers, a pioneer 
 of the signal service and well known for years after his retire- 
 ment as a zealous devotee of the English Turf, was Officer 
 commanding Troops. So interested was he in all happenings 
 on board, that he started a ship's newspaper called The 
 Malabar, which teemed with wit and humour. How it 
 was printed, I don't know ; anyhow, it was not only 
 printed, but illustrated with excellent caricatures (by 
 Lovett of the Gloucesters) of all the celebrities on board, 
 including " Muggins." 
 
 The latter, however, soon got into dire disgrace. There 
 were some calves on board for Christmas veal, and one 
 being led past Muggins, who was rather irritable with his 
 enforced confinement, he fastened on to its muzzle. A dis- 
 lodgment could only be made by means of an iron crowbar, 
 which strained his jaws badly for many weeks to come. 
 
 The naval officers were very fond of a mild gamble, and 
 every night after dinner some ten of us sat down to Nap, 
 Loo, Van John, or Poker. Colonel Keyser occasionally 
 looked on, and one evening was present when the writer 
 was initiating the company into the mysteries of a very 
 gambling but extremely simple and foolish game learnt in 
 Liverpool, called " Yankee Sam." This was not quite to 
 the colonel's taste and he disappeared quickly, but his 
 
 only remark was : " I'm d d if you are not the most 
 
 versatile young gamblers I ever met." 
 
 Shortly before this voyage there had been a rumpus 
 at the Malta United Service Club, caused by the rowdiness 
 of a trooper's contingent. The old privilege of being 
 honorary members during a troopship's stay in port had 
 been withdrawn for some months. Colonel Keyser knew 
 Malta well, and was most popular there. As soon as we got 
 into harbour he began to signal, asking that we might be 
 allowed to use the club, and he would be responsible. 
 His request being granted, we were all solemnly warned 
 that we must be extremely careful in our conduct. So 
 serious was the situation held to be that at dinner when, 
 someone saying something extremely funny, I burst into 
 laughter, an emissary came at once from the O.C. at the 
 top of the table to warn me that no boisterous laughter 
 was permitted !
 
 THE CALL OF INDIA 37 
 
 The men were very badly accommodated indeed on 
 these troopships. They were dreadfully overcrowded, and 
 no one seemed then to think of doing anything for their 
 amusement. As " officer of the watch " one had to go 
 round the whole ship, and the smell was so nauseating in 
 the men's quarters that in quite calm weather many of 
 us were violently sick. What it must have been like 
 when nearing the East in September, or March, passes all 
 imagination, for no troops were allowed on deck at 
 night. 
 
 Besides the parades by sectional commanders, we had 
 alarm rehearsals almost daily, and fell in, equipped with 
 life-belts, opposite the boats allotted. It was understood 
 there were rafts somewhere ; but, although with practice 
 the rehearsal alarms were splendidly performed, it always 
 worried us as to how each boat could possibly carry the 
 number of persons detailed for it. 
 
 53530
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 INDIA IN THE EIGHTIES 
 
 ATER about a month's voyage the old Malabar 
 rolled into Bombay Harbour, and next day we 
 were all free to disperse to our respective desti- 
 nations. Many of us now became victims of 
 that ignorance about India to which a reference has been 
 made before. In the old days the whole of India was 
 looked upon by inexperienced people at home as being 
 intensely hot at all times. Now, on the contrary, visitors 
 are enjoined to take exactly the same clothes they would 
 wear in England, with bedding and linen in addition. 
 
 This is quite correct, for they may find themselves in the 
 hills at any time, where all would be wearable, as they 
 would be also in the cold weather of the Punjab and else- 
 where. Really thin clothes, as necessary in the hot weather 
 (and in places like Bombay, Madras and Calcutta, at all 
 times), can be obtained easily and expeditiously on the 
 spot. 
 
 Some of us were for the Punjab myself for Peshawar 
 and it was the middle of January. A good adjutant 
 would probably have warned his officers that sheets, 
 blankets, pillows, etc., as well as a valise, were very neces- 
 sary adjuncts to one's kit ; that railways, hotels and dak 
 bungalows x did not supply them ; and that Peshawar was 
 extremely cold in the winter. Anyhow, I got no hints at 
 all, and with the exception of a rug had no bedding. A 
 pillow, as described in my account of the " Pandemonium," 
 I had learnt to dispense with. But the cold that first night 
 in the train was so intense that a long stoppage next 
 morning was utilised to rush into a native Bazaar and 
 purchase two Indian pillows and a couple of rezais (species 
 of wadded quilt). For months my bedding consisted of 
 
 1 Rest-houses. 
 38
 
 INDIA IN THE EIGHTIES 39 
 
 these only. It never struck me to get sheets and pillow- 
 cases until happening, more than a year afterwards, to stay 
 with some newly-made friends in their charming Simla 
 home, my hostess made me feel entirely ashamed by 
 explaining what a dirty person I had been ! 
 
 At Ambala a halt was made at the one existing hotel, 
 very different from the modern ones to be found at the 
 present day in many parts of India. It had, however, one 
 compensating advantage, the charge was only five rupees 
 a day, or about one-third of the present rates. Still, for 
 the sake of health, cleanliness and comfort a great debt of 
 gratitude is owed to the late Mr. Wiitzler. It was he who 
 became the pioneer of improved hotel management and 
 catering hi India by establishing his celebrated Charleville 
 Hotel in Mussoorie. 
 
 About dawn the second morning after leaving Ambala, 
 Peshawar was reached, intensely cold, but looking green 
 and fresh with delightful flower-beds all down the Mall. 
 Driving from the station a few British soldiers were seen 
 wearing over their uniform, not the celebrated " British 
 warm," but a pink double-breasted wadded pea-jacket, 
 which looked most strange. I learnt afterwards that no 
 British soldier in Peshawar was ever allowed out without 
 this garment in the winter between Retreat, at sunset, and 
 nine o'clock in the morning. 
 
 I liked the look of Peshawar and was very sorry to hear, 
 on arrival, that my stay would be extremely short, as the 
 battalion was leaving on the ist February for Ambala. 
 Anyhow it was a novelty to look forward to, as the relief 
 was to be carried out by route-march. This meant a 
 matter of forty-four stages, a total distance of 470 miles, 
 covering a period of about seven weeks. 
 
 Meanwhile getting out my scatter-gun, I haunted the 
 Artillery jheel, 1 frequently in the company of Jack Ramsay 
 of the Cheshires, afterwards Sir John Ramsay, Agent to the 
 Governor-General in Baluchistan. He was even then a very 
 fair shot, while my average for a snipe must have been 
 about fifteen to twenty cartridges. 
 
 Colonel H. C. Patton commanded the 2nd Cheshires, 
 
 and a better C.O. never walked, though he would have 
 
 owned to some prejudices and a few fads. He was a strict 
 
 disciplinarian, a very good drill, and most keen on cleanliness 
 
 1 A swamp in India.
 
 40 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 and sanitation. Especially was this the case as regards 
 the barracks and married quarters ; whereby he proved 
 himself a good deal ahead of his time. His weekly in- 
 spection of the quarters of our married people, invari- 
 ably carried out at odd times and with little warning, 
 was a matter of great ceremony and often of much tribu- 
 lation. 
 
 The first time my duty, as orderly officer of the day, gave 
 me the privilege of joining the solemn cortege of second- 
 in-command, adjutant, quarter-master, sergeant-major, 
 etc., which accompanied the colonel on his rounds, an 
 amusing thing happened. It was when we were walking 
 through the quarters of a certain sergeant's wife, well known 
 for her ready tongue and contempt of authority. The 
 C.O. had long held the firm belief that at these inspections, 
 rooms having been tidied in a hurried and perfunctory 
 manner, all olla podrida such as dirty clothes, soiled linen, 
 slippers, etc., were tumbled into the bed and the quilt neatly 
 drawn over them. Rather distrusting this Mrs. Sergeant, 
 and disliking her for numerous cases of impudence, in 
 which he had often come off second best, the colonel pulled 
 down the quilt of the large double bed with a jerk. There 
 was nothing there, but the lady, with a loud sniff and in 
 front of us all, snapped out : 
 
 " P'raps you'd like to get into it next." 
 
 In these days it is much cheaper and more convenient 
 to rail troops than to march them, but in former times it 
 was almost the invariable custom for reliefs to be carried 
 out by road, both to harden the men and to show them 
 to the inhabitants. 
 
 In 1884, the 2nd Cheshires, having been over fifteen years 
 in India, had a very large number of old soldiers in the 
 ranks who knew their way about, were as hard as nails 
 and took everything as it came along in the j oiliest kind 
 of spirit. I was astonished to find so many officers, for we 
 started on our long march with not less than thirty, many 
 of whom had been in India some years. The colonel was 
 new to the country, and a good deal in the hands of the 
 quarter-master in all matters of interior economy. 
 
 The latter was a very knowing old bird and frequently 
 asked me, on a guest night, after a generous share of wine, 
 who I thought commanded the battalion ? I maintained 
 a discreet silence. He would then hiccough out :
 
 " Why, the quarter-master, of course. 'Ow can the 
 colonel move without me, 'ow can 'e send away heven 'arf 
 a company, 'ow can 'e horder a single round on the range, 
 without coming to me ? " 
 
 One night, being more confidential than usual, he informed 
 me that a quarter-master's post was a very lucrative one, 
 in something like the following words : 
 
 " 'Ow do I carry on, you say, with a wife and seven 
 childer, a hay-one bungaler, two ponies and a buggee ? 
 'Oo der yer think pays the bungaler rent me ? Not much. 
 Why, the punkah-coolie contractor does that, as well as 
 supplying a cook, kitmatgar (table servant), bearer (body 
 servant), bhistie (water carrier), sweeper (low-caste menial), 
 ayah (woman servant), together with a mali (gardener) 
 and two coolies for the gardin. Bread ? 'Oo supplies 
 that, you say ? Why, the ruti-wallah * ; meat, the butcha ; 
 ponies' gram 2 and grass, the coffee-shop wallah, together 
 with vegetables, flour, sugar, and all the mem-sahib wants 
 for the 'ouse thrown in. No, Wudyet, I 'as to keep my 
 pay for the childer. My four sons 'as to git into the Ryle 
 Ingineers or the Church, for John is to go to Hoxford ! " 
 Most of which duly came off ! 
 
 He was an excellent quarter-master for all that, both in 
 barracks and in camp. The Cheshires never lacked for 
 anything, everything was up to time, while his stores 
 and accounts were models of neatness, accuracy and 
 care. 
 
 In his cups he loved to be asked to sing. He had only 
 one song, which had only four lines ; and after thirty- 
 seven years I can still bring to mind his great shining bald 
 head and his jovial red face as he stood up and bawled 
 out : 
 
 The Duke of York and 'e 
 
 'Ad ten thousand min. 
 'E took them up a 'ill 
 
 And brought 'em down agin. 
 
 Repeated ad infinitum. 
 
 Our transport train was of enormous length, and consisted 
 of elephants, camels and hired country carts. The men 
 
 1 Really roti (bread) wallah, the last word denoting trade, pro- 
 fession or occupation. 
 * Grain for horses.
 
 42 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 had what were called E.P. (European Privates) tents, 
 sixteen men to a tent, with an allowance of six tents 
 to each of the eight companies. An elephant carried 
 one E.P., which weighed ten maunds (over 7 cwt.), and 
 was never asked to carry anything else, because it was 
 a doctrine that ordinary baggage was derogatory to his 
 dignity. 
 
 On the second morning I happened to be orderly officer 
 and, having to rise very early to inspect rations, I shall 
 never forget the beauty of the camp as the sun rose and 
 threw its rays across the green sward of this halting-stage 
 named Pabbi. At the back was the large tent of the officers' 
 mess with the colonel's Swiss cottage and neat Union Jack 
 on one side, and the second-in-command's on the other, 
 while other senior officers continued the line right and left. 
 Behind were the servants' " pals," and behind them again 
 all chargers, hacks, polo ponies and a small bazaar ; lastly 
 the rear guard. 
 
 The tents were beautifully pitched according to plan 
 with every row of pegs in line and every corner a right 
 angle. The colonel was dreadfully particular about this, 
 and would have had even the huge mess tent down at once 
 if improperly put up. But officers and men all knew this, 
 and the latter, as I've said, were mostly old stagers, so there 
 was no trouble. All the Government tents happened to 
 be a new issue, being the Peshawar allotment of those 
 manufactured to make good the losses of the second Afghan 
 War. As the mess, and most of those of officers, were 
 recent purchases, the camp looked delightfully white, and 
 spick and span. 
 
 On one flank was assembled the heterogeneous transport, 
 at this hour quite still, except the attendants. On the 
 other, and some little further away, was a picturesque 
 mass of brightly coloured bell-shaped tents, some blue, 
 some pink, some red, some green, many striped in two or 
 three colours and all, at this time, tightly closed. The even- 
 ing before, this camp had puzzled me greatly, until my 
 friend the quarter-master explained that it was the regi- 
 mental establishment of native women who were marching 
 with us to Ambala ! 
 
 Shades of Exeter Hall ! What would be said of such 
 a practice in these days ! Fortunately for me I am not 
 called upon to uphold or condemn the policy which prompted
 
 INDIA IN THE EIGHTIES 43 
 
 the existence of these establishments, and permitted their 
 presence even in camp. I may add, however, that there 
 was very little venereal indeed in the 2nd Cheshires. Also 
 that, from direct knowledge, I can give testimony to the 
 truly awful results which followed the abolition of these 
 regimental establishments a few years later. 
 
 Such gaily coloured tents were, perhaps, a mistake, as 
 was brought home to some of us at a halt when the second- 
 in-command brought over his wife and some ladies to tea. 
 It was then that a voluble spinster persistently enquired 
 from a particularly modest subaltern : " But who lives 
 in those charming little coloured tents ? " ! 
 
 When we got to the Beas river there was no road bridge, 
 so we had to halt on the near bank. The next day the 
 transport and baggage passed over the railway bridge, 
 the battalion marching across it the day after. But the 
 elephants had to swim the river, and it was amusing to 
 watch them, for it is no joke for the mahouts at all. 
 An elephant, in deep water, may take it into his head to dive, 
 and stay below a bit, with only the tip of his trunk 
 showing ! 
 
 At Lahore we were camped near the historical Shalamar 
 Gardens, and the next day being a halt, I tried to add to 
 my stud by the addition of a decent polo pony, the maximum 
 height being then 13-2. A waler (Australian bred) was 
 then unknown on the polo ground, and even an Arab, 
 as far north as Peshawar, was quite a novelty. When 
 young George Wombell, of the 6oth Rifles, brought one 
 up from Bombay during my next sojourn there, some two 
 and a half years later, we used to form parties to go and 
 look at it ! Lahore was a little dearer than Peshawar, 
 where the average price for a likely country-bred was 
 about one hundred and fifty rupees. I remember get- 
 ting into terribly hot water in the mess because I paid 
 Rs. 250 at the latter station in 1886 for something extra 
 special. 
 
 Knowing nothing of the language there was a good deal 
 of difficulty in bargaining at Lahore, but eventually a 
 deal over a certain bay seemed settled, when on paying 
 out the money (Rs. 125) it was evident there had been con- 
 fusion between pdchees (Rs. 25) and pdchdss (50). Insisting 
 on the former, the argument got so heated that the dealer 
 went off in a huff. For the rest of the day the merits of
 
 44 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 that bay kept coming to mind, until after dinner the yearn- 
 ing being so strong I set off alone to the city in a ticca gharry l 
 to try and come to terms. 
 
 Arriving in the main serai about u p.m., my friend was 
 soon found squatting with his syces in front of a row of 
 some twenty ponies ; but, alas ! the bay had been disposed 
 of already. The dealer tried to comfort me by the assurance 
 that he would bring something even better to meet me at 
 Ambala. He was as good as his word, for there a well- 
 bred looking chestnut mare, capable of even time for four 
 furlongs, became my property in exchange for two hundred 
 rupees. It has been a matter of wonderment to me since, 
 that no thought of any danger or unpleasantness in chatting 
 at midnight in the main serai of Lahore City ever occurred 
 to me then. Where ignorance is bliss ! 
 
 We knew that a month or two after reaching Ambala, 
 four companies and battalion head-quarters were to move 
 on to the little hill station of Solon, thirty-one miles short 
 of Simla. I was delighted to know, however, that my 
 company was to remain down, for with my two quads 
 I was much looking forward to commencing polo, and 
 playing hard all the hot weather. Imagine then my dis- 
 may and disgust when the adjutant came to tell me 
 that I had been transferred to B Company and was for 
 Solon. 
 
 Demanding to see the colonel, I told him, almost with 
 tears, about my purchases, how my own company was 
 remaining down, etc., etc., and begged to be allowed to 
 remain. He only laughed at me, remarking that, knowing 
 my people, he was not going to be blamed later if I lost 
 the pink out of my cheeks ! Pink out of my cheeks, for- 
 sooth ; I might have been a girl. However, he was adamant, 
 and I had to console myself with the thought that I'd 
 get the ponies into good fettle by trotting along the cart 
 road, and perhaps there might be a chance of Ambala 
 later on. Little did I realise what a damnably monotonous 
 business is " posting " on a pony along a curly tonga 
 road. 
 
 Among other units at Ambala we found the gth Lancers 
 
 and the gth Bengal Lancers, the former commanded by 
 
 Colonel (now General Sir Henry) Bushman, and the latter 
 
 by Colonel Power Palmer, commonly known as " Long P." 
 
 1 Horrible shaky four-wheeler cab.
 
 INDIA IN THE EIGHTIES 45 
 
 The latter was afterwards Commander-in-Chief in India 
 before Lord Kitchener. The former I see frequently 
 at our club, looking wonderfully young and robust. 
 He often reminds me of the fact that although he once 
 sold me a horse at Ambala, we are still on speaking 
 terms ! 
 
 My chestnut mare proving pretty fast was put into training, 
 and I received a lot of information from the gth Lancers, 
 especially from " Jabber " Chisholm, who was then adjutant, 
 regarding the mysteries of the Indian Turf. The leading 
 gentlemen riders were then Lord William Beresford, the 
 Viceroy's military secretary, Frank Johnston, late of loth 
 Hussars, and Bertie Short, an ex-police superintendent, 
 all three bold and fearless horsemen. 
 
 The night before each day's racing, " lotteries " took 
 place, and a word about this method of gambling, now 
 abandoned, may not be out of place. This system of 
 gambling is quite unique, so far as I know, and is called 
 " the double lottery." You needed to watch this name 
 to prevent getting let in, for every bid you made at the 
 auction meant double the amount named. 
 
 Lottery meetings used to be run somewhat as follows : 
 The owners and punters having assembled after dinner, 
 before the day's racing concerned, a prominent racing man 
 was usually nominated to the chair with the race secretary 
 beside him. The lottery was then filled, that is, a hundred 
 tickets were usually sold at a price varying, at different 
 meetings, from four to ten rupees a ticket. 
 
 The president, or race secretary, would call out, " Now 
 then, gentlemen, fill the lottery." 
 
 If you were keen on a particular number, you tried to 
 secure it, but one generally tossed for four or more tickets 
 with dice. The loser paid for the tickets, but both equally 
 shared the profits. Each punter usually kept a tally on 
 forms provided by the race secretary, and placed all round 
 the table. The race secretary, of course, kept the official 
 record of all transactions and you had to call out to him 
 the result of the tossings. For instance, I would toss Bill 
 Beresford for ten tickets (that's nothing for an impecunious 
 subaltern !) and, losing, would call out, " Woodyatt to 
 Beresford, ten, numbers 24 to 33." Putting my name first 
 meant I had lost, and would have to pay eventually, but 
 we both shared profits equally.
 
 46 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 When the lottery was full, the horses were drawn by 
 putting their names in one hat, and the ticket numbers 
 in another. We generally used gun wads, and the 
 people drawing called out the ticket number, and then 
 the name of the horse, both of which were at once 
 recorded. 
 
 Then came the compulsory sale of horses. Supposing 
 tickets had been ten rupees each, the chairman would 
 call out : "A thousand rupees in the lottery and ' Pretty 
 Polly ' for sale." 
 
 Then you bid away so long as you had taken a ticket, 
 and it was an ordinary auction with the peculiarity that, 
 if your bid were successful, you had to pay the amount 
 (that is were debited for it) twice over, namely, once to 
 the lottery fund and once to the drawer of the ticket. The 
 owner had a right of claiming half so long as he did so on 
 the spot. That is to say, he got a half share of the purchase, 
 and had of course to take a proportionate share of any 
 profit or loss. 
 
 Several times when I had bid up higher than I meant to, 
 and been successful in my last bid, I remember with what 
 relief I heard the cry : " Owner half ! " 
 
 At times one got splendid odds. Once at Simla I had 
 the chance of winning over 150 on one race, and couldn't 
 lose more than 5. Naturally I lost the fiver ! One 
 disadvantage of the system was that you did not know 
 what the odds were until all the horses were auctioned. 
 Anyhow, you got it then by putting the price of all the 
 tickets sold to the auction total, and deducting the double 
 price of the horse about which you wanted the odds. 
 There would also be the lottery percentage, which goes 
 to the race fund, to deduct. It used to be five per 
 cent. 
 
 With no knowledge whatever of racing, everything was 
 new to me, and the rather strange things that happened 
 seemed very peculiar ! 
 
 Bill (Lord William) Beresford wielded an enormous 
 influence on the Indian Turf. Possessed of a very charming 
 personality, he was a universal favourite in spite of a very 
 rough tongue when his somewhat hasty temper was roused. 
 Personally I always found him most helpful and kind, but 
 if a man got the wrong side of him he could be extremely 
 nasty. The arbitrary way in which he ruled the roost at
 
 INDIA IN THE EIGHTIES 47 
 
 lotteries, when he always took the chair, was very astound- 
 ing. Some plunger bidding up a pony whose chances Bill 
 himself wanted to secure, would be asked sarcastically if he 
 wanted to buy the pony outright. If a young speculator, 
 he would then probably dry up altogether. 
 
 Ambala was then the Aintree of India, with fences like 
 fortifications. The first chase I saw rather astonished me 
 as I stood next Jabber Chisholm, with glasses glued to eye, 
 on the lower steps of the Grand Stand. There were about 
 seven starters, and when the field had covered about half 
 distance, and were on the farther side of the course opposite 
 the Grand Stand, there were only three in it. These were 
 horses ridden by, let us say, A, B, and C. A and B were 
 leading nearly abreast. C was about three lengths behind. 
 At this stage I could see with my glasses that A and B 
 were having an animated conversation. Eagerly calling 
 Chisholm's attention to so strange a proceeding, he merely 
 remarked, quite unperturbed : 
 
 " Of course they are, it's blue ruin to either of the three 
 to win, and they are discussing what sort of ramp they can 
 put up. Very interesting indeed, very interesting." I 
 gasped, but it was too exciting to say more. 
 
 On rounding the bend into the straight, A ran out into the 
 paddock. B and C took the last fence together and B 
 deliberately threw himself off. Now, I thought, what the 
 devil will C do, for even I knew that he was desperately 
 hard up, and there wasn't another horse within two furlongs 
 of him, while his own mount was full of running. Down 
 the straight he sailed no occasion for glasses any longer, 
 but what on earth is he doing ? Is he trying to unfasten 
 his girths ? No, he was only busily engaged in throwing 
 away his weights ! 
 
 Frank Johnston was a smart-looking fellow with a very 
 fine tenor voice and with command of about the best voca- 
 bulary of Billingsgate imaginable. After singing " Come 
 into the garden, Maud," with a pathos which brought tears 
 to one's eyes, he would, without a moment's hesitation, 
 launch out into the most blasphemous abuse of the native 
 servant because of the weakness of his brandy and 
 soda ! 
 
 Poor fellow, I last saw him, some ten years later, doing 
 superintendent to a small agency that ran pony tongas from 
 a railway terminus to a hill station. Very ill and worn-out 

 
 48 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 he looked, but as debonair as ever and wearing a loth Hussar 
 tie. He died shortly afterwards. 
 
 Bertie Short went to Bihar, where he soon gave up 
 riding, became correspondent for the Planters' Gazette, 
 and lived no one quite knew how. I refer to him again 
 later on.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE DUFFERINS AT SIMLA 
 
 SOLON was dull very dull especially as my sporting 
 friend Major Sheringham had gone off on six 
 months' shooting leave. Some two months later 
 I was allowed to follow him, and meanwhile Simla 
 itself was to be avoided as the centre of poodle-faking 
 which was abhorrent to me. Nothing would have made 
 me willingly go near it. Imagine then my horror when I 
 was ordered up, with a field officer and a captain, to represent 
 the battalion at the 24th of May (Queen's birthday) levee 
 and birthday ball. 
 
 It was there I met my first Viceroy, Lord Ripon. My 
 recollections of him are a stout little man with a beard 
 and eyeglass ; who, after the levee, moved freely amongst 
 his guests at Peterhoff l whilst they consumed, myself 
 included, large quantities of champagne, quail-in-aspic, 
 pate-de-foie-gras, etc. He did not seem very popular, and 
 I have some sort of vague recollection of the dislike we had 
 for him and Sir Courtney Ilbert, 2 his Legal Member of 
 Council, for trying to pass a measure called " The Ilbert 
 Bill." 3 
 
 1 Formerly the Simla residence of the Viceroy before the present 
 Viceregal Lodge was built, and now allotted to the Legal Member 
 of Council. 
 
 * Afterwards Clerk of House of Commons, 1902-20. 
 
 3 To amend the code of criminal procedure 1882, and named after 
 the Member who introduced it. It proposed to remove the bar by 
 which native magistrates were precluded from exercising jurisdiction 
 over European British subjects. 
 
 The matter is of peculiar interest at the present moment, because 
 it undoubtedly started that racial antagonism which is so dangerous 
 a feature of to-day. Indeed, the bill created such a ferment, especi- 
 ally in the East of India amongst the planters on one side and the 
 
 49 D
 
 50 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 So strong was the feeling over this that the wilder spirits 
 among the indigo planters of Bihar had decided, so rumour 
 had it, to try and kidnap the Viceroy and convey him out 
 to sea in the vicinity of the Andamans until he saw the 
 error of his ways. 
 
 However, he and Lady Ripon were very munificent 
 hosts. With plenty of money at their disposal, they set 
 an example of lavish entertainment which was somewhat 
 hard on their successors, blessed with very much less 
 adequate means. In those days the Governor-General, 
 Governors, and even Lieutenant-Governors, held levees in 
 the name of the Queen with very much the same ceremonial, 
 even to the consecutive pens, or barriers, as at St. James's 
 Palace. Bill Beresford, acting as Lord Chamberlain, read 
 out the name of each person as he came up and before he 
 made his bow. 
 
 Putting up at an hotel and dining there, I remember 
 being extremely uncomfortable at the function, for the 
 only conveyance of any kind I could get to take me to 
 Peterhoff was a palanquin. This is a kind of bed with 
 prolonged poles carried by four men who shook me up and 
 down in the most unmerciful fashion as they shuffled along. 
 
 The next summer I was participating again at another 
 Simla levee and birthday ball. This time the visit was 
 spent in a nice house, was responsible for a change of 
 opinion as regards the attractions of the place, and finally 
 resulted, two years later, in my marriage to the eldest 
 daughter of the Commissioner of Inland Revenue. 
 
 Lord Dufferin was the new Viceroy my second and 
 combining, as he did, a charming personality, mature 
 judgment and a kind heart with the manner of a grand 
 seigneur, was one of the best of Governors-General. He 
 appeared really to like doing nice things, and many such 
 acts are easily recalled. 
 
 To the writer he was always particularly kind. The day 
 
 Bengalis on the other, as entirely to destroy the mutual trust and 
 cordiality which had been gradually built up since the Mutiny. 
 
 It was referred to local administrations for their views, and its 
 utility is best summed up by the terse endorsement written by a dis- 
 trict officer in Madras : " Probably quite innocuous, but at any 
 rate entirely unnecessary." A compromise was eventually reached 
 by which European British subjects could claim trial by a jury, 
 at least half the members of which were to be Europeans. This 
 is the law in India to-day.
 
 THE DUFFERINS AT SIMLA 51 
 
 after my engagement was announced, we happened to go 
 to a small dance at Peterhoff. Lord Dufferin spotted us 
 in the Lancers and, leaving his partner, walked across the 
 room to shake hands and make his congratulations. Now 
 subalterns like that kind of thing from a Viceroy. 
 
 On another occasion when Horace Hayes, the horse 
 trainer and vet., was giving an exhibition of horse taming 
 at Anandale, 1 I took a long walk, not caring to pay a gold 
 mohr (sixteen rupees) to see it. Below the present Vice- 
 regal Lodge I met the Viceroy walking with his Persian 
 instructor, who always accompanied him. " Hullo," he 
 said, " why not at Anandale ? " Telling him I thought 
 sixteen rupees was a great deal too much to pay for a show 
 I could see any day in a remount depot for nothing, he 
 took me by the arm and said I was to go with him. Very 
 interesting it proved to be, for during the walk down he 
 told me all sorts of stories about other countries, and at 
 the exhibition displayed a knowledge of horses I had not 
 dreamt he possessed. 
 
 He could be quite acid, though, when necessary. I was 
 near once when a lady said to him she had been walking 
 over the new Viceregal Lodge that afternoon, which she 
 described as " the new palace you are building." " Palace," 
 said Lord Dufferin, "it is only a modest house that any 
 country squire might aspire to." 
 
 At a fancy dress ball there, given as a house warmer, we 
 were received by His Excellency and Lady Dufferin, the 
 Viceroy wearing ordinary dress clothes, with Orders and his 
 G.C.S.I. sash. About half-way through, I was dancing 
 with a Mrs. Langtry (wife of the C.O. of the 8th Hussars), 
 who was looking particularly well that night. At the end 
 of the music and as we were walking away, up came an 
 Arab and began to talk. 
 
 " Oh ! Come along, never mind that old Arab," I said 
 rather irritably. "He's thinking of ' Lillie Langtry,' his 
 donkey at Port Said." 
 
 As she didn't budge, though still holding my arm, but 
 seemed embarrassed, I looked more closely at the intruder, 
 and recognised Lord Dufferin ! There was nothing for it 
 but to leave them to proceed to my " Kali jagah " (dark, 
 
 1 A recreation ground, formed by cutting away the hillside, and 
 situated below the residential part of Simla. Much enlarged in later 
 years, mainly by the energy and zeal of Lord William Beresford.
 
 52 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 sitting-out place !) together, while I took solace in a drink ! 
 
 There is no doubt His Excellency was a great ladies' 
 man. A good tale is told of how, assembling his personal 
 staff soon after his first arrival in India, he explained his 
 wishes regarding ceremonial functions and the attention 
 necessary to all guests at Government House. " I want 
 you to quite understand," he said, " that I expect you to 
 devote your energies to the elderly ladies. You need not 
 trouble about the young and pretty ones, I will look after 
 them myself ! " 
 
 For some years the Dufferins had a cousin, Miss Thynne, 
 out in India with them, and in the chronicles of their move- 
 ments one always read in the papers : " His Excellency 
 the Viceroy, with Lady Dufferin and the Honourable Miss 
 Thynne, and attended by, etc., etc." Lady Dufferin rode 
 a mule at Simla, as being safer, and this was stabled at 
 Viceregal Lodge. The mule, a very big and specially 
 selected one, was provided by a mountain battery at Jutogh, 
 four miles from Simla, and the men there, on account of 
 its employment, had christened it " The Begum." At 
 the end of the season two gunners, sitting one day on a wall 
 just outside the Cantonment of Jutogh, saw the mule being 
 led back to the battery and in very bad condition. Said 
 No. i: 
 
 " I say, Bill, 'ere's ' The Begum ' coming back." 
 
 " ' Begum/ you say," remarked No. 2, "I should call 
 it the honourable Miss Thin ! " 
 
 Lady Dufferin caused it to be announced that it was 
 quite impossible for her to get to know people if they simply 
 wrote their names in the Viceregal books and then ran 
 away. Further, that she, with Lady Helen Blackwood, 
 would be At Home from twelve to two twice a week, and that 
 callers were expected to come inside. This meant a morn- 
 ing-coat for us, besides a terrifying ten minutes in a 
 drawing-room, and great was the tribulation. 
 
 However, it had to be done, and punctually at noon the 
 next Tuesday I entered the portals. But there was 
 nothing terrifying at all. Happening to hit off a shooting 
 trip I had made in the Himalayas the year before, my ten 
 minutes lengthened into twenty, and it was only the arrival 
 of a whole batch of people which stopped my tongue. After 
 that I always seemed to be quite at home at Peterhoff and 
 thoroughly enjoyed going there, which was very often.
 
 THE DUFFERINS AT SIMLA 53 
 
 Many short visits were paid to Simla that season. One 
 morning, asking for leave to " sleep out " and return next 
 day, which was Thursday and in India a dies non, the 
 adjutant told me I couldn't go at all as the colonel had 
 decided I was not to be allowed to visit Simla any more. 
 Utterly mystified, I asked why, and then discovered that 
 the C.O. thought I was getting what he called " entangled," 
 and would probably become engaged to be married and 
 then want to go to the " Indian Staff Corps." This was a 
 very sore point with, and anathema to, all commanding 
 officers of British units. 
 
 I had not up to then contemplated such a thing, but in 
 those days the only way to enter the Indian Army, then 
 called " Indian Staff Corps," was through the British 
 Service, under certain conditions. This was very hard 
 on British units. Not only did they lose a number of their 
 best officers, attracted by the glamour of an Indian career, 
 but they frequently lost several at one and the same time, 
 rendering the duties of those who remained very heavy 
 until they could be replaced. This was often a matter of 
 many months. 
 
 This refusal of sleeping-out leave was extremely awkward, 
 as I was engaged for a lot of dances that night and had made 
 all arrangements to go, including the deposit of my dress 
 clothes, etc., at the Simla United Service Club. 
 
 But how was it to be done ? The colonel might send 
 for me, and he never went out until 4 p.m. He then invari- 
 ably drove up the cart road away from the Simla direction, 
 which was an advantage. The Government tonga was not 
 allowed to start from Solon after 4 p.m. on account of 
 arriving in the dark. Finally, I had no leave to be absent 
 for a night ! 
 
 At breakfast a brilliant thought struck me. I had two 
 ponies and the adjutant one. He was a good fellow and a 
 great friend ; so, asking the loan of his pony for the evening, 
 I sent off one of mine immediately to a stage nine miles 
 away and the other to within ten miles of Simla, arranging 
 to ride the adjutant's for the first twelve-mile portion. By 
 this means I rode the thirty-one miles to Simla, attended 
 the dance, and rode back in the very early morning in time 
 for breakfast. 
 
 This I did nine times during that summer, but had to 
 give it up in the monsoon season, for my last ride was a
 
 54 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 dreadful nightmare. Leaving the dance about 3 a.m. in a 
 torrential downpour, I changed at the club and started an 
 hour later, knowing that I must be at orderly room in khaki 
 uniform before nine. The night was pitch dark and the 
 rain so heavy that, having with difficulty manoeuvred the 
 Combermere Bridge below the club, I knocked up a small 
 tailor's shop, opposite Hamilton's, the jewellers, to borrow 
 a piece of tarpaulin to tie over my knees. The act of 
 dismounting, of course, soaked my saddle through and 
 through, which did not add to my comfort. 
 
 There were some oil lamps burning dimly near the post 
 office, but past Army Head-quarters it was very dark and, 
 moreover, my pony, hating the journey, stopped and reared 
 at every cross-road. Down to the left below Gordon Castle 
 I could see absolutely nothing. My mount, not being out 
 to help me at all, made matters very difficult. It was only 
 by reaching out with my crop to hit the railings on the left 
 and kicking out my foot continually to feel for the wall 
 on the right, that it was possible to tell at all how one was 
 progressing. 
 
 Solon was eventually reached at 8.30 a.m. and I was saved. 
 Of course everyone but the colonel knew all about it. At 
 least I thought he was in ignorance, until seeing him at 
 Lymington twenty-four years later he told me, roaring 
 with laughter, that he also knew ! Simla was much amused. 
 Lord Dufferin, when the dance or entertainment was at 
 Peterhoff, invariably came up and, with his head on one 
 side and a merry twinkle in his eye, would say : 
 
 " I trust the cart road is in good order, Woodyatt ! " 
 
 At this time I met my first Commander-in-Chief, in the 
 person of Sir Donald Stewart, and a more magnificent 
 man I had never seen. Someone told me it was the correct 
 thing to give him a bow at levees after passing the Viceroy, 
 and there was certainly no difficulty in spotting him, for he 
 was head and shoulders above everyone else. His family, 
 too, inherited his good looks, his four daughters, Mrs. 
 Davis, Mrs. Eustace, May and Norah Stewart, being quite 
 the belles of Simla at a time when beautiful women there 
 were very plentiful. 
 
 A great celebrity also in the Summer Capital then was 
 Major Dalbiac, commanding a horse battery at Ambala 
 and commonly called " The Treasure." To a neat and 
 handsome person was added a firm seat in the saddle, a
 
 THE DUFFERINS AT SIMLA 55 
 
 matchless effrontery, a marvellous capacity for making 
 love, and some system for obtaining unlimited leave which 
 was the bewilderment of the authorities and the envy of 
 all his contemporaries ! 
 
 At the end of July, finding I could get two or three months' 
 leave, which I fondly hoped to spend in Simla, I approached 
 the adjutant with my leave form. Looking it through, he 
 explained that it was utter waste of time putting Simla in 
 the application at all, as there was not the least chance of it 
 being passed by the colonel ! 
 
 Being also very keen to get down to Sitamarhi, in Bihar, 
 to stay with an old school pal, my destination was altered 
 accordingly. I begged, however, I might first go to Simla 
 for a short time to collect my clothes, raise the wind for 
 my journey, etc. I suppose this took me some time, for, 
 after a fortnight or so, I got an official from the adjutant 
 to say that if I did not leave Simla very shortly and get on 
 to Bihar, the remainder of my leave would be cancelled ! So 
 I had to go. 
 
 The famous Bertie Short was there, still doing a little 
 riding and busily reporting for the Planters' Gazette. The 
 first night of the lotteries my breath was taken away by 
 the chairman, Paddy Hudson, rising to say : 
 
 " Before we commence business, gentlemen, I think it 
 right to say that Mr. Bertie Short is amongst us, but if 
 anyone objects he will withdraw." 
 
 I suppose the poor fellow was a defaulter in some way ; 
 anyhow no one objected and the selling began. His face, 
 one not easy to forget with its good-looking oval shape, 
 fearless blue eyes and dare-devil expression, remained quite 
 calm and unruffled during this preliminary. Very different 
 to what it looked next day when he was " bucked " off in 
 the paddock by a waler pony mare on the signal to mount.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 LORD DUFFERIN AND THE AMIR 
 
 MY battalion had a pack of hounds at Ambala 
 drawn along in camel shagrams (species of 
 covered wagon), and we hunted regularly on 
 Thursdays and Sundays. In the winter the 
 battalion went to Delhi for a big camp of exercise. We 
 were camped for a time on the Ridge alongside the Chief's 
 camp, where a lot of foreign officers were staying. They 
 used to ride round with the Chief, and it was an extra- 
 ordinary thing how the men disliked the Russian represent- 
 atives and would whisper amongst themselves in the shelter 
 trenches : 
 
 " Them's the ruddy Roosians, them's the fellars we're 
 going to fight, the beggars in the white caps." 
 
 It was here that a linguistic sapper officer, who was help- 
 ing to look after them, and remarkable for his marvellous 
 agility in walking under a rope and then jumping over it, 
 or hopping on to the mantelpiece and remaining there, 
 got very lively one night. In his light -heartedness he in- 
 sisted on continuously calling out : "I want to hop that 
 ruddy Russian round the table." This caused much 
 consternation : the Chief heard about it, and he had to leave 
 Delhi next day. 
 
 It was here also that the celebrated ball at the Delhi 
 Club took place, when all of us were very merry, down 
 to the last joined subaltern. This joviality was partly 
 owing to the high spirits of everybody at the apparent 
 certainty of a war with Russia, and partly because our 
 fitness, after a hard camp life on short commons, made the 
 wine take effect very easily. The Cheshires had a meet 
 next morning at 6.30 a.m., and my duties of whip neces- 
 sitated a rapid change into hunting kit immediately after 
 the ball. The long jog to covert, a good run and a search 
 
 56
 
 LORD DUFFERIN AND THE AMIR 57 
 
 until 3 p.m. for two hounds, lost when rioting after pig, 
 effectually worked off any excess in champagne the night 
 before. 
 
 It was here, again, that I made up my mind to go into the 
 Indian Staff Corps (the old term for the Indian Army), to 
 my colonel's intense disgust. This necessitated very early 
 action with the proper authorities encamped on the Delhi 
 Ridge, as I was already over age. 
 
 I had put down for cavalry, as that was the arm I wanted, 
 but then taking fellows a very long time to get, owing to 
 paucity of vacancies. I realised, however, that the first 
 thing to do was to get into the Indian Army somehow, 
 and trust to luck about the mounted branch later on. 
 Enquiry taught me that a colonel, called Collett, then deputy 
 adjutant -general, was the man I wanted, but that the inter- 
 view might be unpleasant ! Fortified by the thought of 
 my success with the War Office Military Secretary, I judged 
 a bold course the better one, and next day sent my card 
 into his office tent. Being duly admitted, the following 
 conversation took place : 
 
 Self. " I've come to say I want to enter the Indian 
 Staff Corps." 
 
 D.A.G. " All right, then, send in the necessary papers." 
 
 Self. " Yes, that's being done, but unfortunately I'm 
 over age." 
 
 D.A.G. " Then, I'm afraid I can't help you." 
 
 Self. " I came into the Army late, having been in 
 business first, and as promotion in the Indian Staff Corps 
 is by length of service, I don't see how I can do harm to 
 anyone." 
 
 D.A.G. "Humph! Fond of shooting ?" 
 
 Self. " Yes, sir, very." 
 
 D.A.G. " All right, I think it can be managed and I'll 
 get you posted to an Assam battalion." 
 
 Now I had little idea of where Assam was, but fancied 
 it had something to do with the Andamans. The thought 
 flitted through my brain, that here I was trying to enter 
 the I.S.C. for the specific purpose of marriage, and running 
 a risk of permanent appointment to a unit in the wilds. 
 Hence my reply after a longish pause. 
 
 Self. " Well, sir, I know beggars can't be choosers, but 
 I think I'd rather give up the idea." 
 
 D.A.G. (who had been very patient). " Oh ! well, I
 
 58 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 daresay I could post you to a Bengal regiment, on one 
 condition, and that is that you join immediately you get 
 the telegram. Do you agree ? " 
 
 I knew nothing of Bengal regiments, but this seemed 
 splendid, and I agreed at once. 
 
 Before the troops dispersed there was a big review and 
 march past, with Lord Dufferin taking the salute, and all 
 the foreign officers present French, German, Russian, 
 Austrian, Italian, American, etc., etc. The morning broke 
 beautifully fine and about 8 a.m. off we started to take 
 up our position in line, dressed in review order, red, and 
 officers in Wellington boots and straps. Ah 1 went well until 
 the Viceroy returned to the saluting base from his ride down 
 the line, when the rain began to fall in torrents. A water- 
 proof was pressed on Lord Dufferin, but he waved it aside, 
 and for three long hours sat on his horse in the pitiless down- 
 pour. Drenched to the skin he was, indeed, but he had 
 for ever endeared himself to the soldiery, who cheered 
 him lustily whenever and wherever he was seen. 
 
 This episode was recalled to my mind thirty-one years 
 later by a very courteous act in heavy rain by General 
 Padma Shumsher, of the Nepal army at Abbottabad, where 
 I had the pleasure of supervising the training of over six 
 thousand of the Nepalese contingent, in addition to my other 
 work as a brigadier. 
 
 For some time the general had wished to give me a cere- 
 monial parade of the whole contingent on the brigade review 
 ground four miles from his camp. At last, a day being 
 fixed, eight o'clock saw me riding up to the saluting base to 
 receive the general salute. Hardly was this over, and just 
 as the troops were moving to march past, one of those tor- 
 rential showers, so common on the North-West Frontier, 
 commenced. In two minutes we were wet to the skin, 
 with water bubbling over the top of our boots, and I soon 
 saw my wife's car near the flagstaff standing in inches of 
 splashing rain. 
 
 Galloping up to General Padma, I told him to dismiss the 
 men to take shelter in some empty adjacent barracks and 
 at the same time begged him to ride home quickly and change 
 at once. As he still delayed, after giving the necessary 
 orders about the men, I repeated my request, when he 
 remarked, " But I must pay my respects to Mrs. Woodyatt 
 first, after her coming down to see the parade." Saying
 
 LORD DUFFERIN AND THE AMIR 59 
 
 I would explain and that she would never expect it in that 
 awful shower, I trusted he would ride away. But no ! 
 instead of that he galloped off to the car, where he actually 
 got off his horse and stood in the slush for several minutes 
 in animated conversation with my wife. 
 
 " Blood will tell," I said to myself. " That's a very 
 gallant and courteous act, denoting the true gentleman." 
 
 And so it was in Lord Dufferin's case at the Rawalpindi 
 Review. But the parade had to go through, rain or no rain. 
 For ages we infantry seemed to stand facing the saluting 
 base, while the cavalry and artillery went past, the elephant 
 batteries squelching the mud into regular furrows. I saw 
 the red from the tassels of my sash running in crimson 
 streaks down my overalls, while the pipeclay from my white 
 helmet poured in pale streams along my chest and back. 
 When eventually we got near the flagstaff, the going beggars 
 description. It was all one could do to keep one's feet, 
 let alone keep pace to the drowned strains of " Wha Winna 
 Fight for Charlie," the old Cheshire " March Past," sym- 
 bolic of Sir Charles Napier and Myanee. 
 
 Some of the native infantry in those days wore shoes. 
 Dozens of odd ones were lying in the mud everywhere. 
 The native ranks of one unit (the 39th Bengal Infantry), 
 looking upon their loss as a very serious matter, many men 
 actually fell out to recover them. Indeed the native officer 
 carrying the Queen's Colour was said to have fished his up 
 with the top of the pole. Anyhow, the unit was entirely 
 disgraced and eventually disbanded. 
 
 This episode was the talk of the whole camp for days, 
 the indignation being intense that this should have happened 
 in front of all the foreign officers. It was somewhat of a 
 relief, therefore, to hear later that the offence had not been 
 overlooked, and that the Chief had assembled the foreign 
 officers and told them so. 
 
 Our men were splendid, and grave as could be, for the 
 good name of the old " two twos " (22nd Cheshire Regi- 
 ment). I myself saw one man near the right flank of the 
 company in front slip badly some twenty yards before 
 reaching the Viceroy. Recovering, he regained his balance 
 indeed, but had lost the hold of his rifle. The man on his 
 right, however, catching it deftly, carried this rifle past, as 
 well as his own, while the unarmed private fell in line with 
 the supernumerary rank and went by like a Trojan.
 
 60 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 In the meantime Lord Dufferin had brought off his 
 famous conference with the Afghan Amir, Abdiir Rahman, 
 and off we went to Rawalpindi where a large concentration 
 of troops took place. It was always raining, and raining 
 hard. 
 
 Camped some three or four miles away we started one 
 morning at 4 a.m., in great-coats over our full dress, to 
 line the streets for the Amir's arrival. Of course at 8 a.m. 
 the sun came out, and the order was passed down the line 
 to take off great-coats and stack them in rear. Shering- 
 ham and I had failed to put on our red tunics at all! 
 It appeared a pity to sweat in them under our overcoats, 
 and it looked a dreadfully threatening day ! We could 
 not very well stand alongside our men's tunics in great- 
 coats, so after some very severe remarks by the C.O. we 
 were ordered to hand over the company and go back to 
 camp. Feeling very dejected we trudged off. When the 
 battalion returned about noon we learnt that the Amir had 
 never even arrived ! The fact was that at Peshawar he had 
 refused to get into so strange a thing as a railway carriage ! 
 
 In the afternoon orders came that the streets would be 
 similarly lined the next day. Luckily it didn't rain and the 
 Amir did arrive. 
 
 At a conversazione given by the Viceroy, a chance came 
 to me of studying Abdur Rahman very closely. Sitting 
 out with some girl in a kind of boudoir tent, in walked 
 the Amir, entirely by himself, looking very bored. Plump- 
 ing himself down on a couch he remained buried in reverie 
 for a long time, with a stout walking-stick between his 
 legs. He wore a black astrakhan cap with a diamond 
 star in front, a kind of frock-coat and long untanned leather 
 boots. 
 
 Of a large and stout figure, he had a very strong face, 
 covered with a thick beard dyed red, his upper lip and a 
 small portion of the lower being clean shaven. It looked 
 as if he had retired bored to death, and though various 
 equerries and people came and peeped at His Highness 
 now and then, he gave such a vicious snarl at the sight of 
 them, that they promptly disappeared. 
 
 What we were chiefly concerned with, however, was the 
 Grand Review, but the rain being so persistent, the new 
 parade ground on the far-away plain was unfit for use on 
 the appointed day. It was arranged, therefore, that the
 
 LORD DUFFERIN AND THE AMIR 61 
 
 review should take place in Rawalpindi itself, by marching 
 units up to the cricket ground by one road, whence they 
 formed to the left, marched past and then, forming again 
 to the left, returned to quarters by another road. This 
 went off very well, and some forty thousand cavalry, artil- 
 lery, and infantry went past by troops, sections and 
 companies. When asked by Lord Dufferin, however, 
 what he thought of it, the Amir looked knowing, but only 
 said, " Very clever ! " 
 
 It took some hours to make out exactly what he meant, 
 and then it transpired he was firmly convinced that only 
 about five thousand troops had taken part at all, the same 
 units having marched round and round eight or nine times. 
 This is what he meant by " Very clever." In vain the 
 Viceroy, through his interpreter, endeavoured to clear his 
 mind of this misapprehension. The Amir pinned his belief 
 mainly on the indisputable fact that a " ghdgrd paltan" 
 (kilted regiment) had gone past several times. He politely 
 brushed aside Lord Dufferin 's assurance that there were 
 four or five different Highland battalions in camp. 
 
 Towards the end of the Conference, the Viceroy held a 
 grand Durbar at which the Amir, after a speech by the 
 Viceroy, received a sword of honour, and his suite and family 
 numerous other presents. Each was brought in separately, 
 and announced by the Foreign Secretary, who, making 
 an obeisance, would say : "A pair of guns for His High- 
 ness' eldest son, the etc., etc., etc." This took an inter- 
 minable time, until it really appeared as if everyone of his 
 numerous relatives in Afghanistan was getting something. 
 The Durbar tent was packed and, for the first time, ladies 
 were permitted to be present. On receiving the sword of 
 honour, Abdur Rahman was heard to say a few words 
 which the interpreter translated in a loud voice, as follows : 
 " With this sword I shall kill the enemies of Queen Victoria." 
 Being received with acclamation, the Amir looked up very 
 quickly and suspiciously at the novel sound, to him, of 
 hand-clapping. 
 
 During this concentration the Tindi Club was crowded 
 to suffocation. There would be rows six to eight deep in 
 the evening trying to get a drink. One night Sheringham 
 and I tried to dine there before going on to the lotteries, 
 but it was precious little we got to eat and nothing at all 
 to drink. There were some shocking incidents as regards
 
 62 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 " chits " signed for drinks with fictitious names. This and 
 bad management and the fact that many drinks were 
 not signed for at all, caused a heavy loss to the club 
 instead of a big profit as should have been the case. In 
 face of this it is extraordinary that, over twenty years 
 later, the club in Lahore at a big gathering should have still 
 maintained the " chit " system instead of cash vouchers, 
 and with, I regret to record, exactly similar results. Many 
 vouchers were, in this last case, signed " Bishop of Lahore," 
 and these, that best of good fellows, Bishop Lefroy, is said 
 to have redeemed. 
 
 Outside Rawalpindi we were camped by brigades mostly 
 along the main road. Exactly opposite the Cheshires' 
 quarter guard was the camp of the 4th Gurkhas, which 
 had the reputation of being the best dressed unit amongst 
 Gurkhas. Colonel Hay was the C.O. and Mercer the 
 adjutant. My delight in these little men was mingled 
 with regret that, firstly, I could not get them to understand 
 a word I said, though they smiled, which was something ; 
 and secondly, that I was never likely to serve with them. 
 Not only was I down for cavalry, eventually, but vacancies 
 in the Gurkhas appeared to be reserved for sons of dis- 
 tinguished Indian Civil Service and military officials, or the 
 relatives of other great men. 
 
 Outside Assam and Burma there were at that time only 
 five regular battalions of Gurkhas, with nine British officers 
 apiece, including the M.O. Great was my delight when I 
 was asked to dinner with the 4th, and little did I think 
 that five years later I should be offered the adjutancy of 
 a recently formed 2nd Battalion to the 4th, or that thirty- 
 four years afterwards I should have this same old battalion, 
 under the command of my great friend " Eliza " Tillard, 
 as one of the units of my division in the field. Mercer was 
 very busy after dinner selecting the tartan for streamers 
 for the pipes they were just starting, and I thought what 
 a keen, earnest, good-looking fellow he was.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 SIR FREDERICK (AFTERWARDS LORD) ROBERTS 
 
 SOON after our return to Ambala I got orders to 
 join the 33rd Bengal Infantry at Agra. It was 
 an awful wrench leaving the dear old Cheshires 
 where I had been so happy, and I liked to feel that 
 the regret appeared to be mutual. 
 
 Before I had been at Agra very long the desire for Indian 
 Cavalry became so strong that I wrote to Colonel Revel 
 Eardley-Wilmot, D.Q.M.G., Simla, and begged him to 
 help me, with the result that within ten days I was appointed 
 squadron officer in the nth Bengal Lancers at Sangor. At 
 the same time I had applied for, and obtained, six months' 
 leave to study the languages and, taking the usual ten 
 days' joining leave always allowed on a transfer, off I went 
 to Simla. There I came in for my third birthday ball in 
 two-and-a-half years, and also made the personal acquain- 
 tance of Sir Frederick Roberts. 
 
 The Chief, having apparently noted my appointment 
 to the nth Bengal Lancers, and being a friend of the girl 
 I was to marry, told her to send me to see him the next 
 time I came up. Interviewing Colonel Pole-Carew, his 
 military secretary, on the matter, he said I was to go to 
 Snowdon at n a.m. the following Tuesday in uniform. 
 
 Sir Frederick was very kind, saying I mustn't mind his 
 pointing out that few men who went to the Indian Army 
 were men of means ; that he understood I intended to get 
 married ; that I was in a very expensive regiment, with 
 my chargers and polo ponies to keep up, etc., etc., and 
 did I think I could manage it all ? Explaining that I 
 hoped to get along with help, he asked why I didn't try 
 for Gurkhas, which would give me a permanent hill station. 
 Telling him I had no chance whatever, never having had 
 a relation out in India, he astounded me by saying that 
 
 63
 
 64 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 he intended raising some new battalions, and would try 
 and fit me in if I liked. 
 
 Of course I jumped at it, but on asking if I could get 
 Gurkhas from cavalry, he said : " Dear me, no ! That 
 would be looked upon as an awful job ; you must go back 
 to infantry for a time." Then seeing my face fall, he added, 
 " But I'll see you get a good Punjab regiment." 
 
 Walking back to Ranken & Co.'s shop, the great military 
 tailors of India, where I had changed, I was horribly con- 
 cerned about payment for the undress uniform I was wearing 
 and all the rest that was on order, but only " basted " 
 and once tried on, up to date. It was a most expensive 
 kit, the eleventh, with a very elaborate mess waistcoat 
 embroidered with gold lace, which alone cost .over 20. 
 Imagine my relief then when the head partner toi'd me that, 
 being stock size, they would say nothing about it if I 
 gave them the order for my Gurkha outfit. Very handsome 
 indeed of Ranken & Co., I thought it was. 
 
 I think it was at this year's State ball at the new Vice- 
 regal Lodge that a rather awkward incident occurred. The 
 Lieutenant-Go vernor of the Punjab was to have taken 
 Lady Roberts in to supper, but got ill, or pretended he was 
 ill, and went home before it came off. By some mistake 
 the Viceregal Staff omitted to allow for this, and when 
 the exalted guests trooped off to supper, Lady Roberts was 
 left stranded. This I happened to notice myself as, 
 passing the dais just afterwards, I saw her standing there 
 alone, fanning herself furiously and looking very cross. I 
 missed, of course, the opportunity of a lifetime, for had 
 I only rushed up, offered my arm and taken her in, I 
 should have got a lucrative appointment on the staff within 
 a fortnight. 
 
 However I didn't, and although Lord Dufferin himself 
 came back from the supper-room and escorted her in, 
 when the dreadful mistake was discovered, a considerable 
 time elapsed before she was rescued. Next day the 
 Viceroy went over to Snowdon personally, to make his 
 apologies, but the lady was very sore and not to be comforted. 
 He is supposed, when expressing his deep regret, to have 
 said she could imagine what his feelings were like by thinking 
 of her own, had such an unfortunate incident occurred 
 at Snowdon. Lady Roberts replied tartly that it couldn't 
 possibly have happened at Snowdon !
 
 LORD ROBERTS 65 
 
 On the occasion of their silver wedding the Chief and 
 Lady Roberts gave a fancy dress ball in the Snowdon 
 ballroom. Two men from every regiment that had 
 taken part in his famous march from Kabul to Kandahar 
 were present, in pairs, round the ballroom and approaches. 
 The decorations were very fine and what people thought 
 so nice on the part of the Robertses, was the fact that 
 on many of the banners were the words, " Kandahar to 
 Kabul," as a compliment to the late Chief, Sir Donald 
 Stewart. There were plenty of people there who knew 
 the significance of this, for Sir Donald had carried out his 
 march under great difficulties with a very scratch lot of 
 transport. On the other hand, for Sir Frederick Roberts, 
 all Divisions had been denuded of their best mules, carts, 
 camels, etc., so that he should start as well equipped as 
 possible for his marvellously successful leap in the dark 
 from " Kabul to Kandahar." 
 
 This ballroom was still further enlarged later on. For 
 the benefit of those who do not know, it may be added 
 that Snowdon is situated at the opposite end of Simla from 
 Viceregal Lodge. Built on a narrow spur, it has very small 
 grounds and not a great deal of accommodation. It was 
 Lord Roberts' own property, but sold by him to Govern- 
 ment for the official residence at Simla of the Commanders- 
 in-Chief in India. 
 
 At this particular fancy ball, not seeing why ladies 
 should have the monopoly of the simple disguise called 
 poudre, I adopted that dress myself. As it only entailed 
 powdering one's hair, putting on a little rouge and adding 
 a few patches, it was both inexpensive and easy to don. 
 While waiting in the hall for a partner, I was astonished 
 to see the Indian policeman on duty inside the door 
 wearing his native shoes. Such a breach of the ordinary 
 customs of the country and such want of respect so roused 
 my ire that in my best, and recently acquired, Hindustani, 
 I told him what I thought of him and requested him to 
 remove them. 
 
 Although the Hindustani was crude, I knew it was 
 perfectly intelligible to any ordinary native, yet he didn't 
 seem to understand a word. I noted he was of slight 
 build with a good-looking, well-bred face, and appeared 
 honestly distressed that he could not make out what I 
 wanted. Wondering what I should do next, as he was 
 
 E
 
 66 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 not in the least obstructive or objectionable, up came 
 Charlie Hume, one of the A.D.C.s. Explaining the reason 
 for my indignation he burst out laughing and told me the 
 quasi] policeman was Ava (Lord Dufferin's heir who was 
 afterwards killed in South Africa). He certainly scored 
 one here, and was prouder than ever of his disguise. 
 
 My language leave being in order, off I went to Poona 
 and, working hard, managed to pass the Higher Standard 
 in the [autumn. Meanwhile my transfer to the 30th 
 Punjabis at Peshawar had been gazetted, so I soon found 
 myself in that frontier station for the second time and 
 attached to a Punjab battalion of the highest distinction. 
 The second-in-command being at home on leave, I was 
 offered his charger to keep, which I found to be a nice- 
 looking, cobby waler up to great weight. But the horse, 
 having been much neglected, had a long scrubby tail, heavy 
 coat, bad corns and a mangy-looking mane. Having 
 doctored him, cut his tail, and hogged his mane, he looked 
 quite smart, but I heard afterwards that his very unwieldy 
 and untidy owner, on his return, refused at first to take 
 him over or believe it was really the confidential charger 
 he had left behind ! There is no accounting for tastes ! 
 
 Amongst the troops, and in addition to the gunners, I 
 found the 1st Bengal Lancers with Gartside-Tipping 
 commanding ; a battalion of the 6oth Rifles with Kinloch, 
 the big game hunter, as C.O. ; a battalion of the Wiltshires 
 and my own unit, the 30th Punjabis, with Colonel Camp- 
 bell at its head and C.R.A. Bond acting as Adjutant. 
 Gartside-Tipping was the M.F.H., but was shortly leaving 
 the station. Kinloch, who never wore a sun-hat between 
 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., was getting peculiar. In the evening 
 he used to come to the club dressed entirely in khaki 
 mufti, with a sola topee, in a khaki cover and khaki-coloured 
 canvas shoes. 
 
 To advertise the new fast-dyed drill, Kinloch got one 
 penny in the pound from Lieman and Gatty, the producers, 
 which he said brought him in about 600 a year. He also 
 said that without it he could never have afforded to take 
 command of a battalion of the 6oth. The Government had 
 just negotiated a contract with Lieman and Gatty for the 
 supply of the new drill to the whole Army, but, before this, 
 units had made their own arrangements to dye, locally, 
 a suit or two per man of the Government issue of white.
 
 LORD ROBERTS 67 
 
 The Cheshires were very particular about the shade, and at 
 an inspection at Delhi, on one occasion, General Dillon, 
 commanding the improvised Division for manoeuvres, called 
 out to our colonel : " How well your men are turned out, 
 colonel ; what is the dye used ? " " Cow-dung, sir," replied 
 Colonel Patton in a loud voice which was quite true ! 
 
 The ist Bengal Lancers had a wonderful yellow cloth tunic 
 for full dress, a very effective, but at the same time, most 
 expensive garment. In the early nineties, one of their 
 subalterns went to a levee at St. James's in his new coat. 
 While waiting at one of the barricades an old gentleman, 
 covered with orders, and evidently one of the Court officials, 
 touching his tunic, said : " I suppose this is what you call 
 khaki in India ! " 
 
 Major-General Sir Hugh Gough, V.C., was commanding 
 the Peshawar District and had as his senior staff officer, 
 termed D.A.A.G., Major Brunker of the Cameronians. 
 Sir Hugh had known me before and, meeting him at the 
 club, told me I was to come and see him next day. At this 
 interview he informed me that quite recently there had 
 been a meeting at the club regarding the Peshawar Vale 
 Hunt, when a monstrous proposition had been put up by 
 " Jackal " McCall, of the 60 th, with a considerable following, 
 that the Hunt should be abolished. The reason given was 
 that now polo was being so much played, officers could not 
 afford to keep animals for both. 
 
 " Now," said Sir Hugh, " you have had hunting experience 
 with the Cheshire regimental pack, Gartside-Tipping is 
 shortly leaving us, and I want you to do all you can to help 
 this Hunt to flourish. I should die of shame if, after all 
 these years, the P.V.H. ceased to exist during my tenure 
 here." 
 
 I told him I would do all I could and would be very glad 
 to act as whip, but that neither my years, experience, nor 
 pocket justified me in aspiring to M.F.H. The result was 
 that I whipped for a short time to Gartside-Tipping, and 
 later carried on with Oliver Nugent of the 6oth, who suc- 
 ceeded him. My fellow whips were Markham of the 60 th 
 (a Brigadier in France during the War) and J. E. Capper, 
 a Sapper (now the Governor of Guernsey). 
 
 Gartside-Tipping was about the best M.F.H. we ever had 
 in India ; for, coupled to a wonderful eye for country, a 
 firm seat, sound judgment and perfect hands, he was a
 
 68 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 real hound lover, with a voice that seemed to go to the heart 
 of every hound in the pack, whether outside or inside 
 covert. He was always " talking " to them, but musically 
 and ever so quietly. I once saw him, as a stranger, take 
 out the Meerut pack, which had been showing very poor 
 sport, and the way those hounds answered to his voice at 
 the end of one morning was a revelation. 
 
 One run in the Peshawar Vale comes to memory very 
 clearly, though I forget the names of places. Anyhow, we 
 had a sharp burst of about fifteen minutes, and being put 
 down at a gridiron (two or more ditches with some six feet 
 of earth between each), I only caught hounds at a check. 
 The " jack " (jackal) was in a basin of red soil on the edge 
 of the Nagoman River (a tributary of the Kabul) with his 
 back to the bank and all the pack in front of him, but not 
 one plucky enough to tackle. 
 
 Having got his wind the jack, snapping right and left 
 and rushing through the whole lot of them, made for the 
 water and started swimming across with the hounds at his 
 brush. The river was pretty broad, but did not seem other- 
 wise formidable, and had a nice shelving bank on the near 
 side. Close beside me was Davis of the ist Lancers. I 
 looked at him, he looked at me, and together we turned our 
 horses to the river and walked them in. At this moment 
 the native huntsman called out that it was a bad stream 
 and there was a bridge close at hand. It was too late, 
 however, and on we went, while the Master and all the field 
 dashed round to the bridge. It was rather difficult landing 
 and I lost a stirrup, owing to forgetfulness to cross them 
 over my mare's neck, but the worst of it was that the hounds 
 were soon at fault on the far side and we never killed that 
 jack. I mention this run because, from the accounts I 
 read, it seems very much the same spot as the one where 
 poor Irvine, the M.F.H., was drowned in 1919. Probably 
 Davis will remember. 
 
 Brunker, the D.A.A.G., was very fond of practical jokes 
 and " leg pulling." Having pulled Bond's, and also mine, 
 badly, we thought we should like to get even, but the result 
 was most disastrous ! There was to be a " field firing " 
 of the whole garrison, and Brunker had specially timed it 
 so that the musketry inspector would be away in the 
 Malakand. He disliked this musketry inspector intensely, 
 and mainly because he was not under the Peshawar Dis-
 
 LORD ROBERTS 69 
 
 trict in any way. The scheme was quite a big one and 
 worked out by Brunker to the minutest detail. 
 
 Now Brunker messed with us (3oth Punjabis), and as 
 he was dining out the night before the manoeuvre, it struck 
 us that evening it would be a splendid " leg pull " if we sent 
 him a letter purporting to be from the inspector, to say he 
 had managed to come after all. We added he was staying 
 as usual with Thompson of the ist Lancers, and would 
 Brunker kindly send him all the detail of to-morrow's 
 parade with general and special ideas, description of targets, 
 route, arrangements for clearing ground, etc. Brunker 
 was entirely taken in, went back early from dinner to his 
 quarters, and, as in duty bound, sat up till very late writing 
 out and putting together all the necessary detail. 
 
 Next day, Bond and I went with the battalion to the 
 rendezvous, where such an unconscionable delay occurred 
 that we strolled over towards the District head-quarters 
 and heard Sir Hugh, who looked very cross, tell Brunker to 
 send for Thompson. When he appeared, Sir Hugh called 
 out : 
 
 " I say, Thompson, where the devil is that d d 
 
 musketry man ? " 
 
 Thompson denied all knowledge of him, saying he had 
 not seen him since he stayed with him two months before. 
 
 " But he wrote to Brunker last night to say he was 
 staying with you," blustered Sir Hugh. 
 
 " Very sorry, sir," said Thompson, " but I know nothing 
 about it." 
 
 Bond and I began to feel a bit uncomfortable, although 
 we realised there was nothing to be done. As we sneaked 
 back, for the show was then to begin, we heard Sir Hugh 
 say he would report the matter to the Chief. 
 
 That evening in the club we saw Brunker reading out my 
 letter, supposed to be the inspector's, to an interested 
 crowd, and at dinner he told us that Sir Hugh was writing 
 to the Chief next day reporting the whole thing. Bond 
 then got nervous and it was arranged in our room at mid- 
 night that we should both go and confess to Brunker at 
 his office next morning and that J was to be the spokesman ! 
 We went at 10.30 a.m. and the following conversation 
 ensued : 
 
 Self. "Who do you think, major, wrote that letter from 
 the inspector ? "
 
 70 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Brunker. " The musketry man, I suppose." 
 
 Self. " No ! Bond and I concocted it to pull your leg, 
 as you are always pulling ours." 
 
 Brunker. " Then I'm d d sorry for you, because 
 
 Sir Hugh is furious and wrote to the Chief about it this 
 morning." 
 
 Brunker looked very gruff, so we left him, but we heard 
 afterwards that he went off to the general the moment we 
 disappeared and got the letter stopped. Our colonel was 
 ordered to give us an official wigging and Sir Hugh regularly 
 cut Bond and me everywhere. I tried to find out his feel- 
 ings through his daughter May (now Mrs. W. G. Hamilton), 
 but she only said she did not know what I had done to her 
 father, for only a few hours before she had proposed my 
 name as a guest at dinner when the Chief and Lady 
 Roberts came in a few days, and he had scratched it out 
 at once. 
 
 A few days later, Bond and I drove up to Flagstaff 
 House to write our names in the Chief's book. Sir Frederick 
 and the general happened to be in the verandah and we 
 heard the latter say : " Halloo, here are the arch fiends," 
 at which the Chief said : " Why, that's young Woodyatt, 
 what's he been doing ? " Sir Hugh replied : " Oh, I'll 
 tell you what it is as we drive to hospital." This was 
 all said very cheerily, but as the " cutting " continued 
 unabated, Bond persuaded me to write to the general after 
 about ten days more and ask that we should be forgiven ! 
 
 I still have Sir Hugh's reply, which runs : 
 
 " DEAR NIGEL, 
 
 " Little boys shouldn't play with edged tools ! 
 " Joking apart, you not only pulled Brunker's leg, but 
 you pulled my leg and were within an ace of pulling the leg 
 of the C.-in-C. 
 
 " However, except as a joke, it is all forgotten and, as 
 a joke, I don't think you had the best of it ! 
 
 " Yours sincerely, 
 
 " (Sgd.) HUGH GOUGH." 
 
 Shortly afterwards Sir Hugh was promoted to the com- 
 mand of the Lahore Division and Peshawar knew him and 
 Lady Gough no more, to the infinite regret of all the station. 
 
 Much mention has been made of the Commander-in-
 
 LORD ROBERTS 71 
 
 Chief in this chapter, who was then at the beginning of his 
 seven years' command. His cold weather consisted of an 
 extended tour, including a few weeks in residence in his 
 quarters in Fort William, Calcutta. 
 
 No Chief, not even Lord Kitchener, made such a syste- 
 matic business of his cold weather touring as Lord Roberts. 
 His immediate successor, Sir George White, the most gallant 
 of soldiers, found it much too irksome and soon dropped it, 
 until his winter developed into a vast shoot. The published 
 itinerary of his inspections, until you knew, made you 
 think what a towelling the stations were getting. You 
 would read an entry like this : " Meerut arrive 5 hours 
 5th December. Depart 17 hours igth December." The 
 unwary would conclude that the garrison was going to be 
 turned inside out for a fortnight. Instead, one unit would 
 possibly be looked at on the 5th, on the way from the rail- 
 way station to some mess for breakfast, preparatory to 
 proceeding to a camp in the old bed of the Ganges for snipe 
 and duck shooting. On the igih one more unit would be 
 inspected, on return from the shoot and en route to the 
 railway saloon. 
 
 But he was a grand fellow, Sir George, and a great 
 sportsman, one of his last actions being to break his leg 
 paper-chasing in Calcutta. It must never be forgotten that 
 it was he, in 1894 or '95, who, by a scratch vote in Council, 
 got the first increase to the Sepoy's pay. The finance 
 member unwarily mentioning that he had a big balance to 
 the good, Sir George pounced on this immediately, and 
 carried the grant of better pay, which was so badly needed. 
 
 He held all sorts of records for runs and walks round 
 Jakko, to which was added a further achievement in that 
 his wife presented him with a baby during his tenure as 
 Chief ! Not to be outdone, the Viceroy's consort (Lady 
 Elgin) did the same ! Perambulators are not usually 
 required at Viceregal Lodge and Snowdon. 
 
 There was a British soldier, a batman, at Snowdon, who 
 was sacked by Sir G. White for using His Excellency's hair- 
 brushes. Lady White, however, had found this man so 
 invaluable that the Chief had to reinstate him. Snowdon 
 could not be run without him ! 
 
 When visiting a station, Lord Roberts saw every unit, 
 every hospital and every transport corps. In addition, 
 days and hours would be told off for seeing officers. Any
 
 72 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 officer, however humble in rank, could ask for an interview, 
 and generally got it. We soon learnt to know, therefore, 
 how great an interest he took in his officers, how deep was 
 his sympathy, and, although he could be firm enough on 
 occasion, how kind was his heart. He made a point of 
 knowing everyone and, in fact, took immense pains to 
 ensure full recollection of officers' names, faces and history. 
 He had that wonderful gift of recognising people in an 
 instant, and he not only cultivated it, but was glad of any 
 assistance, if at fault. Let me illustrate this by an anecdote. 
 
 I was once on temporary duty on his staff at Meerut on 
 the occasion of a garden party given by Lord and Lady 
 Roberts to the whole garrison. For a lengthy period Lord 
 Roberts stood at the entrance to the camp receiving his 
 guests, with his favourite aide-de-camp, Neville-Chamber- 
 lain, beside him. There was a hiatus in the guests' arrival, 
 when up drove a stout man in a dog-cart, and the Chief 
 asked his A.D.C., quickly, who it was exactly, as he thought 
 he knew him. Like a shot N.-C. answered somewhat as 
 follows : 
 
 " Major Jones, sir Punjabis, conspicuous in the attack 
 on the Peiwar Kotal, wife had triplets last year, all lived, 
 etc., etc." Then the Chief took a pace or two forward, 
 shook Jones warmly by the hand, called him by his name, 
 referred to the Peiwar Kotal and asked after the triplets. 
 All to the enormous gratification of Jones. 
 
 Lord Roberts had also, in a most marked degree, the 
 attribute of sympathy, which, coupled with a wonderful 
 magnetic personality, endeared him to all ranks. This was 
 the case with the Indian Army to quite an extraordinary 
 extent. The majority of Indian officers are very fine fellows 
 and possessed of acumen, perception and sound common 
 sense far above their fellows, or they would not be where 
 they are. To see a batch of them talking to a man like 
 Lord Roberts, or Birdie, 1 or a Divisional Commander they 
 know, and have tested, will always be a revelation. It 
 must surely be a source of enormous satisfaction to be the 
 recipient of such confidence and trust. 
 
 " Birdie," as the Anzacs or any troops he commanded 
 will tell you, is never so happy as when making friends 
 with his men. Years ago he took the trouble to learn 
 
 1 General Sir William Bird wood, Commander of the 5th Army 
 in the Great War, and now G.O.C.-in-C. Northern Command, India.
 
 LORD ROBERTS 73 
 
 " Khas Kura," the lingua franca of Nepal. This last 
 summer, when on tour in his command, he was actually 
 able to talk to the Gurkhas at Abbottabad in their own 
 language. The surprise and delight of the Gurkha officers 
 and men at hearing their own dialect spoken by an officer 
 of such high rank, and the way their faces lighted up, would 
 be ample reward for the trouble taken over " Khas Kura." 
 
 It is no exaggeration to say the men adored Lord Roberts, 
 and would have done anything for him. Indeed, " Bobs 
 Bahadur " was so popular in India that it was really 
 difficult to keep the ranks steady on parade when he was 
 present. Other leaders have had the welfare of the troops 
 ever so much at heart. They have honestly tried to be just, 
 upright, and liberal in all their dealings ; but, with the 
 exception of Lord Roberts in the old days and Birdie in 
 the present, none that have come under my ken have been 
 able to communicate from themselves to others that wonder- 
 ful bond of sympathy which attracts, influences, and finally 
 enslaves. 
 
 I have mentioned one or two personal instances which 
 brought this home to me so forcibly, I will briefly refer 
 to one other. Lord and Lady Roberts and their eldest 
 daughter made a short stay at my hill station of Almora when 
 he had been Chief three or four years. His A.D.C. (Oxley 
 of the 6oth) asked, in the little club one evening, if any 
 one wished to see the Chief next morning. In pure chaff 
 I said, " Yes, I do," and when he enquired the subject, 
 I took his pocket-book and drew a sketch of myself on my 
 knees before Lord Roberts, with the words " very badly 
 placed," underneath. The next morning, when at the tail 
 of a procession walking up from hospital, I heard my name 
 called. Hurrying to the front, to my horror, the Chief took 
 me by the arm, saying, " You wanted to see me." I was 
 dreadfully taken aback, but that horrible pocket-book 
 incident flashing across me, I stammered out something 
 about wondering whether I could get an adjutancy any- 
 where. 
 
 It is necessary to explain that the custom then was, for 
 this most interesting of all appointments to be released, 
 automatically, by an officer on getting his troop or company, 
 after twelve years' service. The next subaltern then took 
 it on, if he was in any way fit for it. There was usually 
 little selection. So it sometimes happened that in one case
 
 74 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 a man held it for eight years and in another for eight months \ 
 The man just above me was September, 1882, whilst my 
 commission was May, 1883, so I could only hold the appoint 
 ment for the latter period. The Chief understood this and 
 told me King-Harman, commanding the new 2nd Bat- 
 talion of the 4th Gurkhas/had mentioned to him in Calcutta, 
 a few days previously, that he didn't know what the devil 
 to do for an adjutant, and advised me to apply. Thank- 
 ing him profoundly, I walked off, grateful indeed to have 
 escaped so easily, but with no intention whatever of apply- 
 ing, as I did not want to leave the 3rd. 
 
 However, after breakfast, I got a little note from the 
 Chief himself, saying he was writing to Colonel King-Har- 
 man and should he mention my wish to be his adjutant ! 
 The fat was now in the fire, so burring off to Barry Bishop, 
 my C.O., I told him the whole story and he agreed I must 
 say " Yes," or else it would be a second case of " leg-pull." 
 So " Yes " it was ; but before it actually came off a new 
 second battalion was raised to the 3rd Ghurkas, and I got 
 the adjutancy of that instead. Still, it was nice of the 
 Chief, and it was things like that which endeared him so to 
 all ranks. 
 
 He was an early riser and always rode before breakfast. 
 Being fastidious about his clothes, he was invariably 
 beautifully turned out, and once told me that he owed a 
 good deal of his successful career to being always well 
 dressed and well mounted. 
 
 I saw him frequently just before the Great War, when 
 he was very busy with his National Service League, a 
 movement that would have had much more moral and 
 material support from many distinguished soldiers, if they 
 had not felt, rightly or wrongly, that the time to press for 
 a modified form of conscription was on his return from South 
 Africa in January, 1901, when at the height of his popu- 
 larity and fame. Their contention was that, after so 
 much shame and humiliation out there, a definite announce- 
 ment by him then, that the sacrifice must be made, would 
 have carried the people, and ipso facto the politicians with 
 him. 
 
 Most people have heard of Lord Roberts' antipathy to 
 cats and how the presence of one in the same room made 
 him downright ill. This is quite true, and I can give an 
 example. In 1882 he was Commander-in-Chief in Madras,
 
 LORD ROBERTS 75 
 
 and dined one night with the old 44th (ist Essex Regiment) 
 in Fort St. George. Knowing of his antipathy to cats, 
 the only one in barracks, a large Persian cat belonging to 
 Captain Orman, the adjutant, was tied up with a cord in 
 Orman's quarters. In the middle of dinner, Roberts put 
 down his knife and fork, saying he could not carry on 
 because there was a cat in the room. The colonel said 
 this was impossible, explaining what had been done and 
 referring the general to the owner of the only cat, who 
 was sitting on the other side of him. " Very sorry," said 
 Sir Frederick, " but I feel there is a cat in the room, or 
 close to, and I must go away if it is not removed." 
 
 Search was then made and there was no cat in the room. 
 In Fort St. George there are two ante-rooms adjoining the 
 dining-room at either end. When searching the first of 
 these, a cupboard was seen ajar, and there sure enough 
 was the Persian cat, fast asleep, with a broken cord attached 
 to his collar ! Visit the M.C.C. pavilion on tjie occasion 
 of any first-class cricket match, and the owner of that cat 
 will corroborate my story. 
 
 We had a good hunting season at Peshawar that year, 
 but although the Artillery jheel was stiff with jackals, so 
 much so that hounds always got split up in cover into half 
 a dozen packs, there were many bits of lovely grass country 
 further afield devoid of " jacks " altogether. 
 
 During the season I went to Agra, and it was suggested 
 I should bring back some " bagmen " with me. Sixteen 
 were eventually secured the night before I was due to 
 leave, by a very early train next morning. Seeing them 
 about 8 p.m. in a long box with partitions, allowing for 
 one " jack " in each, I was disgusted to find that all their 
 mouths had been sewn up. Quickly cutting all the stitches, 
 water and food were given and they appeared quite happy, 
 but about midnight set up the most appalling row you 
 ever heard and continued it the whole night long. 
 
 Fortunately I was off too early to meet my future mother- 
 in-law next morning, but I heard a good deal about it 
 later on. Booking them to Peshawar as " pets," under a 
 concessional railway clause, I felt fairly satisfied as regards 
 their safety, for, on from Tundla, where we changed, ran 
 a through carriage and through van all the way to Peshawar. 
 
 Just as I was beginning breakfast at Tundla, a rail- 
 way guard came to me in the refreshment room to say
 
 76 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 that one of my " pets " was loose in the Agra van and 
 would I please come and catch him. Off I went and outside 
 ran into Archdeacon Tribe with his daughter (now the 
 Duchess of Bedford), who enquired why I was in such a 
 hurry. " Catching jackals," I called out. " Come and 
 help." Now catching jackals by hand is not a pleasant 
 experience at any time ; but when it means hunting one 
 with a blanket from corner to corner in a semi-dark railway 
 van, while your breakfast is getting cold, it is more than 
 damnable. We had to keep the door open a bit to get 
 any light at all, and as I stalked the beggar Miss Tribe held 
 the doorway, and when he rushed from one corner to 
 another, she bobbed down to fill the open space to prevent 
 his escape. 
 
 Eventually I had him by the nape of the neck through 
 the blanket, carried him to the waiting van for Peshawar 
 and, with much difficulty, got him into his partition again. 
 Not that it very much mattered, for I then noticed that 
 nearly all of them had eaten through the walls to such an 
 extent that they must soon be free in the van. This I 
 pointed out to the guard, and suggested he should warn his 
 relief not to put in anything else. However, he forgot, or 
 his relief forgot, and next night at Rawalpindi a prize ram 
 was bundled in, with the result that he was killed and 
 eaten by my pets before reaching Peshawar. The owner 
 tried to make the Hunt pay an enormous price for him, but 
 was referred by me to the railway authorities who, as common 
 carriers, I maintained were bound to take the requisite 
 precautions. 
 
 The first two jackals we put down, not running a yard, 
 were ignominiously chopped in covert at one afternoon's 
 meet. Jogging home with the pack, Colonel Green of the 
 I3th Cavalry rode up alongside me and after a few remarks, 
 said : "I would not like to suggest what we were hunting 
 to-day, but if you take off an inch of the brush with a very 
 sharp pair of scissors on turning down, then a jack, or a 
 fox, will run quite straight till he drops, and the occasional 
 drip of blood helps the hound." Then he disappeared. I 
 never neglected this in future, and the result was wonderful. 
 
 There is another tip which will be useful to those who 
 get several bagmen at once and have to keep them. Make 
 a pit in dryish soil about fifteen to twenty feet deep and of 
 suitable breadth. Put in the bagmen and let down their
 
 LORD ROBERTS 77 
 
 food and water. They soon burrow, but at night and at 
 other odd times they are continually trying to get out, 
 which keeps them in hard exercise, and makes them extra- 
 ordinarily fit. 
 
 Just before importing the sixteen jackals, a jemadar * 
 of the ist Lancers brought us a wild young black buck 
 caught near his village. Taken out in the commissariat 
 bread van, with a little aniseed rubbed on his tuft, on release, 
 he gave us four or five very fast runs before coming to an 
 untimely end. One nuisance was that if he got on a road 
 or track, he would follow it, until frightened off by something 
 like a pedestrian, or bullock cart. He was quite wild, in 
 that he would allow no one near him ; but being kept in 
 cantonments on a long rope did not tend to give him the 
 wind and stamina of a jungle buck. 
 
 When uncarted he would generally graze until he heard 
 the music of the pack, when he bucked off at a great pace, 
 much too fast for the hounds. Then he would trot, uncer- 
 tain where to go, until they got closer, and then buck off 
 again and so on, each pause making him wilder and more 
 excited. Until really tired, he could always get clean 
 away ; but when quite done, with his tongue out, he would 
 make for a village, where some of us managed to whip 
 off the pack and get him caught and roped until arrange- 
 ments could be made for his return to Peshawar. 
 
 One day, at a distant meet, this village habit was his 
 undoing. Some excited Pathans, undoubtedly thinking 
 they were doing us a good turn, broke his leg with a stone 
 and he had to be shot. One haunch of venison was given 
 to the general, one to the chief civil officer, and the rest of 
 him the hounds ate. 
 
 One amusing incident happened that winter in connection 
 with my hunting. The colonel did not quite approve of 
 so much of it as two days a week for a young officer just 
 joined, especially as one of them happened to be an orderly 
 room day. In the 30th Punjabis, orderly room was held 
 twice a week and was called " Durbar." There were seldom 
 any prisoners, but an hour or so was spent by all the British 
 and native officers discussing such regimental matters as 
 the C.O., or others, brought up. I used to ask leave of 
 absence for hunting days, but on my third or fourth attempt 
 the adjutant told me the colonel disapproved of so many 
 1 Indian officer of cavalry.
 
 78 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 absences and I must be present the next time, which was 
 two days ahead. 
 
 At the club that evening, happening to meet Sir Hugh 
 Gough, he asked me what hour I was starting for the next 
 meet as he would hack out with the hounds. I told him 
 unfortunately I was not going. " Not going," he roared, 
 " what do you mean by not going when you are a whip ? " 
 I then explained the reason. The result was an urgent 
 circular letter to all commanding officers next morning to 
 say the general wished every facility to be given to officers 
 to hunt. 
 
 In the evening the adjutant told me the hour of Durbar 
 had been altered and I must attend for half an hour, which 
 would give me ample time to get to the meet. He added 
 that I might come in mufti. The C.O. was generally before 
 his tune, and when I arrived he was in his chair with all 
 the native officers round him. Now my mufti happened 
 to be the hunt uniform which none of those present had 
 seen me wearing before. My rather elaborate white stock, 
 pink coat, grey helmet with red pugri and gold cord, as 
 well as immaculate leathers and mahogany tops, were too 
 much for the old boy, and I was never told to attend again.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 I JOIN THE GURKHAS 
 
 WHEN on leave at Agra, the time the sixteen 
 jackals were procured, Brunker, with his 
 propensity for leg-pulling, sent me a wire 
 from Peshawar to say I had been appointed 
 to the 3rd Gurkhas. Much was my delight, but on return 
 to Peshawar I found it was all a hoax. He did much the 
 same thing to Bond, the acting adjutant of the 30th Punjab 
 Infantry, who was most anxious not to give up such interest- 
 ing work on the return from leave of the permanent incum- 
 bent, and this fact Brunker knew very well. 
 
 Besides new battalions of Gurkhas, the chief was also 
 raising some of Sikhs. Hearing of this, Brunker concocted 
 some cock-and-bull story about a brother officer of his 
 having been offered the command of one of the latter, and 
 asked Bond if he would like to be adjutant. Bond jumped 
 at it, and while he went about saying what a lucky fellow 
 he was, Brunker pretended he was fixing it all up. 
 
 Then we heard, accidentally, that the man Brunker had 
 mentioned for C.O. was a perfectly impossible person quite 
 unfit to command anything. This made us suspicious, and 
 shortly afterwards we discovered it was another leg-pull! 
 But the curious thing is that months afterwards both of 
 us were actually appointed as Brunker had accidentally 
 anticipated. That is, I went to the 3rd Gurkhas, and Bond 
 got the adjutancy of a new Sikh battalion. He could not 
 possibly have known, because in my case there was no 
 vacancy in the 3rd, at the time he wired. 
 
 Having now waited in Peshawar seven months without 
 any news of Gurkhas, I was beginning to feel rather uneasy, 
 but in May welcome orders came that I had been appointed 
 officiating wing officer in the 1st battalion ist Gurkhas at 
 Dharmsala. Sending off my ponies and heavy kit, I spent 
 
 79
 
 80 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 the usual ten days joining leave at Simla. At 7 a.m. the 
 first morning, when about to get up, Ian Hamilton, who in 
 the absence of Pole-Carew on leave, was acting as military 
 secretary, walked into my room. Scenting danger at once, 
 I leapt out of bed with : " Any bad news, major ? " " Yes," 
 he said, " I'm afraid it is," and proceeded to explain that he, 
 in conjunction with Colonel Harris, the new D.A.G., had 
 posted me to the 1st Gurkhas, without telling the chief. 
 That my arrival would adversely affect another youngster 
 called Watson who was junior to me. That on the way to 
 the shooting range behind Jakko, the afternoon before, 
 he had told the chief, who was exceedingly angry, and directed 
 that the appointment was to be cancelled at once. 
 
 He said, quoted Ian Hamilton, " I never heard of such 
 a thing. Young Woodyatt has never had a relation in the 
 country, and got Gurkhas entirely through favour, whereas 
 Watson is the son of my old and tried friend, Sir John, a very 
 distinguished soldier who did immense service for India and 
 the Empire. I won't hear of his son being interfered with." 
 Finally Ian Hamilton said plaintively : " I don't quite 
 know what to do, but I never saw the chief so angry. Any- 
 how, come down to office this morning and we'll see if Colonel 
 Harris has any proposal to make." 
 
 Eventually, owing to the accidental entry of a super- 
 intendent in the adjutant-general's branch, who knew the 
 ropes, I was posted to the 1st battalion 3rd Gurkhas, in 
 the seconded vacancy of Major H. D. Hutchinson, the new 
 second-in-command, but with some time still to run as a 
 garrison instructor. It was necessary, however, for me to 
 join the ist Gurkhas until fresh orders were issued, so to 
 Dharmsala I went. My arrival on a Monday, knowing 
 I was leaving about Friday, made me feel an awful fraud, 
 especially when partaking, as a regimental guest, of the 
 usual dinner given to the newly joined. 
 
 Then came a journey to Almora in the Kumaon Hills, 
 the permanent station of the 1st battalion 3rd Gurkhas, 
 with which regiment (i.e. ist or 2nd battalion) I remained 
 twenty years. Only nine, however, in Almora itself, the 
 remainder being spent at Lansdowne, or on the staff. This 
 little station of Almora, which was to be our home for the 
 happy years of our early married life, and was to become 
 the birthplace of our only beloved son, is enshrined in our 
 hearts as no other place ever can be. It is difficult to know
 
 I JOIN THE GURKHAS 81 
 
 to what, exactly, one can attribute its charm. The climate 
 is certainly equable, not too hot in the summer and delightful 
 in the winter, but I think it is really its simplicity and old- 
 world atmosphere that make it so attractive to everyone. 
 
 On first arrival I found, as a resident, Major-General the 
 Honourable Sir Henry Ramsay, commonly called the " King 
 of Kumaon," and until recently the Commissioner of Kumaon 
 and Garhwal, an appointment he had held for thirty-five 
 years. As a friend of his son Jack in the Cheshires, I got 
 to know Sir Henry and Lady Ramsay very well and often 
 stayed with them at Khali and Binsur, eight and sixteen 
 miles from Almora respectively. At both places the late 
 Commissioner had built himself houses where he cultivated 
 apples and potatoes, moving to one or the other according 
 to the season of the year. Binsur was a most beautiful 
 place, on a mountain 8,000 feet high covered with oak 
 and rhododendron. Above the house was, according to 
 Sir John Strachey, a former Lieutenant-Governor, one of 
 the finest views of the snows obtainable anywhere. 1 
 
 Sir Henry was a relation of that seven years' Governor- 
 General, Lord Dalhousie, who ruled India between 1848 
 and 1856, and annexed more territory than any other 
 Governor-General before or since. An erstwhile adjutant 
 of the 3rd Gurkhas, a participant in the Mutiny, the Con- 
 troller of the Prince of Wales' tiger shoot in 1875, and the 
 omnipotent ruler, for years, of a province bigger than 
 Belgium, Sir Henry was extremely interesting to talk to, 
 and the old man loved to talk and to reminisce. He soon 
 told me what a free hand he had to start with, soon after 
 the Mutiny, and how irksome he had found the orders of 
 the local government later on. So much so that if he did 
 not like them he returned the paper endorsed in red ink, 
 " Not applicable to Kumaon " ! 
 
 Meeting him out for a walk he would stand for an hour 
 or two and tell me the most enthralling stories of his life, 
 stories you never see in books, and stories you could listen 
 to for ever. How the Prince of Wales stayed up so late 
 at night that on the second evening, in his shooting camp, 
 Sir Henry approached him at n p.m. and asked special 
 permission to retire always at that hour, " as I can't burn 
 the candle at both ends." How, in the first day's shoot 
 
 1 See p. 41 Sir John Strachey's India; Its Administration and 
 Progress. 
 
 F
 
 82 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 though there were plenty of wild tiger it had been necessary 
 to introduce a few tame ones to make the bagging of at 
 least two or three by the Prince an absolute certainty. 
 How, when the huge " ring " of three hundred elephants 
 was closing in gradually, a shot was heard, when the Prince 
 of Wales called out sharply, " Who fired that shot ? " (It 
 was Arthur Prinsep of the nth Lancers, but he was never 
 given away, and the matter wasn't pressed.) How, a few 
 minutes later one of the tame tiger would not go away 
 from in front of Sir Henry's elephant, and he had to pelt 
 him with oranges to get him to move on ! How, big lunches 
 in hot cases on the backs of elephants were taken into the 
 jungle, and how delighted the Prince was with his first 
 tiger, etc., etc., etc. 
 
 If I remember rightly, Sir Henry only took leave to 
 England once during his sojourn of some fifty years in India. 
 It was then only for three months, and made in order to 
 procure agricultural implements and machinery for his 
 district. In those days it only gave him about three weeks 
 at home, and he had much to do. Directly he arrived a 
 summons came from Marlborough House, and there the 
 Prince of Wales told him he was to go to Balmoral to stay 
 with the Queen. H.R.H. also added that on return to 
 London he must make Marlborough House his head-quarters. 
 These were sad encroachments on the scanty days of his 
 short stay, but it couldn't be helped. On leaving, the 
 Prince and Princess of Wales (now Queen Alexandra) each 
 presented him with a large signed photograph. These, in 
 his haste, he left behind in his room. " What on earth did 
 you do ? " I gasped. " Oh," said the old man, " I had a 
 nephew, an equerry, and he had to go and retrieve them for 
 me!" 
 
 He loved his unofficial title of " King of Kumaon." 
 Once a High Court judge, on leave from the plains, put up 
 in the Government bungalow of Muktesar in the Kumaon 
 Hills, and now a bacteriological college. Here was a large 
 area Sir Henry had devoted to apples and potatoes. The 
 judge liked the potatoes so much he took a sack away with 
 him, sending the three rupees to the Commissioner, as told 
 to do by the European caretaker. " I sent the money 
 back," said Sir Henry, " with the words ' Kings don't 
 sell ' ! " 
 
 He reclaimed thousands of acres in the Kumaon Bhdbar
 
 I JOIN THE GURKHAS 83 
 
 (land below the foot-hills and dry, as opposed to the Tardi, 
 which is marshy and jungly land lying along the foot of 
 the Himalayas north of the Ganges River) , and persuaded the 
 hill people to migrate there in the winter with their flocks 
 and herds, thereby greatly adding to their wealth by giving 
 them all seasons' crops. He also introduced the cultivation 
 of potatoes, chestnuts, etc., all over Kumaon, another 
 source of profit to his beloved people. These lived in 
 what might well be called a model province, thanks to their 
 king and father, Sir Henry Ramsay. 
 
 Some years after I joined at Almora, he was persuaded by 
 his family to leave India and reside at home, where perhaps 
 the cramped life speedily killed him, for he only survived 
 about a couple of years, if so long. Like most strong men he 
 had, of course, his enemies. I came across one who for 
 years had been one of his subordinate officers and hated 
 the sound of his name. Getting to know this man pretty 
 well, I probed for the reason for this dislike. It turned 
 out to be resentment at various official wiggings for slack- 
 ness, which were well deserved, and also because he was 
 " checked " for living with a native lady of Kumaon to 
 whom he was not married. An amusing thing was that 
 when this old bachelor moved anywhere, the good woman 
 was always carried in a large packing case, the bearers of 
 which were instructed, if questions were asked, to say it 
 was the sahib's " baja " (piano) ! 
 
 There is no district in India, to my mind, so enchanting 
 for a cold-weather tour as Kumaon, with its very comfort- 
 able rest-houses and good roads, thanks to Sir Henry 
 Ramsay. Especially is this the case in the autumn, after 
 the rains, with the air so crisp and the snows so glorious. 
 Of many trips none brings back pleasanter recollections 
 than one my wife and I took in the late eighties with the 
 late Sir Auckland Colvin, the Lieutenant-Governor of the 
 then called North- West Provinces of Agra and Oudh. 
 
 He had as his private secretary Captain Jack Strachey, 
 than whom no greater master of detail, or better organiser, 
 ever existed. This was later on evinced by the way all 
 Governors fought for his services, and by his promotion, 
 eventually, to be Controller of the Household to Lord 
 Curzon. The arrangements for the camps on that tour 
 were a perfect marvel, and it was through him that I was 
 taken, with a party of signallers, to try and keep up com-
 
 84 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 munication, by helio, or lamp, with Sir Auckland's summer 
 capital, Naini Tal. Our destination was the charming tea 
 estate of Kousanie, then under the management of Hugh 
 Macmaster, one of the best of good fellows, who, with his 
 daughter Bell now Lady Ailsa did all they could to make 
 our visit a pleasant one. 
 
 The party, besides Sir Auckland and Jack Strachey, 
 consisted of Mr. A. B. Patterson, the Commissioner of 
 Inland Revenue (my wife's father) ; Colonel Erskine, the 
 Commissioner of Kumaon in succession to Herky Ross ; 
 Jimmy Robertson, the senior member of the Board of 
 Revenue ; a Miss Ada Dyson, my wife, myself and, for a 
 night or two, the Bishop of Lucknow. Nothing had been 
 forgotten by Strachey and nothing was too difficult to 
 procure. After a few days the ladies ran out of hairpins. 
 They went straight to Jack, of course, as if he kept a haber- 
 dasher's shop, but, I think, with very little hope in their 
 hearts. To their joy, however, they learnt the hairpins 
 would be in camp the next evening. Miss Dyson was 
 undoubtedly a most fascinating young woman. I firmly 
 believe the whole camp fell in love with her, including the 
 Bishop. 
 
 My signalling N.C.O. a Gurkha being a stickler for 
 red tape, was very pressing regarding this State message, 
 to know what kind of Government supply was a hairpin, 
 which he noted was to be sent from Naini Tal by a special 
 runner. On my explaining it was required for His Honour's 
 hair in camp to keep it from getting caught up in official 
 files, he appeared quite satisfied. Another heliogram sent 
 by Sir Auckland also rather upset him. It was occasioned 
 by the news that his brother Bassett's daughter, Amy, 
 had got engaged to be married to Harry Somebody, and 
 ran as follows : 
 
 " One more lamb to be led to slaughter, 
 Auckland's niece and Bassett's daughter. 
 All delighted you're to marry, 
 Fondest love to you and 'any." 
 
 At the Naini end had been posted the battalion school- 
 master, a good signaller and very proud of his knowledge 
 of English. I sent this message myself, but it was nearly 
 an hour before I could get him to take the word " 'any " as 
 sent. He would keep asking for a repetition, while enquiring 
 whether it should not be " .Harry " !
 
 I JOIN THE GURKHAS 85 
 
 Sir Auckland was at his very best in camp. The scenery, 
 the weather, the healthy marching, and the release from 
 worry and official cares made him a boy again, and full of 
 humour and chaff. Even loud shouting for my bearer 
 one night, after he had gone to sleep, only caused the 
 sarcastic remark at breakfast next morning that he hoped 
 I had found him. One evening, after tea, he sat down and 
 actually composed a very admirable poem on the members 
 of the camp party. 
 
 Very few of that jolly party now survive, but for none 
 do we mourn more than for the dear old " Shepherd," as 
 Sir Auckland called Patterson, in joke, as if he was herding 
 us two. His quick Irish temperament having been fired 
 by reading of the wrongs of Italy, he left home at eighteen, 
 joined Garibaldi, fought with him for two years, and besides 
 being wounded and decorated on the field of battle, was 
 promoted from cadet to captain within that period. Coming 
 home afterwards, he passed brilliantly for the Indian 
 Civil, was posted to the then North- West Provinces, and 
 later became Commissioner of Inland Revenue with the 
 Government of India. His ability much surpassed both 
 his industry and his ambition, but with a memory so mar- 
 vellous and a fund of knowledge so great, he was the most 
 delightful companion imaginable, being, withal, the most 
 lovable of men. 
 
 The battalion I was now with (the old 3rd Gurkhas) had 
 just returned from the Burma campaign, and Lord Roberts 
 (then Sir Frederick) had raised to it at Almora a new 
 battalion of Garhwalis. These men, though excellent 
 soldiers, were not looked upon, then, with the same esteem 
 as Gurkhas, mainly because they were not so well known, 
 enlisted sparingly and came from a province adjoining 
 that of Kumaon and therefore in British territory. The 
 selection of Garhwalis was somewhat resented by the 
 officers of the old 3rd and especially so by Barry Bishop, 
 our colonel. But the Chief was more far-seeing than most 
 of us and, having appreciated the great value of the Garh- 
 wali on his many campaigns, was bent on raising at least 
 one complete unit of them, in spite of the depressing reports 
 from civil sources regarding their disinclination to enlist. 
 Here again he showed his acumen, for he did not agree 
 with these reports or believe in them ; time proved him to 
 have judged correctly.
 
 86 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 He once asked me, when up at Simla on leave from 
 Almora, what I thought of the Garhwali. On my replying 
 that I knew nothing of him, he said : " Well, I'll tell you 
 something. There has always been a certain number of 
 them, as well as Kumaonis, in every Gurkha battalion, 
 and nearly every so-called Gurkha who has won the Indian 
 Order of Merit for gallantry has been a Garhwali or 
 Kumaoni ! " Soon afterwards I had the curiosity to look 
 this up, and found it was a matter of about ninety per cent. 
 
 However as I have said Barry Bishop was hipped, 
 and for Barry Bishop to be hipped meant he would go 
 on worry, worry, worry, until either he got his way or 
 was outed. After three years' official, semi-official and 
 private correspondence on this, to him, all-absorbing topic, 
 we were given a new battalion of Gurkhas and the old 
 2/3rd was reconstructed the " 3Qth Garhwalis," station 
 Lansdowne. The number caused them much heart-burning, 
 for it was that of the unit disbanded for the " shoe " episode 
 at Delhi, to which I have already referred. 
 
 But the number was vacant and remonstrance proved 
 futile. The adjutant, now Brigadier-General J. T. Evatt, 
 D.S.O., their Colonel-in-Chief, devised, with prophetic 
 foresight, a crest with the motto " Resurgam." I have 
 often thought what a source of joy it would have been to 
 Lord Roberts, and must have been to Evatt, to read the 
 glorious record of the Garhwalis in the Great War, both in 
 France and on other fronts, and to note the number of 
 gallant soldiers this district provided. 
 
 Soon after joining the l/srd, we received a welcome 
 addition to our strength in the person of Vincent Ormsby, 
 whose maternal grandfather had been instrumental in 
 raising the battalion in 1815. A deep friendship soon 
 developed between " Vin " and myself, only ended, to my 
 infinite sorrow, by his death in action in France in 1917, 
 when Brigadier-General V. A. Ormsby, C.B., commanding 
 the I27th Brigade, 42nd Division. No better fellow ever 
 lived than this old Wykehamist, and it was a bright day 
 for Almora when he and his charming bride arrived to make 
 it their home for so many years. Not only was he a fine 
 rider, first-class cricketer, and good sportsman, but he had 
 an uncommonly pretty style with his pen, as evinced by his 
 " Almoriana," and many other brochures, published in 
 India.
 
 I JOIN THE GURKHAS 87 
 
 About the time we heard of Government's sanction to the 
 new 2nd battalion 3rd Gurkhas, I was going home on leave, 
 after seven years in India. Having secured passages on a 
 trooper, I was ready to start for Bombay, when Barry 
 Bishop looked in on us at breakfast with something evidently 
 on his mind. He soon brought it out by saying how ex- 
 tremely foolish it was of me to go home just then, when I 
 was certain to get the adjutancy of the new battalion. I 
 was of a different opinion and said so, but eventually he 
 persuaded me to send a wire to Colonel (afterwards Lord) 
 Nicholson, the Chief's military secretary, explaining the 
 circumstances and enquiring what chance I had. It was 
 a long and expensive urgent telegram, which I could ill 
 afford, but I felt the outlay justified at 4 p.m. the same 
 day on receiving the reply as follows : 
 
 " Chief selected you for adjutancy new Gurkha battalion 
 Stop. You will probably have to take up your duties early 
 next month." That settled it and England did not see me 
 for six years more. 
 
 A good deal of football was played in Gurkha units even 
 then ; but, so far as could be ascertained, it was a desultory 
 kind of game with no definite rules. This was certainly 
 the case at Almora, where sides consisted of any number, 
 like Gilgit polo ; the ball was sometimes round and some- 
 times oval, and the by-laws varied at the fancy of the 
 predominant Britisher playing. Rugby was suggested, 
 but as this seemed impossible for Gurkhas, I started Soccer 
 instead.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 
 
 THE first attempt to raise a second battalion to 
 the 3rd Gurkhas at Almora having resulted in 
 a wash-out, as -I have explained, we eventually 
 got one of pure Gurkhas, and I was the first 
 officer to be appointed to it and as adjutant. 
 
 In those days it was the custom when raising a new 
 battalion (and Lord Roberts raised a great many) to do 
 so ab initio, with just a small nucleus from the sister 
 battalion or one of a similar composition. Lord Kitchener, 
 in his time, conceived the much better idea of dividing the 
 old battalion into two halves and completing each to 
 strength. The advantage of this was that the new unit 
 was ready for the field much sooner, and although the old 
 one was incapacitated for a time, yet both in a great emer- 
 gency could Jbe utilised, on account of the large number 
 of old soldiers each contained. 
 
 I was most fortunate in having as my C.O., Major H. D. 
 Hutchinson. He was commonly called " The Teacher " 
 and known to the whole army, not only for his books, 
 especially Sketching Made Easy, but also for his marvellous 
 capacity for imparting knowledge to others. For years 
 he had been a garrison instructor, and was the one selected 
 to conduct the celebrated course held in Simla itself during 
 Lord Lansdowne's viceroyalty. The reason for this was 
 that, to qualify for promotion, Bill Beresford, the Governor- 
 General's military secretary, had to pass the usual obliga- 
 tory examination. But it was considered impossible for 
 so important a person to be entirely absent from his 
 official duties for three or four months ! Hence the Simla 
 class. 
 
 No one could wish for a better C.O. than I had in Major 
 
 88
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 89 
 
 H. D. Hutchinson, now Lieutenant-General and Companion 
 of the Star of India. I shall always look upon it as a special 
 dispensation of Providence to have had the enormous 
 advantage of serving for four very interesting years under 
 so brilliant a mentor. I notice the present Chief of the 
 Imperial General Staff (Field-Marshal Sir H. Wilson) gave 
 a touching tribute to General Hutchinson at the last prize- 
 giving of the Bath School for Officers' daughters. After 
 a feeling reference to his present affliction of semi-blindness, 
 the field-marshal alluded to the immense amount he had 
 himself learnt when serving under him at the War Office, 
 just after the South African War. 
 
 This struck a very sympathetic chord in my heart, for 
 the little knowledge I possess that I did not learn from him 
 or from the late Major-General William Hill or my last 
 divisional commander is not worth having. He was the 
 first man to really make me work, and the first to en- 
 courage me to use my pen. I had never done either before. 
 But with him I was always on my mettle, and I firmly 
 believe that those four years were the turning point in my 
 life, by changing me from a slackster into one possessed 
 of some kind of high endeavour. 
 
 Lansdowne is not a bad little hill station, the highest 
 part being just 6,000 feet above sea-level and the air 
 very fine. The hills are too much on the big side for 
 training, so it is most difficult to find ground to work 
 over near cantonments. There is capital fishing within 
 a day's march, good big-game shooting (tiger, etc.) close 
 to, if you make proper arrangements, some pheasants and 
 plenty of chakor (red-legged partridge) within twenty 
 miles; also snipe and duck shooting in the plains 
 below. 
 
 Here, in 1892, my wife and I had the novel experi- 
 ence of building a house, and very fascinating it was. 
 Four good rooms with dressing and bath to each of the 
 two bedrooms, wooden ceilings, papered walls, English 
 doors and windows. This, with a cookhouse, servants' 
 quarters and two stalls, cost us just Rs. 6,000, or say 
 450. It could not be done for three times that amount 
 now. 
 
 At the end of my tenure as adjutant I was offered the 
 post of inspector of musketry at Meerut. This was in 
 February, but the telegram said the appointment would
 
 90 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 not be vacant until May. Accepting this offer, I went off 
 into the jungle to shoot. 
 
 Three days later a runner came into my camp at midnight 
 with an " immediate " letter from the adjutant to say the 
 battalion had been mobilised and was very shortly railing 
 to Nowshera to join the Chitral Expedition. This was on 
 a Sunday, and between Monday morning and Friday night 
 I had cancelled my acceptance of the staff appointment, 
 sold my house for seven thousand rupees, packed my things, 
 started my wife and boy for England,[and joined the battalion 
 entraining for the front, at the nearest railway station. 
 Quick and never-ceasing work, all day and most of the 
 night, but so great was my joy at the chance of active 
 service at last, after so many bitter disappointments during 
 twelve long years, that no fatigue whatever was felt, 
 and all the preparations for departure were a labour of 
 love. 
 
 Imagine then my pain, grief and mortification when 
 shortly after arrival at Hoti Mardan, near the frontier, a 
 reply came to my letter about the staff appointment, 
 addressed to the C.O. as follows : 
 
 " Chief sympathises with application, but cannot accept 
 any resignation Stop Captain Woodyatt must join at 
 Meerut immediately as appointment unexpectedly become 
 vacant now." 
 
 It was well known that the Commander-in-Chief, Sir 
 George White, held very strong views about staff officers 
 relinquishing their appointments simply to rejoin their 
 regiments ordered on active service. Undoubtedly this was 
 a sound principle, but I held that mine was an entirely 
 different case, for no advantage whatever had accrued to 
 me from the appointment, which, moreover, I had declined 
 three months before it was vacant. Colonel Hutchinson 
 was kindness itself, sending many official and private 
 telegrams, begging that I might be allowed to remain, even 
 if only for two or three months. None, however, were of 
 any avail, the last reply being : 
 
 " If Captain Woodyatt does not join his appointment 
 at Meerut immediately he will incur the severe displeasure 
 of the C.-in-C." 
 
 Just another case of slavish adoption of a rule combined 
 with a large slice of injustice ! Bringing me this wire 
 himself the C.O. said : "I'm dreadfully sorry, but you'll
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 91 
 
 have to go, my boy. You can't fight the Chief ! " The 
 very next day, as the battalion marched on to Dargai and 
 over the frontier, I was returning disconsolate in a tonga 
 to Nowshera railway station and, as we sped along, I rather 
 think it was a case of bitter tears. 
 
 Hoti Mardan is the head-quarters of the famous " Guides," 
 the infantry portion of which corps I was to have the 
 honour of including in my war brigade twenty years later. 
 Our brigadier was the late General Channer, V.C., with 
 Horace Smith-Dorrien as his staff officer. The general 
 was most particular about being saluted at all times, and 
 came to the C.O.'s tent very angry one day to say one 
 of our stick sentries on the boundary of the camp had 
 failed to do so. I was sent for, as it was my wing, 
 and told to get hold of the man and bring him up 
 at once. Turning to go I noticed the G.O.C. remained 
 on, and was wearing a black mourning band on his left 
 arm. 
 
 The sentry turned out to be a nice little Gurkha I knew 
 well, a good football player, but very stolid and rather 
 thick-headed. The colonel, being vexed, was somewhat rough 
 with him. After some questions, without any intelligent 
 answer, the general chipped in, saying, in the vernacular : 
 " If you don't know your own general you ought to, and 
 who indeed did you suppose I was ? " Looking hard at 
 his arm band the boy replied, " Bomb police ! " That is 
 to say, one of the military provost establishment called that 
 by the men, and wearing a broad badge on the arm, though 
 it is usually red. 
 
 Another curious episode at Mardan was the behaviour 
 of a senior officer sent to us for Colonel Hutchinson to report 
 on, after a fixed period, as his conduct had been very peculiar 
 in his last unit. We had one tree in camp, on the southern 
 edge, and, it being very hot, this officer, building an arbour 
 in the branches, insisted on living, sleeping and feeding 
 there. The colonel told the adjutant to warn this arboreous 
 person that he must live like the other officers, but no 
 notice whatever was taken. 
 
 On the evening of the third day, Colonel Hutchinson 
 came and asked me to use my influence, pointing out that, 
 although the major's action could hardly be called insub- 
 ordinate or against rule, it was highly ridiculous, nor had 
 he any business to be living out of the mess. I could see
 
 92 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 the colonel was much averse to drastic action, but was very 
 hipped at being made a fool of. 
 
 I explained to him that everything possible had already 
 been done, but arguments were quite useless ; that the 
 tree was full of tinned tongues, pate de foie gras, bottled 
 beer and all sorts of luxuries, obtained by parcel post ; 
 and that the incumbent absolutely refused to come down, 
 except to go to parades, etc. 
 
 Waxing wroth, the C.O. said, " Come along, we'll soon 
 settle the matter," and off we went to the foot of the 
 tree. 
 
 What followed was so funny that I was in real pain trying 
 to suppress the laughter I couldn't very well indulge in. 
 The colonel began in rather cajoling accents, looking up 
 into the branches from the ground, and begging our friend 
 to stop that kind of thing and come down. Then he tried 
 to point out what a ridiculous ass the man was making of 
 himself ; next he talked about discipline, and finally, getting 
 very angry, declared his report would be exceedingly bad, 
 leading to a very serious situation. 
 
 Peering down from his leafy arbour, this funny old bird 
 took it all with the greatest good-humour, saying his head 
 would not stand the heat below, that he was paying for his 
 messing as usual, and wouldn't the colonel and I come up 
 and dine with him ! As an inducement he told us he had 
 just received, by post, fresh butter from Aligarh, potatoes 
 from Kumaon, a ham from Green & Reade, Bombay, and 
 pastry from Peliti at Simla all of which was quite true. 
 Absolutely defeated, the C.O. stumped off, white with rage, 
 and a few hours later came the order for the battalion to 
 cross the frontier in two days' time. A year or two later 
 this poor tree-dwelling major had to be confined as a dan- 
 gerous lunatic. 
 
 My new appointment brought me into close touch with 
 Colonel W. Hill, 1 the A.A.G. musketry army headquarters. 
 There are probably more anecdotes about " old Hill," as he 
 was affectionately called, than any other soldier in India. 
 Possessing great humour, much facility of expression, a 
 somewhat pugnacious nature, and a nimble and virile pen, 
 his noting on files at A.H.Q., and his quaint and humorous 
 
 1 The late Major-General W. Hill, C.B., who died in 1903 while 
 G.O.C. Mhow Division.
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 93 
 
 letters and sayings, were a perfect joy to the recipients. 
 At the same time his sound judgment, irregular and rugged 
 features, twinkling grey eyes and charming manner when 
 he liked made him very popular and his company much 
 sought after. 
 
 It was the custom for the Commander-in-Chief to fit the 
 Meerut Rifle Meeting (the Bisley of India) into his cold- 
 weather tour, and, after making an address, give away the 
 prizes. I was present at the visits of Lord Roberts, Sir G. 
 White, Sir W. Lockhart, Lord Kitchener, etc. When Lord 
 Kitchener came he was most fussy about where he was to 
 stand to speak, and made me pile huge palms round his 
 lectern ; so much so that he was almost hidden away. He 
 also ordered me to produce a shorthand writer who was to 
 be close to him, but quite invisible. I asked FitzGerald 
 what his use was, as I knew there were lots of copies of the 
 Chief's words. FitzGerald said heaven only knew what 
 was often in Kitchener's mind, but it didn't do to argue 
 about it ! So I got one with much difficulty, an army 
 schoolmaster, but the poor devil had to sit on a brick between 
 two large palms, and sit there for the dickens of a long 
 time. 
 
 Apropos Colonel Hill, when he was commanding the 1st 
 brigade 2nd Gurkhas at Dehra Dun, many amusing anec- 
 dotes can be told. His divisional commander was Sir 
 George Greaves and the two had many a tussle, for although 
 they much respected each other at heart, their natures were 
 rather antagonistic. 
 
 One year Sir George gave a big money prize for a collective 
 musketry competition open to all units in the division, both 
 British and Indian, and which the general was very anxious 
 a certain British unit should win. Hill gave out openly 
 that he intended to win it with his Gurkhas from Dehra 
 Dun, and this much annoyed the divisional commander. 
 The competition took place at Meerut and the Gurkhas 
 won, to Sir George's intense disgust. To prevent the 
 Gurkhas perpetuating their victory in the shape of a 
 mess trophy, he personally directed that the money was 
 to be given to the members of the team, and on no 
 account expended on the purchase of a memento of the 
 occasion. 
 
 At the next inspection dinner at Dehra Dun, Colonel Hill 
 led in the general, and straight in front of the latter, on the
 
 94 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 table, was a handsome silver cigarette box. Sir George 
 could see there was some engraving on top, but all he 
 could read without taking out his glasses was the title 
 of the match, the date and his own name. Fidgeting 
 a good deal all through dinner and drinking much more 
 wine than he needed, the general waited impatiently for 
 the cloth to be removed. Then turning to his left he 
 said : 
 
 " Look here, Hill, I told you distinctly that the prize 
 for my musketry competition was a money one, to be given 
 to the team, and now I see this box ? " 
 
 " Quite all right," said Hill, " the money was paid to the 
 men in the acquittance roll for the month of March, 
 and I got this box out of regimental funds as a memento 
 of the occasion, for the men were very pleased at beat- 
 ing all the British teams. If you look at the inscription 
 you will see it only says it is a regimental memento of 
 a competition for a money prize given by you, and won by 
 the men of the 2nd Gurkhas ! " There was no more to be 
 said. 
 
 On another occasion, trouble having occurred in a certain 
 unit's canteen accounts, the Meerut staff, by the general's 
 orders, issued some instructions for guidance, " to be strictly 
 adhered to and a report submitted before such and such a 
 date." Now certain Indian units, but very few, maintain 
 a canteen, and fit was known the 2nd Gurkhas had one, 
 in order to sell rum and beer to the men. The fund, 
 however, was entirely a private one and in no way official. 
 Failing to get any reply from Dehra Dun, a somewhat rude 
 reminder was issued by the staff, in reply to which Colonel 
 Hill wrote at the bottom in red ink : 
 
 " The Divisional Commander has no more to do with my 
 canteen than the Czar of Russia." 
 
 For this he got a rap over the knuckles. 
 
 The Meerut Divisional headquarters always moved to 
 Mussoorie for the summer, which is a hill station in the 
 United Provinces, consisting of a main ridge with various 
 offshoots some 6,500 feet above sea-level. It runs roughly 
 east and west and overlooks Dehra Dun on its southern 
 side. At the eastern end is the small military cantonment 
 of Landour, some 7,200 feet high. In the centre, two miles 
 lower down, is the main station, and at the western end, up 
 to two miles or so from the centre, are hotels, residential
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 95 
 
 houses, etc., on wooded slopes and spurs. Dehra Dun by 
 road is fourteen miles from Mussoorie, and about half-way 
 is the hamlet of Raj pore, the changing station from motors, 
 tongas, etc., to hill pony or dandy. 
 
 At the end of one season, Sir George Greaves decided to 
 give everyone a treat by having a sham fight in which he 
 would defend Mussoorie with the volunteers, cadets of three 
 or four schools, and the few British details at Landour, 
 against a force of mountain artillery and Gurkhas from 
 Dehra Dun under the command of Colonel Hill. At the 
 conclusion there would be a big luncheon given by Sir 
 George. 
 
 As the approaches from the south were much the shortest 
 and fairly easy, though wooded, and those towards Landour 
 led up steep precipices, the general considered this flank 
 secure and, practically ignoring it, disposed his forces on 
 or about the centre of the main ridge. On the appointed 
 day, Colonel Hill, moving to Raj pore the evening before, 
 left again long before dawn, with half his strength, to tackle 
 the eastern part of the Landour end. This had always 
 been considered absolutely impracticable, but Hill had 
 ascertained, by secret reconnaissance, that it was danger- 
 ously possible. 
 
 Meanwhile, at the decent hour of 8 a.m., the remainder 
 of his force feinted in front and slowly pushed in Sir 
 George's advanced posts. There was no real attempt, 
 however, to force an attack on the main ridge, and as the 
 luncheon hour drew nigh the general got more and more 
 contemptuous of Hill's futile efforts and slow movements, 
 whilst he drew in closer and closer his extended flanks. 
 At last an adjournment was made for lunch, and in the 
 middle of it a flag of truce was received from Hill with 
 the message : 
 
 " Arrived Landour i p.m. with one section mountain 
 artillery and 400 Gurkhas. Garrison overpowered and 
 guns now in action entirely dominating your defensive 
 position." 
 
 In a towering rage the general dictated the following 
 reply : 
 
 " Have been strengthened by two battalions of British 
 infantry from Chakrata [thirty miles off, and therefore 
 quite impossible]. Shall attack you on a wide front. What 
 do you intend to do ? "
 
 96 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 To which the answer came in about an hour : 
 
 " Have been reinforced by the angel Gabriel and a 
 company of cherubims and intend to remain where I 
 am ! " 
 
 And he was left alone, to rest there for the night after his 
 arduous feat, which very few would have dared to attempt. 
 None of the British officers, even the strongest and boldest, 
 had been able to climb up without assistance from the men 
 As for the guns, it is a marvel how they were got there, even 
 with the amount of rope provided. 
 
 As A.A.G. musketry, Colonel Hill had a considerable 
 amount of touring. The regulations permitted him to take 
 one horse always, or two, " if the second one was absolutely 
 necessary." Having continuous trouble over his travelling 
 bills with pettifogging baboos of the Military Accounts 
 department, he was much exasperated when his claim for 
 two horses to Rawalpindi was cut down half. Asking for 
 a refund as two horses had actually been taken there, he 
 was told it was contrary to the regulations and could not 
 be admitted. Pointing out, in a still further letter, the 
 words in the book as put in inverted commas above, the 
 pay people replied that it was essential for the adjutant- 
 general to certify that two horses were absolutely necessary. 
 This was too much for old Hill, and getting out his red ink 
 he wrote across this : 
 
 " Am I really to understand that the officers of the Pay 
 Department can possibly imagine I take these two horses 
 about for the benefit of their health ? " ! 
 
 The money was refunded at once, but we all got a con- 
 fidential circular shortly afterwards, saying it had come to 
 the notice of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief that 
 officers were in the habit of writing most improper remarks 
 in military accounts departmental correspondence, which 
 must cease immediately, etc., etc. 
 
 During one of his tours Colonel Hill attended a concen- 
 tration held in my musketry circle, the occasion being an 
 attack by an infantry brigade, with ball, on an enemy in 
 position, represented by targets. In those days the order was 
 that, at any pause in an attack, infantry would " kneel " ! 
 The commander having omitted to make any personal recon- 
 naissance, the attack failed, but the supports and reserves 
 had been brought close up, and on a huge frontage was a 
 long extended line, with other lines behind, but no strength
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 97 
 
 anywhere. Failing to see any objective the first line halted, 
 and then the lines in rear did the same. Colonel Hill was 
 standing near me with a very red face, on which was a most 
 humorous look accentuated by the fact that, to ease his 
 eyes, he had turned his old-fashioned helmet back to front. 
 Then he spoke : 
 
 " Wherever I look I see lines upon lines of men in a 
 devotional attitude. It seems to me about time to offer 
 up prayers for those at sea ! " The infantry colonel 
 commanding the brigade for the day, certainly was very 
 much at sea. 
 
 Like so many good soldiers, Colonel Hill had a horror of 
 red tape and often told me how he found himself simply 
 tied up in it at Simla. "I'm a pretty good fighter," he 
 would say, " but neither abuse, sarcasm, satire, sneers, nor 
 even concrete facts have a dog's chance when the methods 
 of babooism rule the roost." After fighting for a long period 
 to get the Volunteers in India better armed and equipped 
 and their Martini-Henry rifles exchanged for the '303, he 
 was given to understand that the matter was settled. Then 
 a sudden hitch called an indefinite postponement. Unable 
 to restrain his indignation, he put up a long note to the 
 Ordnance department, from which I quote the following 
 amusing passages : 
 
 * " . . . As regards the Volunteers, the question of their 
 being re-armed can be dropped for at least eight or nine 
 years. 
 
 " I am very, very greatly relieved at this, for, having 
 done a good deal of writing and talking on the subject, I 
 have been much exercised in my mind about the Volunteer 
 question, and it has been a terrible anxiety and responsibility 
 to me. 
 
 " It was soon borne in upon me that I had made a huge 
 blunder. I was interfering in a matter that in no way 
 concerned the technicalities of musketry instruction. I 
 felt as a man would feel who had picked up a bundle in the 
 street and found it contained a 'baby, and no one would 
 believe that he was altogether innocent, and refused to 
 relieve him of the responsibility. 
 
 " This infernal foundling has been as a millstone round 
 my neck, and, as a lot of Volunteers have managed to 
 persuade themselves that the responsibility for the 
 maintenance and education of this cuckoo in my nest is 
 
 G
 
 98 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 rightly placed on me, I have had frequently to deny my 
 responsibility in unmeasured terms, when heckled on the 
 subject. 
 
 " My long-suffering patience and sincere penitence for 
 my indiscretion in mixing myself up in matters that do not 
 concern me, have at last been rewarded, and I go forth a 
 free man, free of the shame, pain and humiliation (as Mr. 
 Thorburn 1 would say) connected with the responsibility 
 for this unclaimed and abandoned brat the Indian 
 Volunteer. 
 
 " If I ever hear of the subject again, it will perhaps be 
 when I am killing time, in the smoking-room of a Pall Mall 
 club, by reading some weekly Indian newspaper, in which 
 mention is made of the proposal to re-arm the Volunteers 
 in India as being ' under consideration.' 
 
 " I shall be able to look back on the time when I destroyed 
 many quires of good foolscap on the subject and be able 
 joyfully to exclaim, ' Vive la bagatelle ! ' 
 
 When the late General Hill was inspector-general of 
 Volunteers in India, he was suddenly taken extremely ill 
 at Meerut in February, 1903. Partially recovering, he was 
 promoted to the command of the Mhow Division, but in 
 September went to England for medical advice. An oper- 
 ation revealed a malignant growth too far gone for the 
 surgeon's knife. The verdict was six months in agony. 
 Fortunately a clot of blood intervened, and he died the 
 same evening. This was a truly cruel fate, for he had then 
 gained the entire confidence of Lord Kitchener, who con- 
 sulted him on the weightiest matters, and especially on the 
 delicate question of the renumbering of the Indian Army. 
 Had he lived and kept his health, there was nothing but age 
 to stop him. 
 
 My first divisional commander at Meerut was General 
 Sanford, referred to before as the young field engineer at 
 the time of the loth Hussar catastrophe crossing the Kabul 
 River. 
 
 General Sanford was succeeded by that well-known soldier 
 and great shikari, Sir Bindon Blood, later to pass on 
 to the command of the Northern Army at Rawalpindi. 
 Handsome, debonair, imperturbable, always well mounted 
 
 1 A Punjab civilian who publicly censured the Viceroy (Lord 
 Elgin) in 1898 for his pusillanimous policy on the N.W. Frontier, 
 and used the above words in his speech.
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 99 
 
 and ever the picture of health, Bindon was a popular 
 commander, and Lady Bindon and he were a great social 
 success. 
 
 It was at their house in Meerut I first met the Misses 
 Lieter (now Mrs. Colin Campbell and Lady Suffolk), on a 
 visit to India at the invitation of their sister, Lady Curzon. 
 Their enjoyment of life, keenness to see and do everything, 
 and their quaint American sayings, fairly astonished the 
 place. Nothing was too trivial for their notice and nothing 
 too small for their curiosity. 
 
 Daisy was very good-looking and very vivacious. One 
 night at the Bloods the late Maharajah of Patiala was teach- 
 ing her after dinner how to balance a rupee on her elbow, 
 and catch it by a downward flick of the arm, at which 
 she was shaping very badly. At last Patiala almost lost 
 patience, for he had been doing a lot of groping about on 
 the floor for her fallen rupees. Again placing the coin 
 on his elbow, he said : " It's dreadfully easy ; all you have 
 to do is this (catching it deftly) and say ' Lawks a daisy ' ! " 
 Which was rather smart. 
 
 Another visitor to the Bloods was Winston Churchill, 
 then a subaltern in the 4th Hussars, and chiefly remarkable 
 for his extreme precociousness and a never-ending tendency 
 to make absurd assertions on purpose to create discussion. 
 This didn't make him too popular, but at the same time 
 everyone recognised his brain power and general ability. 
 It was common knowledge that, although only a junior 
 subaltern, he practically " ran " the 4th Hussars. He 
 used to come out on field days with Sir Bindon, freely 
 criticising all movements, and the fact that he was very 
 often right, and that the general frequently followed his 
 advice and suggestions, did not make his intrusion any 
 more welcome ! 
 
 During the polo week in Meerut, Sir Baker Russell, the 
 general of the command, gave a large dinner party.. One 
 of Sir Baker's idiosyncrasies was to march straight into 
 the dining-room with the senior lady, the moment the clock 
 struck eight. He would wait for no one. If a man was 
 late, Baker, who had an enormous voice, would shout at 
 him from where he sat, and whatever his rank, somewhat 
 as follows : " There you are, Jones, there you are, left 
 hand of Lady Russell ; if the ladies can be in time I don't 
 know why you can't."
 
 ioo UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 The poor devil would then slink to his seat. At Naini 
 Tal one night, Lomax, commanding the Cameronians, was 
 a bit late, and above is exactly what happened. But in 
 his case it was much worse because, having ridden, he had 
 tucked his coat-tails into his trousers' pockets, and in his 
 haste to get into the dining-room had forgotten to take 
 them out ! So he walked round the long table looking 
 rather ridiculous, though quite unaware of it. 
 
 On this particular evening Winston was late, and though 
 Sir Baker, at eight o'clock, walked into the dining-room 
 as usual, he went half round the table to greet young 
 Churchill when he came in, a thing I had never seen him 
 do before. When the ladies had gone I sat next to Baker, 
 and " Boy " Maclaren of the I3th Hussars, his A.D.C., 
 came and sat on the other side of me. Presently we heard 
 a hubbub at the bottom of the table. It appears Reggie 
 Hoare, of the 4th Hussars, had been out pigsticking for the 
 first time that day and, having got into a pig, was describing 
 his glorious sensation as the spear went home after so 
 hard a gallop. " Yes," said Winston, in a loud voice, 
 " that's a weak spot about fox hunting ; I've always said 
 the field should carry spears to jab into the fox at the finish." 
 At this, of course, there were shouts of satirical laughter 
 and, Baker asking the reason, Winston told him what he 
 had said. " What about the hounds, my boy, what about 
 the hounds ? " remarked Sir Baker. 
 
 Shortly afterwards there was another uproar, with angry 
 voices, and " Boy " Maclaren, nudging me, said : " That's 
 young Churchill raising another discussion." Now all 
 the men at the table except myself belonged to British 
 cavalry, and Churchill had been getting their backs up 
 by saying that no commander would think of taking 
 British cavalry on service if he could get Indian instead ! 
 Appealing to Sir Baker, he asked what he'd prefer him- 
 self : " Oh well," said the general, rather flustered, " it 
 all depends on the transport. If I had plenty I would 
 always take British Cavalry, but otherwise Indian, be- 
 cause they require so little," which seemed a very good 
 answer. 
 
 About this time Churchill gave out that he was leaving 
 the service and going in for politics, but was very reserved 
 as regards his views. Sir Bindon was reported to have 
 begged him to make up his mind, and then stick to his
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 101 
 
 party through thick and thin, so as to gain and retain the 
 confidence of the British public. This advice Winston 
 received in stony silence. Sir Bindon, not to be beaten, 
 went on to dilate on the respective careers of Gladstone 
 and Beaconsfield and the esteem in which they were both 
 held by the British public. He instanced the fact that 
 the former, though sometimes lacking in judgment, was 
 considered straight and trusted accordingly; whereas a 
 feeling that Beaconsfield's policy was apt to be Machiavellian 
 militated against this same feeling of confidence. 
 
 The following story gives a good insight into the impulsive 
 character, pluck and good-nature of Mr. Churchill, as a 
 boy. It was at the time when ragging was much in vogue, 
 and subalterns' courts-martial of frequent occurrence. 
 The 4th Hussars at Mhow had occasion to hold several, 
 and unjustly put on the mat a young officer who had lately 
 joined for the purpose of going to the Indian Army. Having 
 been asked what his allowance was, and then how he 
 expected to live on that sum in the 4th, he replied that he 
 had no intention of doing so ; but, having been offered 
 cavalry by the War Office, he had taken it to gain his 
 commission early, and as soon as possible was transferring 
 to an Indian corps. 
 
 Being bullied by Churchill and told that the 4th were 
 not accustomed to be turned into a dak bungalow* this 
 officer waxed wrath, telling him that, as he seemed the most 
 aggressive spirit present, perhaps he would like to come 
 outside, and see which was the better man. Churchill 
 consented at once and a scrap took place. Now the young 
 prisoner under trial happened to have been the public 
 schools middle-weight champion the year before, and he 
 soon knocked spots out of his opponent. In spite of this, 
 he maintains that Churchill bore him no ill-will what- 
 ever, but during the remainder of his time in the 4th was 
 particularly nice to him. 
 
 The fact of having the lieutenant-general sitting on his 
 head in Meerut, because he had no proper cold weather 
 head-quarters, was extremely obnoxious to Sir Bindon 
 Blood, and he took no trouble to hide it. I had much 
 touring to do and, one day, while some distance away, I 
 received an urgent wire from Sir Baker's chief staff officer, 
 to return immediately. Wondering what it meant, I reported 
 
 1 Staging house.
 
 102 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 myself at once to Colonel Henry on arrival, who explained 
 the situation as follows : 
 
 " There's to be a big divisional field firing to-morrow, 
 which is, of course, directly under the divisional commander's 
 (Sir Bindon Blood) orders. Baker intends to be present, 
 and as there is some friction between the two, it is quite 
 likely Baker will interfere, and there will be a row. This 
 would be a great pity, for, between ourselves, Bindon is 
 as big a man as Baker. I've therefore sent for you to go 
 with the latter and keep him quiet. Keep him amused 
 and moving about and, whatever you do, keep him 
 away from Bindon. I'm chief umpire, and I've got the 
 rest of the staff disposed of on purpose, so you'll be all 
 alone." 
 
 All went well at first and I got Baker ahead with the cavalry, 
 but when the infantry came into action, he began looking 
 round at them and got fidgety. I tried to persuade him 
 to come over to the guns to see how they were support- 
 ing the infantry attack. We cantered that way, when 
 some infantry volleys from an unexpected quarter 
 attracted his attention and, turning off, he galloped in that 
 direction. 
 
 Like the old war horse he was, the sound of heavy firing 
 was too much for him, and, pushing his mount right into 
 the firing line, he took charge of battalions, companies, 
 and even sections ! I still hoped it might be all right, as 
 there was no sign of Bindon, but when the situation became 
 critical and the reserves were much too far behind, Baker, 
 to my horror, bawled to his trumpeter to sound the " Cease 
 fire," foUowed by the " Officers' call." 
 
 This was, of course, a great breach of etiquette, and the 
 fat was in the fire. Bindon came up with the rest, looking 
 extremely annoyed, and a wordy war commenced by Baker 
 asking who was the officer commanding the reserves. 
 
 " I consider," he said, " that he entirely failed to grasp 
 the situation and kept his troops much too far behind. 
 For that reason I sounded the ' Cease fire. ' " 
 
 Bindon told him he begged to differ ; that the officer 
 had acted quite judiciously under his orders, and had the 
 attack not been stopped prematurely it would have been 
 quite all right. 
 
 So it went on, until Baker, leaning over his holsters, 
 said, with a very red face : " Well, well, Sir Bindon, all I
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 103 
 
 can say is that this, this, this field day would never have 
 passed the Duke of Cambridge at Aldershot." 
 
 Bindon's only answer was a loud guffaw ! I had a very 
 poor ride of seven miles home with Sir Baker, my dejection 
 enhanced by the thought that I had completely failed in 
 my somewhat impossible task ! 
 
 Sir Baker and Lady Russell, with their niece, Miss Long, 
 dispensed lavish hospitality at Naini Tal, where they were 
 greatly liked. At " Hawksdale " everyone was assured 
 of a warm welcome, and each felt that the hosts were 
 devoting themselves entirely to the care, comfort and 
 amusement of their guests. 
 
 Dining one night in the R.A. mess at Meerut, I had pointed 
 out to me two very handsome glass jugs used for cham- 
 pagne. They were wonderfully cut, with beautiful guns 
 and gun carriages. They were the very last of the glass 
 belonging to the old Bengal Artillery, priceless and irre- 
 placeable. I duly admired the first one that appeared, 
 and we then discussed duck shooting, the pace the birds 
 went, etc. 
 
 By this time the wine had come round again. After 
 moving on a heavy marsala decanter to my next-door 
 neighbour, I passed one of the wonderful glass jugs after 
 it. At the same time I was answering a query by suggesting 
 that someone was omitting to swing sufficiently at the 
 duck. This gave my hand an unconscious whirl, and bang 
 went the jug into the marsala decanter and broke to bits. 
 The man on my left had gone to sleep, and had failed 
 to pass on the marsala ! Never have I felt so miser- 
 able, and I spent the rest of the evening in gloomy 
 silence. 
 
 A few weeks afterwards I was dining in the R.A. mess 
 again. When the wine came round there was the one 
 solitary jug, which I dare hardly look at. To my confusion, 
 my host began expatiating on its beauty, adding : " We 
 had two until quite lately, when some swine broke one." 
 I then had to admit 7 was that swine ! 
 
 Many years afterwards I dined in the same mess on a 
 Sunday evening with L. A. Smith, a horse gunner, the 
 only officer in Meerut who had been there in the old days. 
 We dined at round tables, and after dinner Smith asked 
 me if I remembered breaking the jug. Begging him not 
 to talk about it as it was so painful, he told me, to my
 
 104 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 joy, that it had been nicely mended, and sent for it. I took 
 it in my hands with the utmost care, and noted how beauti- 
 fully the work had been done. Then I handed it back to 
 the mess sergeant ; but a captain at the next table, wonder- 
 ing why the jug had been producd, called for it. He had 
 not heard our conversation, but turning the jug over and 
 over, and noting the tiny black marks, he looked towards 
 Smith and said : " What swine broke it ? " I thought 
 Smith would never stop laughing, and I felt that penance 
 for my untimely mishap was paid in full. 
 
 In the early part of the South African War, we were at 
 Mussoorie. As news travelled slowly to outlying stations 
 like Chakrata (thirty miles away by a hill road, and occupied 
 by one British infantry battalion and British details), we 
 used to send on daily, by helio, any interesting information 
 received. The officer in charge of signals, named Mackenzie, 
 was a lively young man with a marked predilection for 
 practical joking. One day, having transmitted some per- 
 fectly authentic intelligence, he added on his own : "Sir 
 George White and staff were captured by the Boers yesterday 
 when engaged on reconnaissance duty, and having luncheon 
 outside the defences of Ladysmith." 
 
 As it happened, Sir Bindon Blood was marching over to 
 inspect Chakrata, and due there the following day. The 
 O.C., on getting this important piece of news, immediately 
 rode out ten miles to Sir Bindon's resting-place for that 
 night to tell him about it. The General expressed no 
 astonishment, saying it was just the sort of thing that might 
 have happened. During his stay at Chakrata Sir Bindon 
 could talk of little else, adding, that it also meant he was 
 bound now to be sent out there himself. Cutting his 
 tour down considerably, he hurriedly returned to Mussoorie, 
 only to find the whole thing was a hoax ! All the same, he 
 was sent out to South Africa shortly afterwards. 
 
 One would have expected Mackenzie to get badly hotted, 
 but all the general directed was that he must be had up 
 and wigged officially by his C.O., and that in future no 
 messages whatever were to be sent by signal until signed 
 by the O.C. Station personally. 
 
 Gallant Sir George White, what a brave heart he had. 
 It was bad enough to be shut up in Ladysmith without 
 suffering the indignity of being a prisoner in the hands of 
 the Boers. All soldiers loved him for the prompt way in
 
 WINSTON THE OUTSPOKEN 105 
 
 which he made himself entirely responsible for Carleton's 
 disaster in South Africa at Nicholson Nek in 1899, although 
 he had nothing at all to do with it. So different from 
 many more recent happenings, when the cry has too often 
 been, " Where's the scapegoat ? " One instinctively knows 
 what would have been Sir George White's action in the 
 Dyer Case.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 
 
 WHEN I was at Peshawar in 1884, on first 
 arrival in India, one of the Cheshires, at 
 the club, pointed out to me a captain named 
 Faithful, who had not been home for fifteen 
 years. I remember still, my feeling of astonishment that 
 anyone could possibly stay out so long, and walked round 
 him to get a better view of so interesting a phenomenon. 
 He looked very much the same as the others and extra- 
 ordinarily fit, but to a new-comer, just out, it did appear 
 weird that he could, in any circumstances, willingly consent 
 to so long a separation from relations and friends in England. 
 Yet, what with desirable appointments, and one thing 
 and another, here I was in very much the same plight ; 
 for it was nearly twelve and a half years before I put 
 foot on English soil after my first departure in December, 
 1883. 
 
 Naturally I thought that everything would be very 
 strange, that my friends would have all forgotten me, 
 that my people would have acquired other and closer inter- 
 ests in fact, that I was bound to feel completely out of 
 it. Exactly the opposite was the case. After a few hours 
 in England I felt as if I had never left it ; my people were 
 delighted to welcome me, and old friendships seemed only 
 strengthened by the long absence. My boy friends had 
 come into their properties, or otherwise settled down. 
 Many of them had married. The girl friends had mostly 
 taken to themselves husbands, so that the circle of friendship 
 was soon to be largely increased. 
 
 One of the first functions we attended was an " At Home," 
 in London, given by my old friend, Mabel Cornwallis, 
 whom I had known from her cradle. The occasion marked 
 the presentation by her at Court of her sister, Isobel Wood- 
 
 106
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 107 
 
 house. It was a very warm, sultry afternoon in June, 
 but a frock-coat was absolutely essential. Entering a 
 crowded and very long drawing-room, I felt extremely 
 hot in this kit. Much movement and a babel of voices 
 prevented our names being heard, and blocked every 
 avenue of approach to our hostess. Fortunately, being very 
 tall herself, she spotted me, and calling out, " There's dear 
 old Nigel, I always said I should kiss him/' ran towards 
 me and did so. 
 
 Now, being unexpectedly kissed by a tall and beautiful 
 woman in a drawing-room filled with people, half of whom 
 appeared strangers, was a novelty I had never experienced 
 in India, and was too much for me. Losing my head, I 
 felt so rattled that I immediately kissed her sister, and 
 any other lady I was introduced to, if there seemed the 
 slightest tendency on her part to treat me as an old friend. 
 It was quite delightful, but very fatiguing ; so much so 
 that, at the first opportunity, I slipped away to try and 
 get cool in the open air. I had an engagement with my 
 tailor and, being in Knightsbridge, got on top of the first 
 'bus I saw, to take me to Piccadilly. My head was in such 
 a whirl that I took no notice of the direction I was going, 
 and was only brought down to earth when the red-faced old 
 coachman, turning from his box-seat towards me, said : 
 " We don't go no furder." I was in Hammersmith and 
 not Piccadilly ! 
 
 Looking back on these delightful, careless days, as we 
 lived and moved in our atmosphere of happiness, how 
 little did we know what was to come. Small troubles and 
 disappointments of course occurred, but catastrophes were 
 rare and tragedies uncommon. 
 
 Take the chief actors in this little incident alone. Mrs. 
 Cornwallis lost her eldest son in the iyth Lancers this 
 summer. Ruthlessly murdered in Ireland after going 
 through the whole war unscathed, and gaining the Military 
 Cross and Croix de Guene for continual gallantry with 
 his machine guns. 
 
 Mrs. Woodhouse was visited with even greater affliction, 
 losing first her second, and then her oldest son in aerial 
 combat in France. An intrepid and accomplished airman, 
 the last-named gained both the Distinguished Flying 
 and Military Crosses for repeated acts of bravery and 
 resource.
 
 io8 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 We ourselves mourn for our only boy, Nigel, killed 
 whilst leading his men in the attack on Fort Dujela in 
 Mesopotamia, 8th March, 1916. We like to think he died 
 just ahead of his Gurkhas, as he would wish to die. 
 He had " one crowded hour of glorious life," and who 
 would deny him that ? It is not those that go like this 
 for whom we feel sorrow, but for those who are left be- 
 hind. Truly " a sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering 
 happier things." 
 
 In all such affliction we have the great solace of old 
 friendship. It is well not to forget this. One of my 
 oldest friends, who has had her deep sorrow too, in the loss 
 of her only son hi the war, gave me the following lines, 
 years ago, and I have always treasured them : 
 
 " There are no friends like the old friends, 
 
 Live as long as you may ; 
 The new friends fail and change you, 
 
 But the old are the old alway ; 
 And oh ! when around life's pathway 
 
 The shades of the evening grow, 
 God spare me but one of the old friends 
 
 To grasp my hand as I go." 
 
 Shortly after return to India from my first leave home, 
 I was promoted to the command head-quarters and stationed 
 at Naini Tal, the summer capital of the United Provinces. 
 When the Tirah force was mobilised in August, 1897, the 
 first battalion of my regiment was ordered off at once. 
 Sir Baker Russell, my general, and at my earnest request, 
 put me into a vacancy which existed in the unit. Great 
 was my joy and hasty my preparations to meet the battalion 
 at railhead. Alas ! just as I was starting, a wire from Simla 
 notified that, as I was a seconded officer, I could not go, and 
 someone else must be sent in my place. Words fail me 
 for any comment on this. 
 
 The Tirah campaign was badly handled. Sir William 
 Lockhart, in chief command, was a very sick man, and 
 General (afterwards Lord) Nicholson, his chief staff officer, 
 was so incompetent for such a task, and had such an offen- 
 sive manner with all the commanders, that everything was 
 at sixes and sevens. He actually ran the whole show, 
 which was remarkable for an entire absence of any kind 
 of plan, even a bad one. With such an utter lack of 
 imagination, and no endeavour whatever to forestall the
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 109 
 
 enemy on any occasion, <the campaign could hardly end, 
 except as it did, in a rather ignominious retreat down 
 the Bara Valley. One might indeed say the best bit 
 of work was that done by the improvised corps of hill 
 scouts. 
 
 I heard of one amusing incident. A friend of mine was 
 commanding a contingent of Imperial Service troops, i.e. 
 detachment of troops maintained by native states and 
 lent for the campaign. He got up a dinner for Christmas 
 with the best means at his disposal. That is to say, 
 the pudding was tinned, and port was drunk out of egg 
 cups. 
 
 A Mohammedan chief, who had come up to see his troops, 
 was invited. Paying a ceremonial visit to my friend on 
 Christmas day, he was shown the arrangements for the 
 dinner, and noticed there was no tablecloth. On enquiring 
 why, he was told one could not be procured in the field, or 
 brought on field service scale. 
 
 " But that will never do," said this gentleman, " it 
 will not be like a real dinner without a white tablecloth. 
 Now I am a guest, and it will be my privilege to provide 
 one." 
 
 In the late afternoon a very nice, white cloth arrived. 
 At dinner my friend said : " But how is it, Nawab Sahib, 
 that on field service scale you have managed to bring 
 such a beautiful white cloth ? " " Well, major," said the 
 Nawab, " to tell you the truth, I thought I might be killed 
 in this war and so I brought my shroud with me, as my 
 religion demands. As it now appears to me I am safe, I 
 thought I might lend it you for to-night ! " 
 
 Liver trouble in 1900 resulted in eight months' sick leave 
 home, eventually extended by driblets to a total period of 
 two years. As during that time I saw twenty- three doctors, 
 it is somewhat surprising I am still alive ! What exactly 
 was wrong was never satisfactorily ascertained. It seemed 
 to me, however, that the well-considered opinion, not of 
 Harley Street, but of two local practitioners (one in Kent 
 and one in Dundee), hit the nail on the head. They both 
 diagnosed the case as an abscess that had dried up of itself. 
 Sir Lauder Brunton sent me to Carlsbad, where I drank a 
 great deal of water, and had many " mud baths," but felt 
 little benefit. Anyhow, as soon as I got back to India, I 
 entirely recovered at once.
 
 no UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 The next event worthy of record is King Edward's Corona- 
 tion Durbar of January, 1903. The majority of those then 
 present will agree with me that nothing during the last 
 many decades has equalled in magnificence of display, 
 genius of construction, and masterly detail, this wonderful 
 celebration, commonly called the " Curzon Durbar." 
 Emanating, as all the detail did, from the imaginative 
 brain of one man (Lord Curzon), and pushed on from 
 beginning to end by his tireless energy, this durbar 
 will always rank as perhaps the most remarkable series 
 of wonderful pageants and ceremonies the world has ever 
 seen. 
 
 In the elephant state entry Lord Kitchener was a very 
 fine and conspicuous figure, mounted on his thoroughbred, 
 " Democrat," a runner in the Derby of 1902. As the horse 
 insisted on doing the whole processional route sideways, 
 it must have been very uncomfortable for K. Nor can 
 one blame the horse much, for Derby runners do not often 
 see elephants. 
 
 This state procession of elephants, with Lord and Lady 
 Curzon leading, followed by the Duke and Duchess of 
 Connaught, was a splendid sight, with all the Princes and 
 Ruling Chiefs behind them in due order on the most richly- 
 caparisoned animals. 
 
 I think the next finest thing was the State ball held in 
 the Dewan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience of the Emperor 
 Shah Jehan) at the Fort. The brilliant full-dress uniforms, 
 wonderful robes and jewels of the Indian nobles, dresses 
 and diamonds of the ladies, and the surroundings of the 
 hall itself, combined to create a scene never to be for- 
 gotten . 
 
 I remember very well going to have a look at Mrs. Leiter, 
 who had a string of diamonds round her neck worth a king's 
 ransom. Each one was the size of a pea, and outshone 
 even those of the ruling chiefs. Her daughter, Lady Curzon, 
 in her peacock gown, looked very beautiful indeed, and 
 moved about with the grace of a queen. 
 
 The supper, served in the Dewan-i-Khas (Hall of Private 
 Audience), was excellently arranged and served. The 
 white marble of the chamber, glittering table appointments, 
 snowy damask, and dazzling electric light, combined to 
 produce an effect such as I had never seen before. The num- 
 ber of guests being very large, it was a question of many
 
 page 110 
 
 LORD CURZON, WHEN VICEROY OF INDIA, ON HIS SHOOT IN THE 
 DISTRICT OF GARHWAL, SEPT. 1903.
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON in 
 
 relays, but no one of a fresh relay was allowed to enter 
 until the whole of the tables had been completely re- 
 arranged. 
 
 There was no such thing as going into a room with the 
 remains of the last supper being hastily cleared away, or 
 sitting down at a table with the cloth disfigured by spilt 
 champagne. All the same, it took a party of British 
 Dragoons, with lances, outside the doors to keep people 
 away until everything was ready ! 
 
 One of the most attractive displays was the review of 
 native chiefs' retainers, held in the arena, as the huge covered- 
 in amphitheatre built for the Durbar ceremony was called. 
 Just a glorious circus, but what a circus ! I'm glad I 
 saw it, for it is never likely to be repeated on the same 
 scale. Lord Curzon must regret extremely he was unable 
 to attend. The review was a procession of these retainers 
 along the horse-shoe of the arena. It seemed unending, 
 and took one's breath away with its varied wonders, all so 
 typical of India and the East. 
 
 Irregular horse in chain armour, the horses prancing and 
 rearing straight up every other stride, as taught to do ; 
 troops of elephants in wonderful embroidered clothes, 
 stopping every few yards to trumpet and salaam ; the 
 famous gold and silver guns from Baroda, drawn by richly- 
 clad bullocks ; the Maharajah of Alwar's golden three-tiered 
 carriage, drawn by four elephants clothed in armour; a 
 dancing elephant which performed all the way round; a 
 Kashmir giant over eight feet high, and a Patiala dwarf 
 of thirty inches, accompanied by men on stilts ; horsemen 
 and foot-soldiers of Kishengarh in the quaintest quilted 
 uniform; a brilliantly-dressed contingent from Patiala 
 escorting a gorgeous elephant carrying the Grunth (sacred 
 Bible) of the Sikhs; the Kashmir horsemen from Gilgit 
 and Yasin, preceded by dancing musicians in huge, fearsome 
 masks ; and, lastly, the Shans from the upper valleys of 
 Burma, with their queer sunshades, fantastic hats and gaily- 
 coloured dresses. 
 
 It made me feel rather proud to belong to a nation that 
 could cause such wonders to be produced, and whose officers 
 could stage-manage such a varied assortment of men and 
 animals, and bring off so marvellous a spectacle without 
 a single hitch. 
 
 The Durbar itself was chiefly remarkable for the cordial
 
 H2 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 reception given to the gth Lancers, as they rode off after 
 escorting the Duke of Connaught to his seat. There had 
 been some trouble about them over a case of assault 
 on an Indian. Rumour, wrong as usual, attributed the 
 punishment meted out to the direct intervention of the 
 Viceroy. This was entirely incorrect. The whole matter 
 had been settled by the Chief in conjunction with Baring 
 (the Viceroy's military secretary) without any action by 
 Lord Curzon whatever. 
 
 Those who should have known better, and especially many 
 who were actually the Viceroy's guests, took upon themselves 
 to display their feelings on this question by most marked 
 and uproarious applause whenever the gth Lancers appeared. 
 Done on purpose to annoy the very man who was not only 
 their host, but whose genius was responsible for provid- 
 ing them with so much enjoyment. 
 
 It is said that the Committee which organised King 
 George's Durbar in 1911 wished to be nothing if not original. 
 They would have preferred an entirely new programme of 
 ceremonies and functions, but force of circumstances com- 
 pelled them to adhere to a great many of Lord Curzon's 
 plans. Wherever they differed from them, such as the 
 omission of the elephant state procession, review of retainers, 
 state ball, etc., all who had attended both Durbars agreed 
 that a grave error had been committed. 
 
 As guests in Lord Kitchener's camp, my wife and I were 
 fortunate enough to see everything in great comfort. Wish- 
 ing to obtain an unbiassed opinion on the Durbar as a whole, 
 I carefully selected two intelligent acquaintances, who 
 knew nothing of India, and asked their views. The answer 
 in both cases was identical, that there was not one single 
 ceremony, or pageant, which they would not give anything 
 to see repeated. 
 
 After my poor friend General Hill's breakdown in 1903, I 
 returned to regimental employ, and in the autumn was 
 ordered to conduct signalling operations from Ranikhet 
 to Lord Curzon's camps in the hills of Garhwal, where he 
 was making a sporting tour. This he was induced to do 
 at the instigation of a Balliol fellow graduate, Mr. J. S. C. 
 Davis, Indian Civil Service, the Deputy-Commissioner of 
 Garhwal. 
 
 There was some idea that it would be quite possible, with 
 a base in the telegraph office at Ranikhet, to supply Renter's
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 113 
 
 news to Lord Curzon, as well as keep up daily communica- 
 tion with him on matters of State. So it would have been, 
 had it not happened to be the end of the rains, which were 
 particularly late that year, and attended by constant 
 heavy mists. 
 
 Selecting a central mountain about 12,000 feet high, I 
 made that my head-quarters, locating some 120 selected 
 signallers, both British and Indian, on various intermediate 
 heights. But it rained and rained and rained, and when 
 it wasn't raining there was a thick mist, so the duplicate 
 messages sent by runners were of much more use to the 
 Viceroy. 
 
 On going down some 3,500 feet to his camp, he repeatedly 
 asked me what I was doing in that " impenetrable mist," 
 and was very annoyed that I had not brought down my wife, 
 as instructed. I explained that my reason for being there 
 was to try and get his telegrams through to him, and that 
 my wife couldn't come as I had descended by a goat 
 track, so steep in parts as to require both hands for 
 guidance. 
 
 He was most solicitous about doing something for her, 
 and asking if he could send up anything, I mentioned books 
 and a milch goat. He told me he had nothing in the 
 reading line but official files, which he thought would not 
 interest her. The goat turned up, with a case of cham- 
 pagne, which, although most kind of him to send, we 
 found rather a white elephant in our onward marches, 
 being deadly unpalatable at that altitude, especially out 
 of tin mugs. 
 
 By a stroke of good luck, we had one fine morning, which 
 followed the very evening on which the new Cabinet had 
 been cabled out from home. This enabled Lord Curzon 
 to receive in camp, within a few hours of despatch from 
 England, the names of the new members, and to send con- 
 gratulatory cables to Alfred Lyttleton, St. John Brodrick, 
 etc. 
 
 It was while dining in one of his camps with the Viceroy 
 that his unbending formality struck me ; for, although 
 I understood Davis was an old friend, and we were in 
 camp miles away from anywhere, he was always " Mr. 
 Davis," while most of his conversation emphasised the 
 dignity and prestige which should attach to the person of 
 the Viceroy of India. 
 
 H
 
 H4 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Who doubts, however, that he is a great man ? Will 
 not history classify him as one of our most highly gifted and 
 most distinguished Governors-General ? If he had done 
 nothing more than pass his Bill for the restoration and 
 preservation of the glorious archaeological monuments of 
 India, he would have deserved well of the Empire, and his 
 name would have lived for ever. But when you add to 
 this the hundred and one projects, improvements and 
 innovations that mark his regime, you are lost in admiration 
 at his ability and industry, and marvel at the want of 
 foresight in his predecessors. 
 
 While on the subject of Lord Curzon, mention may 
 be made of the amazing misconception which exists re- 
 garding his resignation of the Viceroyalty in November, 
 1905. 
 
 Put bluntly, many seem to think that Lords Curzon and 
 Kitchener had a row, that "K." won, and consequently 
 Lord Curzon resigned in a huff. 
 
 That is not the case at all. There was of course a serious 
 controversy between the two over Kitchener's official 
 condemnation of the cumbrous working of, and undue 
 influence exercised by, the old military department as 
 regards military administration in India. 
 
 Speaking briefly, "K." strongly objected to the then exist- 
 ing system whereby the military member of council had 
 direct access to the Viceroy behind the Chief's back. More- 
 over, the M.M. was in a position to criticise and even reject 
 proposals made by the latter without putting them before 
 the Viceroy at all. 
 
 Lord Curzon upheld the system, and advised the Secre- 
 tary of State against acceptance of the Commander-in- 
 Chief's proposals. He was overruled by Mr. Brodrick, 1 
 but he did not resign. He simply gave way. 
 
 A new department of military supply was formed to be 
 represented in the government of India by a member of 
 council who was to be a soldier. As the first supply mem- 
 ber the Viceroy nominated Sir E. Barrow of the Indian 
 Army, and much wished to have him. The Secretary of 
 State insisted on appointing Major-General Sir C. Scott, 
 late Royal Artillery. 
 
 Lord Curzon protested, without success, and resigned 
 
 1 Now Lord Midleton, and then Secretary of State for India.
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 115 
 
 because he was refused the officer he had selected. Lord 
 Kitchener took no part in this disagreement. He may, 
 indeed, have been consulted, may even have been asked to 
 note ; but, if so, undoubtedly declined to do it, as being 
 none of his business. 1 
 
 The incident naturally caused some excitement in India, 
 but apparently, being an Indian question, roused little 
 interest at home ! Happening at that time to be writing 
 to the late Newnham Davies (the " Dwarf of Blood " of 
 The Sporting Times), I added a postscript asking what 
 people were saying about it in London. His reply is 
 typical : " Bar the fact that Curzon and Kitchener have 
 had a row, and that Kitchener has come out top dog, 
 the British public know nothing about the matter, and 
 cares less." 
 
 One of the last functions I attended at Almora was a 
 full-dress ceremonial parade, as strong as possible, in honour 
 of the title of " Queen Alexandra's Own," conferred on 
 the 3rd Gurkhas. The original title (1907) had been 
 "The Queen's Own," but when the regimental deputation, 
 consisting of General Hutchinson and the two battalion 
 commanders, were received by Her Majesty, she said this 
 title might mean any Queen, and she would like her own 
 name inserted. King Edward consenting, the regiment 
 received the present designation. 
 
 At this parade a large painting of Queen Alexandra was 
 placed at the flagstaff, covered with flowers, and each 
 company saluted it in the march past. On returning home 
 my wife asked our phlegmatic Gurkha orderly if he knew 
 what the parade had been for ? 
 
 " Yes," he said, " it was because we have now become 
 the regiment of the great Rani [King's consort] Aleck- 
 jalander." He then continued : " But we all want to know, 
 is she the number one wife ? " 
 
 My wife tried to explain that Britishers only had one 
 wife, adding that surely he understood that, because of 
 the many sahibs he knew. 
 
 " Well, yes," said the orderly, " only I thought that was 
 because officers were too poor to afford more. But with 
 rich men it is different. For instance, our Badshah [King] 
 
 1 The whole of this case is put with admirable clearness and in 
 a most readable form by Sir George Arthur in his Life of Lord 
 Kitchener, Vol. II, chapters Ixxi. to Ixxiv.
 
 n6 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 has hundreds, though the number one wife is the only one 
 of any importance ! " 
 
 The same year Kitchener selected me to raise the 2nd 
 battalion yth Gurkhas at Quetta, with promotion to lieu- 
 tenant-colonel. The battalion was formed by splitting 
 the 2/ioth Gurkhas in two and completing each half to 
 strength. A method of raising an extra unit quickly, 
 which, as I've said before, would only have occurred to 
 " K." The question was, which half was I to get ? Think- 
 ing I was being " jockeyed," when the other O.C. suggested 
 the left half to me, I insisted on tossing. I lost the toss, 
 and had to take the left half, but they did me excellently 
 well. 
 
 About a year later, the Chief came up to Quetta. I 
 had an interview, when the following conversation took 
 place : 
 
 K. How is the battalion getting on ? 
 
 Self. Very well indeed, and all ranks very keen. 
 
 K. How do the Gurkhas like Quetta ? 
 
 Self. They don't like it at all. 
 
 K. But, Woodyatt, I hope you understand I want them 
 to like Quetta. 
 
 Self. Well, sir, you can't make them like it to 
 order. 
 
 K. Why don't they like it ? 
 
 Self. It is a very long way from their homes : about 
 1,500 miles by rail, besides the road journeys onwards. 
 Then the people of Baluchistan are all Mahomedans, 
 and they can't even talk to them. There is no shooting 
 or fishing, they hate the bad winds we get, and new barracks 
 on a stony plain are devoid of all shade. 
 
 K. Why don't you plant trees ? 
 
 Self. I have planted over three thousand. 
 
 K. Well, don't they give any shade ? 
 
 Self. At present they are about as big as your walking- 
 stick. 
 
 K. Well, Woodyatt, 7 think Quetta is a very good place 
 for Gurkhas, and remember I want them to like it, and I'm 
 sure they will in time. 
 
 He was quite right, as usual, and, strange to say, the 
 men did get to like it very much, and it is now a popular 
 station with them. 
 
 A little later I conceived the idea that it would be a
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 117 
 
 splendid thing to get Kitchener as Colonel-in-Chief of the 
 7th Gurkha regiment of two battalions ; but, on sounding 
 " Birdie " (Sir Wm. Birdwood), he informed me that, much 
 as the Chief was honoured by the request, and much as he 
 would like it, unfortunately he was ineligible because of 
 belonging to the British Service. A postscript said that 
 Lord Kitchener begged him to add, should be ever become 
 in any way eligible, nothing would give him greater 
 pleasure. 
 
 At first it seemed a wash-out ; but, on reflection, I 
 decided to write a special letter, officially, on the question, 
 and took it to my old friend General Clements, com- 
 manding the Division, for recommendation and counter 
 signature. 
 
 Clements, having read it, said : " Look here, Nigel, how 
 the devil can I recommend 'K.' for a job ? " Explaining 
 that it was a mere matter of form, and I must have his 
 signature, he snatched up a pen and signed, when I posted 
 it myself to " Birdie." 
 
 Eventually the appointment was gazetted, but how it 
 was effected I did not learn until I got home in 1909, when, 
 being at the India Office, I looked up an old friend there, 
 who greeted me as follows : " Hullo, young man, you'd 
 better not be seen in this old shop, for you are in bad odour 
 here." Asking why, he told me that it was on account of 
 Kitchener's appointment as colonel of the 7th Gurkhas. 
 He gave me to understand that Mr. (now Lord) Morley, 
 having received the application, put it in his pocket and, 
 taking it himself to the King, next time he went to 
 Buckingham Palace, got it passed. Returning to the 
 India Office, he chucked it into his basket for necessary 
 action. 
 
 Next morning, however, his secretary brought it back 
 to him, in much perturbation, explaining that the appoint- 
 ment was entirely out of order and quite impossible, because 
 Kitchener did not belong to the Indian Army. 
 
 "All right," said Morley, "you take it back to King 
 Edward, for / won't " ; and through it went. "K.," of 
 course, was delighted at being an unconscious associate 
 in a cleavage of red tape, and I escaped myself from the 
 India Office without being arrested. 
 
 We spent almost six years in Quetta, less two visits 
 home, for eight months each time, in the summer and
 
 n8 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 autumn of 1909 and 1912. Taking into consideration, as 
 well as its many other advantages, that of climate, we 
 class Quetta as the best station in India. Though cold in 
 winter, sometimes very cold, with the thermometer below 
 zero, it is a jolly, healthy kind of cold, and we just loved 
 it. 
 
 The spring is prolonged until May, or even later, and 
 never during the summer do you really require a pun- 
 kah, though used by some sybarites for meals. By the 
 middle of August the weather had turned cold again 
 at night, while September is the month usually devoted 
 to brigade and divisional manoeuvres. Occasionally, in 
 autumn and winter, you get a cyclone, with a biting 
 wind which some people found teasing. Personally, I en- 
 joyed these hurricanes, and, no parade being possible, 
 wandered over the hills in the snow after chakor, the 
 red-legged partridge. 
 
 The hunting in Quetta used to be very good. We had 
 to meet in the afternoon, as frost made the ground like 
 iron in the morning. As a constant follower of the Quetta 
 hounds, I give the palm, as Master, during my six seasons, 
 to J. C. R. Gannon, now on Lord Rawlinson's staff in 
 India. It was customary to lay a drag for a few miles, 
 and turn down a bagman at the finish. Sometimes he 
 would go very straight and fast, but always in the 
 direction of the hills which surround the Quetta plain on 
 all sides. 
 
 One of the most formidable obstacles was the Samungli 
 brook. Not so very broad, but with treacherous banks and 
 black surging water that looked horrible. It always pounded 
 a large portion of the field. One day we had already 
 crossed it in the drag. Then the bagman, crossing it twice 
 again, made for the hills over open country, which it had 
 been hoped he would take when he was originally turned 
 down. There was soon a tremendous tail and only five 
 of us, besides the Master and first whip, were up at the 
 finish. One horse was killed and another so badly lamed 
 he had to be shot. 
 
 The other chief form of obstacle was a ragged ditch called 
 a " karez," 1 made by the villagers to bring water to their 
 
 1 A succession of pits or wells sunk with great courage and labour 
 by the villagers, often 20 feet to 60 feet deep and more. The 
 bottoms are connected by a tunnel, to construct which men are
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 119 
 
 fields or villages. Of very varying width, horribly deep, 
 and with rotten banks, it was not a pleasant jump at all, 
 especially on a blown horse. People often went in, and 
 it was a tremendous business digging the horse out. Some- 
 times, however, the chasm was so wide that you could 
 lead your horse along the bottom until you got to a cart 
 track where the banks had been cut. The Agent to the 
 Governor-General (Sir H. McMahon) hunted regularly, and 
 had just turned out in pink as Field Master, when he was 
 transferred to Simla as Foreign Secretary. 
 
 A peculiar feature of Baluchistan is that the birds are 
 European, the snakes (I seldom saw one) African, and the 
 wild animals Persian. Chakor are to be found in abundance, 
 but not very near cantonments after the season has opened 
 for a month. The thing to do was to take the train for 
 a journey of an hour or two ; stay the night after shooting, 
 or try to return the same evening. I could generally 
 get ten to twenty brace. Really big bags were obtained by 
 Mr. Beatty, the superintendent of police, and his parties. I 
 had the pleasure of joining one, when, in two days, four 
 guns got over one hundred and fifty brace. 
 
 These shoots were most enjoyable, except for the methods 
 employed by Beatty, as well as the civil officials of this 
 district, to obtain big bags. In Baluchistan water is very 
 scarce, and chakor will not water at night. Some days 
 before a shoot, all irrigation channels in the proposed area 
 were stopped, and " watchers " posted by day at all the 
 sources of water to prevent the birds drinking. 
 
 The result was that they remained in large numbers 
 near their watering places, hoping for a drink when 
 restrictions were removed. Coming to the first water-hole, 
 you put up dozens of birds, and although when really 
 alarmed they took to the higher slopes and precipices, giving 
 you lots of climbing, a good many had been bagged by then. 
 As soon as you shot elsewhere, they came back to their 
 old haunts, thirstier than ever, poor beggars, and there 
 you found them again later on. I tried hard to persuade 
 the chief civil official to get this water stopping put an end 
 to, but was unsuccessful. 
 
 let down in baskets by a hand windlass. Water is conveyed through 
 the tunnel from a spring in the hills to the low lands. This tunnel 
 becomes an open ditch as the water level approaches the ground 
 surface level.
 
 120 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 F. M. Beatty, the superintendent of police, was a 
 great character, and quite the most interesting person- 
 ality in the province. He had been there a great num- 
 ber of years, and wielded an influence amongst the wild 
 tribesmen far exceeding that of any political. Born 
 and bred in India, his had been a most varied career 
 from early manhood, when he drifted into Baluchistan 
 before even the railway through the Bolan pass was con- 
 structed. 
 
 Blessed with a magnificent physique, good eye and iron 
 nerve, he was a great sportsman in his younger days, 
 being a terror on the hillside, and a magnificent shot. 
 Many are the tales of his prowess after trans-frontier 
 criminals. Amongst them, credit is given him of having 
 tracked, followed, run down, and actually knifed his man 
 over the border, then, of having returned safely to 
 Quetta, with or without the scalp. 
 
 The Indian Staff College was one of Lord Kitchener's 
 pet schemes, and he was hugely delighted when it became 
 an accomplished fact. Originally established at Deolali 
 in 1905, it was transferred to Quetta about two years later, 
 and when I arrived there it had only been opened a few 
 months. 
 
 An enormous acquisition it was too, with its large staff 
 of earnest, keen and most hospitable officers. Not only 
 did it provide, as additional residents, a charming coterie 
 of delightful people, but its professors set a most excellent 
 tone which soon influenced, in every way, both the pro- 
 fessional and social life of the community. 
 
 Living next door to the Staff College, as we did, was a 
 great advantage to me, for, during the period the late 
 General Capper 1 reigned there, I attended many lectures 
 and numerous staff rides. It was, indeed, a pleasure to 
 me to renew my acquaintance with Tommy Capper of the 
 East Lanes, which soon blossomed into a friendship I 
 valued very greatly, and which was maintained until he 
 fell in action at the battle of Loos (September 26, 1915). 
 I had the greatest admiration for his lofty ideals and 
 strategic brain, looking upon him as the veritable " Foch " 
 of the British Army. People will tell you he had his 
 
 1 The late Major-General Sir Thompson Capper, K.C.M.G., C.B., 
 D.S.O., who commanded the 7th Division, British Army in Flanders 
 and France.
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 121 
 
 limitations ; so have we all ; but, as a leader, he was 
 matchless ; as a strategist, incomparable ; and, as an 
 instructor, unique. 
 
 Having occasion to thank him for some very kind words 
 he said, before he left Quetta, about my battalion and its 
 officers, when lent to the Staff College for some night 
 operations, I mentioned what an advantage I considered 
 it had been to us in Quetta having a man like himself, 
 with such high ideals, living beside us. His reply is so 
 typical of the man, and exemplifies so clearly the high 
 endeavour by which he was always actuated, that I repro- 
 duce it in full : 
 
 " P. & O.S.N. Co., 
 
 " SS. Caledonia. 
 
 " 3 Is t January, 1911. 
 
 " MY DEAR WOODYATT, 
 
 " Je suis bien touche" a cause de votre lettre. I really 
 don't think I deserve such eulogies. I have indeed a very 
 high ideal of the military profession as an ethical calling 
 affording us all the occasions we want, and more, for train- 
 ing a high character. But I feel too we don't all at all 
 recognise this, and there is danger of our weakening on 
 our own ideals through the feeling that high aims are 
 really not expected of us. 
 
 "It is therefore considerably strengthening to hear of 
 earnest officers, as yourself, who pursue the same object. 
 My argument is this the military profession owes its 
 dignity to the fact that, in its ultimate issue, it demands 
 the highest self-sacrifice, i.e. the cheerful surrender of 
 life itself. To be logical, then, we must work back from 
 this, and regard all the minor forms of self-sacrifice, i.e. 
 acceptance (instead of avoidance) of responsibility, per- 
 forming unpleasant duties which we might avoid, and help- 
 ing comrades to our own material disadvantage, etc., etc., 
 as as much our duty as is the self-sacrifice of life, and all 
 the more so, for these excite no remark and gain us no praise, 
 indeed sometimes incur us in trouble which we might have 
 otherwise escaped. 
 
 " But it is true that the nation, and the army itself, 
 have no very high standard in these respects, and there is 
 danger, unless we do our best to counteract such lowering 
 influences, to find our own ideals lowered, and a feeling
 
 122 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 growing over us that so little is expected of us that we need 
 give little. 
 
 " It does great good if those of us who do strive for the 
 dignity of the profession of arms support each other by 
 encouraging one another in upholding the same view, and 
 in living in hopes, not unmixed with fear of failure, that 
 in the day of real trial, we may act up to our fixed 
 ideals. 
 
 " And I feel strongly, and try and impress on those at 
 the Staff College, that the General Staff, if it is to aspire to 
 lead the Army, must do so by the constant and habitual 
 practice and expression of the highest type of self-devotion 
 all day and every day. 
 
 " On no other terms can it, or will it, secure the ungrudging 
 confidence and esteem of the Army itself. Am I not 
 right? 
 
 " I am afraid this reads like a sermon, but I am sure you 
 understand me, so I can let myself go. 
 
 " There is, however, one point in your letter which I 
 must disagree with in which you attribute any raising 
 of the ethical level to me alone. You forget I have been 
 helped by such people as Boileau, Shea, Waterfield, Franks, 
 Bird, Drake, etc., etc., who have taken their full share in 
 any success and I am afraid it is small which we may 
 have attained. 
 
 " Anyway in your gallant regiment we have always felt 
 we had firm friends and comrades on whom we could rely 
 for any amount of support. 
 
 " Perhaps, who knows, we may some day find ourselves 
 facing the foe together in earnest, and then we must think 
 of our ideals, and not allow ourselves to be frightened out 
 of them. 
 
 " But how strengthening it would be if we knew the 
 whole nation, not the Army alone, thought as we 
 did. 
 
 " Well good-bye my dear Woody att, and good for- 
 tune be with you, and all yours. I am sure you will bring 
 up your son in your own footsteps, and then the traditions 
 will be carried on. 
 
 " I wonder what my brigade will think when I begin to 
 speak of military ethics ? I will need to go gently at 
 first. 
 
 " I expect I will be home before you get this. I hope I
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 123 
 
 will soon hear you have a high and honourable appoint- 
 ment, and also will soon be back in England on leave. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 " (Sgd.) T. CAPPER." 
 
 Six months or so later I discussed with him, on paper, 
 one or two questions, namely : 
 
 (a) The grant of commissions in our Indian Army to 
 Indian gentlemen. 
 
 (&) Industrial unrest at home in 1911. 
 
 (c) The grave political crisis the same year between 
 France and Germany over Morocco affairs. 
 
 One of his letters in reply is now most interesting in the 
 face of what actually took place later. 
 
 " CLONSKEAGH CASTLE, 
 "Co. DUBLIN. 
 
 " yd September, 1911. 
 
 " MY DEAR WOODYATT, 
 
 " Many thanks for your long letter. 
 
 * * * * * 
 
 " I quite agree with you about the many difficulties of 
 putting the native-born officer on a par with the British. 
 But I think also with you that it has got to come. I 
 wonder how it would work to have a one-year volunteer 
 system for all natives of good family, who could join with 
 sufficient education and general bearing and standard of 
 conduct to make them potential officers. The one-year 
 volunteers would be in the ranks, but would be allowed to 
 live in separate and more comfortable quarters (at their 
 own expense) when off parade. At manoeuvres and train- 
 ing camps they would be with the squadron or company. 
 From these, a certain number who appeared suitable could 
 be selected for commissions. I would make them work 
 their way up through the ranks of native officer, with, if 
 necessary, accelerated promotion. Thus they could not 
 reach British officer's rank until fairly well on and experi- 
 enced. If this transitional measure succeeded, it could be 
 extended so that British officer's rank was reached earlier. 
 But I am really too ignorant of the subject to have an 
 opinion worth hearing. As it stands I take it that 
 
 " (a) We have got to do something in the matter soon.
 
 124 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 " (&) When we do something, we want to have guaran- 
 tees that we make certain that the aspirant is 
 what we want before admitting him to British 
 officer's rank. 
 
 " We have had an exciting year, and I have had plenty 
 to do. Besides the regular work, which, being new to me, 
 gave me plenty to think about (especially as my Brigade 
 Major and Chief Clerk were also new), there was the King's 
 visit, which entailed a lot of arrangement. Then came 
 strikes and riots, and I had to live in my office for three 
 days and nights. We had to send off two battalions to 
 England in the middle of one night ; and I had to garrison 
 three railway stations in Dublin. I thought on Saturday 
 afternoon (igth August) that we were perilously close to a 
 class war all over the Kingdom. Once the mob had felt 
 real hunger, they would have broken out and looted all 
 the property they could get at. Then the troops would 
 have had to fire, and thus a class war would have begun. 
 
 " Luckily the strike collapsed that night. 
 
 " Now, of course, we are in a more or less standing-by 
 condition in case Germany decides to go on bullying France, 
 and so forces on a row. To-morrow's (4th September) confer- 
 ence at Berlin should bring matters to a crisis. 
 
 " I think Germany would be stupid to fight such a 
 palpable war of aggression. She is too much in the wrong. 
 But you never know what may happen, when a country 
 suffers generally from such a severe attack of swollen head, 
 as Germany is suffering from now. I hear that the Emperor 
 by no means desires war, but that the upper and middle 
 classes have a bad jingo fit on, and the politicians would 
 proceed to almost desperate measures in order to quiet the 
 Socialists who are getting a dangerous strength and threaten 
 to swamp the Reichstag at the next elections. 
 
 "If it is to be war, I don't doubt that I shall be there 
 or thereabouts pretty soon. 
 
 " Altogether, things are fairly exciting, and I have had 
 plenty to do and think about. 
 
 * * * * * 
 
 " Kind remembrances to all your party from us both. 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 " (Sgd.) T. CAPPER."
 
 KITCHENER AND CURZON 125 
 
 Finally, I reproduce the last letter I got from him as a 
 brigade commander and before he took over the duties of 
 inspector of infantry at the Horse Guards. The programme 
 I gave him was much on the lines of the most practical 
 inspection I had ever undergone myself. I refer to the 
 " Kitchener Test," which is described later on, when 
 writing of Lord Kitchener. 
 
 " I3TH BRIGADE, 
 
 " LOWER CASTLE YARD, 
 " DUBLIN. 
 
 "1.8th January, 1912. 
 
 " MY DEAR WOODYATT, - 
 
 " I wanted your advice as to what you consider, from 
 the point of view of the officer being inspected, is the best 
 line for a battalion inspection, at the close of its battalion 
 training, to take. 
 
 " We don't get very long for battalion training, and I 
 don't think I could allot more than one full day to inspec- 
 tion. 
 
 " That being so, will you favour me by suggesting a 
 programme ? 
 
 " The day could be made to run into night, but not all 
 night. 
 
 " I know you think of these things and have sound 
 ideas. I can't well ask my own people ! So I should like 
 your own opinion on the matter. 
 
 " I only did a field exercise last year, which took the 
 best part of a day, but seemed to me rather too superficial. 
 I don't want anything to do with the formal inspection, 
 which I arrange for separately. What I mean is a purely 
 official business. 
 
 " I hope you are still alive after your hard work at 
 Delhi. 
 
 " Yours ever, 
 
 " (Sgd.) T. CAPPER." 
 
 General Capper was a great admirer of General (now 
 Marshal) Foch, and often talked to me about his sound views 
 and extensive military knowledge. In Capper's death, 
 England suffered a national loss. He was worth a million 
 men. His death was emblematic of his life, in that he died 
 to uphold a principle. That is, he held the moment had
 
 126 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 come when it was essential even for a higher leader to set 
 a personal example. What cared he if in doing so he must 
 make the supreme sacrifice ? He judged his duty and the 
 occasion demanded (as he had written me over three years 
 before) " the highest self-sacrifice, i.e. the cheerful surren- 
 der of life itself."
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 
 
 MUCH has been written about the late Lord 
 Kitchener as a soldier, as an administrator, 
 as a machine, and even as an impostor. It 
 shall be my aim to depict him as the great 
 man he undoubtedly was. 
 
 Mr. Hugh Bennett, of Malvern, has been kind enough 
 to give me some detail of Lord Kitchener's early life. From 
 this it appears that after being at school at Geneva, where 
 he was thoroughly grounded in the French language, he 
 passed on, at the age of fifteen, to the care of Mr. Bennett's 
 father (the Reverend John Bennett, chaplain of Montreux), 
 who took in, as boarders, many English and American 
 pupils. 
 
 Herbert, as he was called, was a lanky boy, shooting 
 up so quickly that no tailor could keep pace with his rapid 
 growth, and consequently so thin that he earned, and 
 retained during his sojourn at this school, the sobriquet 
 of " Skinny." He showed marked ability in mathematics 
 and in conversational French, but in other respects did not 
 give any particular promise. A characteristic feature was 
 his extreme reliability, even at that early age. A marked 
 peculiarity was that he did not make friends easily, and 
 was addicted to long walks by himself, instead of joining 
 his comrades' games. At the same time he was always 
 cheerful enough, and quite willing to be sociable, while 
 all who came in contact with him could not fail to be struck 
 by his kindly, helpful nature. 
 
 My first personal meeting with Kitchener was at Delhi a 
 day or two after he reached India in November, 1902, and 
 while he was living in his railway saloon. Being with 
 General Hill, who was commanding an improvised division 
 
 127
 
 128 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 we saw a good deal of the Chief as he rode round 
 the outposts of the Southern Army in the manoeuvres. 
 We thought he was very much a " live wire," and got 
 early intimation of his very decided views on most ques- 
 tions. 
 
 General (now Sir James) Willcocks was one of the briga- 
 diers and, in his zeal for active service conditions in every 
 way, appeared at the flank of his command dressed as he 
 would in the field; that is, a khaki muffler instead of 
 a collar, thick shooting boots and no sword or belt. The 
 next day we all got a reminder about the proper order 
 of dress ! 
 
 Lord Kitchener was very particular about his camp at 
 the 1903 Durbar, and quite fussy over the review rehearsals, 
 especially the quicker movement of the infantry at the 
 first pivot on to the saluting base. There was so much 
 galloping to be done for him in continual messages to 
 go faster, that even the inspector-general of cavalry (General 
 Locke-Elliott) was commandeered. Just in front of Kit- 
 chener was a ditch about two feet broad and the same 
 depth. Locke-Elliott was riding a young remount which 
 wouldn't face this. The message was very urgent ; so, 
 whipping out his sword, he gave the youngster such rib 
 roasters with the flat of it, that he was soon the other 
 side. Kitchener was intensely amused. 
 
 All the review orders were strictly scrutinised by Kitchener 
 and many arrangements changed ; for instance, he insisted 
 on all major-generals not commanding troops riding on 
 his staff and, when the directors-general of ordnance, 
 military works, medical services, etc., had been roped in, 
 there was a goodly array. The order, however, caused 
 much trepidation, for many of them had failed to bring 
 any mounted kit, and one or two had no horses ! 
 
 At this camp we first realised Kitchener's intense dislike 
 of publicity. Every order was headed : " Confidential, 
 on no account to be communicated to the Press " even 
 one of two or three lines simply giving the hour the Chief 
 would leave camp next morning for rehearsal parade. 
 Many say he was hostile to the Press, but I doubt this, 
 when they never ceased to belaud him. To the Press, too, 
 he mainly owed the British public's wonderful trust and 
 confidence in his sagacity and judgment. 
 
 Most people will remember the attack on Lord Kitchener
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 129 
 
 in the Press during the war. Being our colonel, my 
 officers begged me to write and express their disgust. 
 In reply FitzGerald told me it had not worried Kit- 
 chener at all or given him a single sleepless night. He 
 added that the only result had been to get him his 
 " Garter " rather sooner than would otherwise have been 
 the case. 
 
 On arrival in India Lord Kitchener looked extremely 
 fit. Indeed, during his seven years as Chief in India, 
 he kept remarkably well, except for one or two attacks 
 of fever. Having suffered a good deal from malaria in 
 Egypt, he was extremely nervous about it : so much so 
 that he went straight to bed at the very earliest in- 
 dication ; and, if report speaks truly, with all his clothes 
 on ! 
 
 Everyone was immensely interested in his appointment 
 as Commander-in-Chief, and his arrival was looked upon 
 as a red-letter day for the army in India. One of his first 
 acts was to re-number the units of the Indian Army. This 
 met with a good deal of opposition, but he carried it through. 
 His methodical mind could not tolerate the confusion 
 which appeared to him to result from having such an 
 anomaly as the 3rd Gurkhas, the 3rd Brahmans, the 3rd 
 Rajputs, the 3rd Sikhs, etc. He was rather indignant 
 when twitted with being too fond of changes, remarking, 
 in the famous memorandum on the Kitchener-Curzon 
 controversy, that he hated changes for changes' sake, 
 but that he did not shrink from them when really 
 necessary. 
 
 Some extensive touring caused him to view with dis- 
 satisfaction the organisation and allotment of the army, 
 and seeing no method whatever in the arrangements then 
 existing, he evolved a new allotment of troops to areas, 
 necessitating the abandonment of many stations and the 
 formation of some new ones. In after years, that is during 
 the War, his plans came in for some hostile criticism which 
 was quite unmerited. 
 
 It is also interesting to note here that this new project 
 received the unqualified approval of Lord Curzon, except 
 that he expressed doubts as to the accuracy of the estimates 
 submitted. Early in 1904 he even went so far as to say : 
 " The present distribution and organisation of our military 
 forces in India are both obsolete and faulty." 
 
 i
 
 130 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Kitchener's " scheme " aimed at providing India with 
 a war army of nine divisions, after making proper provision 
 for the military requirements of internal security. The 
 components of these divisions were to be trained together 
 in peace under the generals and staffs who would serve 
 with them on active service. 
 
 As when K. arrived in India the potential enemy was 
 Russia, these divisions were allotted to the two main lines 
 of advance into Afghanistan : the northern, via the Khyber 
 and Peiwar Kotal passes ; the southern, via the Bolan and 
 Khojak defiles. 
 
 Although an army commander was provided for each 
 of these two armies, it was Lord Kitchener's wish that in 
 peace time the duties of these two generals should be 
 confined to " discipline " and " training," each separate 
 division being self-contained in all respects, financial in- 
 cluded, as were the old Presidency armies of Madras and 
 Bombay. 
 
 Kitchener further desired to see India made capable of 
 providing locally all the requirements of the army rifles, 
 field-guns, ammunition, clothing of all descriptions, medical 
 stores and instruments, remounts, etc. 
 
 Before he relinquished his command, the Russian menace 
 had to a very great extent disappeared, and Lord Morley 
 decided to "go slow " with the completion of the pro- 
 gramme. As a matter of fact everything was cut down 
 to the bare bone. Such vital necessities as electric installa- 
 tions in British soldiers' gloomy hospitals and barracks, 
 as well as numerous other projects, introduced by the 
 Chief in the interests of military efficiency, or for the 
 improved comfort of the soldier, were ruthlessly put 
 aside. Many of them indeed had to be carried out later 
 such as acquisition of land at a much enhanced 
 cost, while the fulfilment of others, at the time, would 
 have made all the difference as regards Mesopotamia in 
 1914. 
 
 On K.'s departure, he was replaced by General Sir O'M. 
 Creagh, who had been given a mandate by Lord Morley 
 to effect economies in the military charges. The latter 
 indeed appeared to consider there should be no military 
 progress in India at all on account of the understanding 
 arrived at with Russia, followed by the appointment, as 
 Viceroy, of Lord Hardinge, who as an ambassador had
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 131 
 
 been mainly responsible for the establishment of clearly 
 denned and friendly relations with that country. 
 
 It was not fair to Kitchener to assert that his scheme 
 failed when put to the test of a great war. It did not 
 fully function, only because it had not been completed. 
 Indeed the stress of war showed how right he was in his 
 aims at making India self-supporting for military purposes ; 
 as well as, in his schemes, to make the Indian units, the 
 Sillidar cavalry and the Indian infantry abandon the system 
 by which commanding officers were made responsible for 
 the provision of horses, and most of the requirements of 
 their unit, other than arms and ammunition. In fact K. 
 saw clearly that in a great war supplies of all natures 
 men, animals, ammunition, clothing, food, etc., etc. must 
 be the concern of the State. 
 
 India's shortcomings in 1914, and after, were due to 
 Kitchener's successors, who failed either to complete his 
 scheme or to substitute a fresh fully established one in 
 lieu. 
 
 A new engine cannot be condemned as failing to work 
 when the engineers who have taken over from the one 
 who first undertook to fashion it, fail to complete its working 
 parts. 
 
 As a matter of fact, when you look into all of Lord 
 Kitchener's projects that were scrapped and the number 
 was large you are astonished at his circumspection, 
 prudence and prevision. 
 
 He was most anxious about the Loi-Shilman railway, 
 which, branching off from the Jamrud line between that 
 outpost and Peshawar, provided an extra line of communi- 
 cation with Landi Kotal at the head of the Khyber Pass. 
 It would have been invaluable in the third Afghan War, 
 in 1919, yet it was abandoned. 
 
 To speak of only a few other schemes. He alone was 
 the originator of : 
 
 (1) The cavalry school at Saugor, 
 
 (2) Reorganisation of the Ordnance Department, 
 
 (3) Senior Officers' classes, 
 
 (4) Inventions Committee, 
 
 but he left India before they could be carried out, much 
 to the detriment of the schemes. 
 The cavalry school was not to be a Kindergarten for
 
 132 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 juniors, as is now the case, but a college where the seniors 
 would learn and be kept in touch with all that was to 
 be taught in regard to cavalry. A special class was to 
 have been formed for adjutants. 
 
 The ordnance scheme broke up the department into 
 three distinct branches viz., manufacture, inspection, 
 storage and issue (factories, inspectors, arsenals) just as 
 was done at Woolwich in the eighties, after the scandal 
 of twisted bayonets, etc., in Egypt. 
 
 The senior officers' class had to be camouflaged as a 
 musketry class at first, in order to get money for railway 
 warrants, etc. ! 
 
 The inventions committee was a standing board to test, 
 at Roorkee, all inventions sent up by officers and others, 
 and Lord K. obtained a special grant of money for 
 this. 
 
 Lord Kitchener's successor did not carry on either the 
 cavalry school or ordnance reorganisation on Lord K.'s 
 lines, nor did he keep going the senior officers' class or 
 inventions committee. 
 
 What is so marvellous, with all these progressive, and 
 so necessary, changes introduced, is the fact that putting 
 aside the expense of great schemes such as re-armament 
 of artillery the normal cost of the army increased very 
 little, owing to economies effected. 
 
 Kitchener was always anxious to save was always 
 finding out sources of expenditure which were justified 
 in their day, but for which no necessity still existed. Many 
 petty useless charges were done away with under his keen 
 eye. 
 
 After his second cold weather tour, Lord Kitchener 
 came to the conclusion that the standard of efficiency of 
 infantry units was very uneven. Casting about for the 
 reason as was his wont he rightly saw that the weak 
 point was the instruction and supervision given by generals 
 and their staffs to the training of their commands, and 
 especially the want of soundness and uniformity in their 
 annual inspections. 
 
 To come to a reasoned conclusion and to act, being 
 one and the same thing to Lord Kitchener, we soon learnt 
 that in the cold weather of 1904-5 we should be subjected 
 to a very comprehensive test, or tests if we survived the 
 first one. It was to be a matter of competition, Lord
 
 133 
 
 Kitchener giving a trophy to the best British and Indian 
 infantry unit. At the same time an Indian Army Order 
 gave details, which are briefly as follows, and simply meant 
 a sound and thorough inspection on uniform lines : 
 
 (a) All infantry units, except Pioneer battalions, would 
 carry out the same test all over India. 
 
 (6) This would be conducted personally by the G.O.C. 
 and his staff, who would mark for each event according to 
 instructions detailed. 
 
 (c) The unit which obtained the highest marks in each 
 brigade would be re-tested to ascertain the first in the 
 division ; the first in the division would undergo a further 
 test by the G.O.C. Command, and, finally, those placed at 
 the top of each command would be tested by the Chief's 
 own Board, consisting of Major-General Stratford Collins, 
 I.G. Vols., as President, and Colonels Beauchamp Duff, 
 Parks and William Capper, of Army Headquarters, as 
 members. 
 
 (d) The curriculum consisted of 
 
 (1) A fifteen mile march in field service order, carrying 
 
 a hundred rounds of ball ammunition. 
 
 (2) To be followed immediately by an attack, with 
 
 ball, on a position prepared by another unit, and 
 to include reconnaissance, writing of orders, etc., 
 etc. 
 
 (3) A bivouac camp, with outposts, which would be 
 
 attacked. 
 
 (4) A night operation, probably opposed. 
 
 (5) Preparation of a defensive position to be assailed 
 
 by other troops. 
 
 (6) A retirement of at least ten miles followed up by 
 
 another unit. 
 
 Active service conditions to be maintained throughout 
 in every way. In the final test each event followed imme- 
 diately on completion of the last, the whole period lasting 
 from fifty to fifty-five hours. 
 
 The ist Battalion 3rd Gurkhas, to which I then belonged, 
 got placed at the top of the brigade, division and command, 
 and when Lord Kitchener came to stay with us at Almora, 
 in circumstances related later on, Hubert Hamilton, his 
 military secretary, gave him the telegram announcing the 
 final result, Indian Army, as he got to the top of the steps
 
 134 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 reaching my house. After reading it, Lord Kitchener 
 handed it to me with his customary sweep of the arm, and 
 I read : 
 
 " Result Chief's Cup, Indian Army : first, I30th Baluchis ; 
 second, i/3rd Gurkhas, five marks behind ; third, 55th 
 ' Coke's Rifles.' " 
 
 Seeing my face fall, Lord Kitchener said I ought to be 
 very proud ; and walking into the house told my wife 
 the news, adding that I didn't seem to look very 
 pleased. 
 
 " No wonder," she said, " for it is a great blow to be so 
 near and yet to r miss your Cup ; and fancy being beaten 
 by Baluchis ! I never even heard of them, what are 
 they? " 
 
 Tucked away with a localised corps in a corner of the 
 Himalayas, she had little knowledge of any class except 
 Gurkhas, though she would have known what was meant 
 by Punjabis, Sikhs, Dogras, or Garhwalis. 
 
 At tea Lord Kitchener tried to explain the composition of 
 the I3oth, but was not very illuminating. Finally he said 
 he did not see her argument, as Coke's Rifles would be 
 equally justified in objecting to being beaten by Gurkhas. 
 " Oh, no ! " said my wife in her loyalty and ignorance, 
 " they would know before they competed that Gurkhas 
 would certainly beat them ! " at which K. looked up with 
 his cross eye, with a puzzled expression, as if being chaffed, 
 and then laughed. 
 
 In a subsequent conversation, K. asked me if I had found 
 the tests too strenuous and whether we were quite " fed 
 up " with them. When I answered that, on the contrary, 
 we had never enjoyed anything more in our lives, especially 
 the final one, he said it had been represented to him that 
 some units had almost broken down under the strain and 
 had found even one test, let alone four, too severe. Suggest- 
 ing hesitatingly that perhaps some generals didn't like 
 them 
 
 " Exactly, that's it," he said, looking up quickly, " but 
 I shall keep them on the books all the same, though without 
 any competition in the future. I'll keep them on the books 
 because they are very good for generals and their staffs " 
 (which he always pronounced as if the word rhymed with 
 "gaff"). 
 
 The next morning, early, he saw the battalion on parade,
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 135 
 
 when they were at the top of their form. At breakfast he 
 told my wife that he had inspected the I30th, and now he 
 had seen the i/3rd, adding with a shake of his head : 
 " And if I had been told to choose, I should have selected 
 the i /3rd." 
 
 "I'm awfully glad," said my wife, " then of course you 
 will reverse the decision of your Board." 
 
 " Oh, no," answered the Chief, " I can't do that." 
 
 He told me he was very puzzled as to what kind of trophy 
 to present, as he was so tired of cups and bowls and wanted 
 something more uncommon. Mentioning that he was 
 dining in mess that night, I suggested a scrutiny of " The 
 Little Man," i.e. the 5th Gurkha Khud Race Challenge 
 trophy, a silver model of a Gurkha in his national costume, 
 which was then in our possession, and which he'd see in 
 front of the Colonel. The result was the gift of a silver 
 model of a R.W. Surrey soldier to the 2nd Queens, and of a 
 Baluchi to the I30th. 
 
 Amongst a number of cantonments to be abandoned, 
 under Kitchener's new scheme, was Almora, in Kumaon, 
 for nearly a hundred years the station of the 3rd Gurkhas. 
 Under a convention signed by Queen Victoria in the sixties, 
 the ist, 2nd, and 3rd Gurkhas had been allotted to the 
 cantons of Dharmsala, Dehra Dun, and Almora respec- 
 tively : "in perpetuity " as the words ran, continuing 
 somewhat as follows : " and although the regiment may 
 be moved at any time, and for any period, according to the 
 will and pleasure of Her Majesty's Government, it will 
 always eventually return to Dharmsala, Dehra Dun, or 
 Almora, as the case may be." 
 
 Lord Kitchener did not like conventions ; he was also 
 bent on moving Gurkha battalions to various stations in 
 peace time. At first he was inclined to ride rough-shod 
 over these documents, but, later on, apparently, thought 
 better of it. Visiting Dehra Dun, the 2nd Gurkhas 
 showed him their copy, which he is supposed to have 
 thrown on the floor, saying it should never have been 
 drafted ! 
 
 Later he came, as I've said, to Almora, where we had 
 been asked if we would agree to leave the place. The 
 answer was "Yes," provided we were stationed with our 
 2nd battalion, then at Lansdowne. 
 
 The Chief rode over to Almora from Ranikhet, a matter
 
 136 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 of twenty-four miles, and went straight to the barracks 
 before coming on to my house. Getting off his hill pony, 
 and glancing up at the fine double-storied buildings, he 
 walked backwards and backwards and backwards until we 
 thought he would certainly fall over the edge of the 
 plateau. 
 
 At last he stopped and, still looking up, asked who on 
 earth built them. The colonel told him the men had done 
 so, with expert assistance and under the supervision of the 
 resident sapper, at which Kitchener snapped out that 
 it was inconceivable why they had ever been constructed 
 at all in a place so remote from anywhere. Then, mellowing 
 a little, he kept on repeating : " How can I take you away 
 from this ? How can I take you away from this ? And 
 yet I must." However, as things turned out, he never 
 did! 
 
 After a very thorough inspection of the whole lines, 
 Kitchener came on to our house, where an early tea awaited 
 him, with my wife slightly perturbed because of his reputa- 
 tion of being somewhat brusque with ladies. 
 
 It is most strange how this rumour emanated, for we 
 found him a very charming guest, and most easy to please. 
 Still, there is no doubt it was currently believed to be 
 true. Indeed, we are told it was even mentioned to 
 Queen Victoria, who remarked : " He was always very nice 
 to me ! " 
 
 Kitchener was not in the least shy with ladies, nor did he 
 dislike them. Some of them undoubtedly bored him, 
 while others, overstepping all limits, were very promptly 
 sat on. It Was not at all an uncommon thing to see him 
 in ladies' company enjoying himself immensely. 
 
 At the 1903 Durbar at Delhi, my wife and I were sitting 
 close behind him at the investiture ceremony. During the 
 long interval, while Lord Curzon changed his robes from 
 one Order to another, K., talking to Lady Powis, told her 
 a diamond ornament in her hair was coming out. 
 
 " Push it in for me, please," said Lady Powis. 
 
 K. was taken aback, but certainly didn't look shy. Now 
 the thing wanted handling, but, after some hesitation, he 
 simply made a sudden dart at it with his finger, and missed 
 it altogether. Then they both roared with laughter, and 
 K., refusing to have anything more to do with it, Lady Powis 
 had to arrange it herself.
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 137 
 
 He looked magnificent that night, did K., in his full 
 dress, with all his medals and Orders glittering in the electric 
 light. 
 
 A well-known lady, who was a great friend of his, was 
 twitting him one day with his dislike of the fair sex, when 
 he interrupted her by saying he did not dislike them at 
 all. 
 
 " Anyhow," said his friend, " you must confess you always 
 keep them at a distance." 
 
 " Perhaps," answered K., " but you know the old pro- 
 verb, ' Familiarity breeds contempt ' ! " 
 
 " Well, Lord Kitchener," remarked the lady, " it takes 
 a certain amount of familiarity to breed anything ! " 
 
 When paying an afternoon visit at Normanhurst in 1909, 
 Lady Brassey, knowing I came from India, of course asked 
 me if I knew Lord Kitchener. 
 
 " Dear me, yes," I replied, " why he is my colonel ! " 
 
 After this there was a pause, for it was not understood 
 how Lord Kitchener could be a colonel. Eventually, 
 looking at me rather doubtfully, Lady Brassey remarked 
 on the extraordinarily silly rumours which surrounded his 
 personality. She told me she stayed a week-end in the same 
 house-party with him in Ireland. That, although she never 
 spoke a single word to him all the time, she found to her 
 horror that they were leaving by the same train on depar- 
 ture, which meant a very early breakfast together before 
 starting. 
 
 " You can imagine my feelings," said she, " for, knowing 
 what most men are like at breakfast, I trembled at the 
 thought of having that meal alone at 7.30 a.m. with the 
 redoubtable K. of K. Not only that, but to accompany 
 him afterwards in the same conveyance to the station." 
 She added that he was just enchanting, looked after her 
 most carefully all the journey, and she was never more 
 delightfully surprised in her life. 
 
 So it was with us, and as for talking, he never stopped ! 
 He came three days after the severe earthquake of 5th 
 April, 1905, which played such havoc with Dharmsala and 
 damaged other hill stations as well. My own house had 
 been mauled with a long zig-zag open crack from the roof 
 downwards, which I pointed out to him as we approached, 
 saying it had been "vetted " by an engineer, who gave his 
 opinion that there was no danger.
 
 138 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 " It will last a night or two, anyhow, I fancy," remarked 
 K. 
 
 There were rumours of bad accidents at Simla and else- 
 where, and a friend of the Chief's at the Grand Hotel, 
 Simla (a very stout lady), was reported seriously injured. 
 He told his staff the morning he set out for Almora to wire 
 condolences and ask for details. The reply came at tea- 
 time, saying the lady was quite uninjured, but the floor had 
 given way and she and the bed had gone right through the 
 ceiling into the room below. Handing it to his military 
 secretary, the Chief said : " Send an answer simply saying, 
 ' Poor bed.' ' 
 
 After tea and a change, my wife escorted Hubert 
 Hamilton and the A.D.C. to the club for tennis, etc. 
 Taking K. into the verandah, where there was a lovely 
 view of the snows, I put him on a comfortable couch 
 where he could rest his leg, broken the year before, and 
 about which his doctor said he was making a good deal 
 of fuss. Getting a book, I sat near, prepared to read 
 if he didn't want to talk. After a little humming of 
 no particular tune, he began to talk, and went on for 
 some hours with hardly any cessation. It was all so 
 intensely interesting that I sat up very late that night, 
 and the one after, recording all he had said, and now 
 repeat it. 
 
 He was very down on localised units, and told me so, 
 adding that he was astounded at the number of places he 
 found in India where certain cavalry and infantry units 
 had apparently taken root. In such places, he said, they 
 were cut off from their brigadiers, were very difficult to move 
 in cases of emergency, and were bound to suffer in efficiency 
 from want of supervision and lack of rivalry and com- 
 petition. 
 
 I ventured to suggest that some of these localised units, 
 such as the Central India Horse, Deoli Irregular Force, 
 Gurkha Regiments, etc., were pretty useful; that they 
 gave a very good account of themselves when brigaded 
 in the field with other troops ; that their record in competi- 
 tions, contests and games was no mean one, and that didn't 
 he think there were many advantages that counterbalanced 
 the disadvantages ? Instancing as proof the fact that 
 their splendid record made them jealous of their reputation, 
 and anxious to keep up their good name, while isolation
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 139 
 
 helped the officers to concentrate more on their work, 
 and give deeper study to their profession. 
 
 " Hum," said the Chief, "I'll admit I may have to modify 
 my views, especially after what I've seen here 1 " A pause 
 now occurring, as he appeared to be ruminating, I took 
 up my book, when K. suddenly began again : 
 
 " I suppose you are one of those who believe in the 
 Russian bogey ? " 
 
 Though somewhat taken aback, I had to confess I under- 
 stood all our training and military preparations were under- 
 taken with the main view of preventing the Russians from 
 entering India. 
 
 " That's all an exploded idea," said K. " We have 
 nothing to fear from Russia, it is the German wolf and not 
 the Russian bear we have to watch. I shall not be a bit 
 surprised if some day you find yourself, with your Gurkhas, 
 advancing in Persia alongside the Japanese." 
 
 This was in 1905 and was the first time the German 
 menace had been brought home to me at all. But 
 Kitchener was always looking ahead. A year afterwards, 
 Sir Beauchamp Duff, then Chief of the Staff, told me how 
 greatly impressed he had been with this characteristic 
 of the Chief. How time after time he would take him up 
 some case, with what he thought was a well-considered reason- 
 ing noted on it, and "K." after ejaculating his favourite, 
 constant, and long-drawn-out " H-u-m," would say : " Yes, 
 but have you thought how this will affect matters ten years 
 hence ? " Duff confessed he had not, and found much 
 difficulty in always doing so. 
 
 The word " Chief " is mentioned several times, and it 
 is worthy of note, as a rather curious fact, that Lord 
 Kitchener was hardly ever referred to as "The Chief." 
 He was always alluded to as " K.," or " K. of K." Of 
 the eleven commanders-in-chief in India I have served 
 under, all were invariably referred to as " The Chief," 
 with the exception of Lord Roberts and Kitchener. The 
 former, of course, was generally spoken of as " Bobs," or 
 " Bobs Bahadur," a title of affectionate regard he much 
 valued. 
 
 " What sort of a fellow is Brown ? " asked Kitchener 
 suddenly. 
 
 Now we had a Captain W. M. Brown, a county cricketer, 
 and a fine athlete. Thinking he referred to him, I began
 
 140 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 explaining what a marvellous eye he had for games, when I 
 was sharply interrupted. 
 
 " I mean your brigadier Browne." 
 
 " Oh," I said, " I'm sorry ; yes, of course, very nice 
 fellow, knows his job, is an old 3rd Gurkha, pleasure to be 
 inspected by him, etc." 
 
 "Well, I've never met him," said K., "but I like his 
 confidential reports better than those of any general in 
 India." 
 
 He was talking of Brigadier-General A. G. F. Browne, 
 afterwards a Major-General, a K.C.B., and one of my 
 predecessors in command of the Lahore Division. He 
 certainly had that wonderful faculty of so writing confi- 
 dential reports, as to put the officer straight in front of you, 
 and that's just what K. wanted. 
 
 Kitchener then asked me if I didn't think an Indian career 
 was simply a continuous camp life, for he had been out 
 two and a half years and felt exactly as if he had been in 
 camp the whole time. I told him it had never struck 
 me. 
 
 " Oh, I forgot," he said, " I suppose it wouldn't, as you 
 are in a localised corps." He was continually rubbing that 
 in. 
 
 He then turned the conversation on to cholera. I had 
 some experience of it, and he seemed interested. Then he 
 told me that an epidemic of it occurred amongst his British 
 troops, when concentrated for his advance against the 
 Khalifa in 1898. The matter was very serious as the moment 
 was most inopportune, for a postponement would have 
 upset all his plans. On the second day, at dawn, he had 
 all tents struck, turned inside out and spread on the 
 ground, all clothing scattered over the camp, and every 
 man stripped naked. Thus they remained in the sun all 
 day long. There were some very sore skins, but it cured 
 the cholera. 
 
 About this period one of those epidemics of unrest and 
 dissatisfaction which roll up from time to time in all armies, 
 attacked the British officers of the Indian army. Just 
 before this time it had got to a pretty bad stage, and 
 quite wrongly many officers, who should have known 
 better, voiced their grievances in the public press. Under 
 the Chief's instructions, Hubert Hamilton wrote semi- 
 officially to every C.O., telling him to call his officers
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 141 
 
 together, find out exactly what was wrong, and then let 
 him know. 
 
 The discontent was mainly confined to the slackers, who, 
 realising they would have to work harder and really study 
 their profession, caught fright, saw their promotion stopped, 
 and were in a deadly funk of what the great K. of K., in 
 his zeal for efficiency, might not do next. In addition, 
 there was an undoubted feeling of uncertainty amongst 
 all field officers regarding the time scale of promotion to 
 lieutenant-colonel. This, it was reported, K. intended to 
 ignore, if not satisfied with a man. Indeed, it had 
 already happened in half a dozen cases of rotters, who 
 had been plainly told they would not be promoted, and 
 must go. 
 
 Kitchener got quite excited over this matter and, after 
 asking me if I had seen the military secretary's letter, 
 enquired whether I, too, had understood that, whether my 
 work was good, bad, or indifferent, I should be promoted 
 to major in eighteen years and lieutenant-colonel in 
 twenty-six ? In fact, that, when joining the Indian 
 Army, I had made a contract with Government ? There 
 was nothing for it but to confess that such had been my 
 impression. 
 
 " I call it monstrous," he said, " perfectly monstrous, 
 that such a pandering to inefficiency could ever be conceived. 
 Anyhow I've had the Royal Warrant amended by the Secre- 
 tary of State and the words ' if well reported on ' added. 
 As regards Hamilton's letter, I have the answers from all 
 C.O.s with me now, and, on the whole, I am very fairly 
 satisfied with them. Still there is a very prevalent idea that 
 officers did enter the Indian Army under a contract with 
 Government, and that idea must be disabused." 
 
 He went on to say that he was disappointed with the 
 officers of the Indian Army, and thought them very ungrate- 
 ful. He mentioned the letters to the newspapers, saying 
 they were disgraceful. He referred specially to one letter 
 signed " Adjutant," adding that the man ought to be 
 deprived of his appointment, as he did not know the regu- 
 lations. 
 
 He talked about new leave rules granting combined leave 
 for eight months to England, two months being on full pay 
 and the remainder on furlough allowances. He had been 
 told, he said, that officers required more than that period
 
 142 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 when serving in India. He wondered why, as he had never 
 taken more than six months himself. He mentioned one 
 objection raised, that, the period being restricted to the 
 months of March to November, no officer of the Indian Army 
 would ever be able to hunt at home. He wondered how 
 many officers of the Indian Army could afford to hunt at 
 home ; but anyhow the concessions regarding longer leave, 
 under certain conditions, had been purposely ignored in 
 these letters. 
 
 " What do you suppose I did about this leave question ? " 
 he asked. " Why it is actually stated that Government 
 is trying to make money by it. What I did was to get 
 hold of one of your own fellows, Birdwood, to thrash out 
 the rules. My only instructions to him were to make 
 them simple, and make them liberal, but to have them 
 the same for all. A more hopelessly intricate and un- 
 uniform set of rules than those existing could hardly be 
 conceived, unless it's the present Indian Army pay regu- 
 lations. 
 
 " Yet for all this I get nothing but abuse, and that is why 
 I say you are very ungrateful. Look at my Quetta Staff 
 College. Could any other Commander-in-Chief have got 
 that ? Lord Roberts couldn't. Its vast expenditure was 
 only sanctioned because it was realised that coming out 
 here, as I did, with an open mind, and no previous leaning 
 towards India, I saw it was absolutely essential and said 
 so. Look at my interchange of staff duties between staff 
 officers at home and out here. No other Chief could have 
 got that." 
 
 Seeing me look up quickly, he asked if I did not agree, 
 and I said, " No, because few of us could afford to hold a 
 staff appointment at home, where we should be forced to go 
 on to English rates of pay." 
 
 Being really warmed up now, he said he was not referring 
 to men of localised corps in a good climate, but had in mind, 
 say, a lieutenant-colonel, on the staff in Madras, with a 
 wife and two or three children at home who must be separ- 
 ated from him for years, for educational reasons. This 
 man, whose health had suffered from the climate, could now 
 exchange with a similar staff officer, say, at Aldershot who 
 might like some Indian soldiering. 
 
 I suggested the pay question would come in here badly, 
 but he wouldn't listen and went on :
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 143 
 
 " Not only are you very ungrateful, but you have no 
 esprit de corps whatever." 
 
 At this I demurred, giving instances of my own corps 
 and others. 
 
 " You are referring to regimental esprit de corps. That 
 is not enough. I am alluding to esprit d'armee. What 
 have you in common with an officer, say, in Madras ? 
 Nothing." 
 
 Here I had to subside, for I felt he was quite right. It 
 had not occurred to me before ; possibly one of the disad- 
 vantages of being localised ! He then lit a cigarette, looked 
 for a while at the reflection of the sunset on the glorious 
 eternal snows, and then continued on the question of the 
 pay of officers of the Indian Army. 
 
 He told me he was changing our pay regulations, for he 
 thought there was nothing so absurd as the way our present 
 emoluments were made up of pay proper, staff pay, tentage, 
 charger allowance, etc. He declared there would be no 
 regimental staff-pay for anything except the appointments 
 of C.O., adjutant and quarter-master, which would be so much 
 a day and drawn invariably by the man actually doing the work. 
 All other officers would draw uniform rates of pay of 
 rank. 
 
 He said he had spent several nights after dinner working 
 this all out on foolscap with a blue pencil. (Anyone who 
 has had to deal with K.'s rough workings in coloured pencil 
 will appreciate the task in front of the pay people to under- 
 stand and decipher them !) He told me he sent for the 
 officer at the head of the Pay Department, and asked what 
 he thought of the scheme. This officer, after some hesitation, 
 said he didn't think it would work. The Chief told him 
 he had expected that reply, because it was much too simple 
 and didn't give enough occupation for his baboos, with 
 their everlasting objections. He added that finally he had 
 got it through, and it would soon come out, the extra 
 cost being small. 
 
 He then asked what I thought of it. This was rather 
 a poser to answer straight off, and I said so, adding that it 
 seemed all right, but I was uncertain regarding two points : 
 (i) If a man lost all his staff pay when he went away, a 
 great many C.O.s, for instance mine, would never take 
 any leave at all ! (2) I could not understand the cost 
 being small, especially as affected by furlough pay.
 
 144 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 "I'm not touching furlough pay," said K. "I pur- 
 posely left it alone and it remains unaltered." 
 
 I explained that it must affect the question all the same, 
 instancing the existing rule that if my C.O. went on 
 furlough I drew half of his command allowance of six 
 hundred rupees a month and half my own staff, while 
 the other half of his command allowance was taken by 
 Government towards the cost of his furlough pay. I 
 enquired how this would now be met if the second-in- 
 command was to get the whole of the C.O.'s allowance 
 of, say twenty rupees a day in full ? K. seemed a bit 
 nonplussed and, after being silent a little while, said 
 jerkily : 
 
 " Well, I don't care a damn. I've got it through, and 
 they say it will only cost ten lacs. If they've made a 
 mistake, that's their look out." 
 
 Apparently there was some big mistake, for although 
 that evening the Chief gave me distinctly to understand 
 the matter was settled, and that the new regulations would 
 be promulgated shortly, nothing more was ever heard 
 about them ! 
 
 The next point K. referred to was his scheme for the 
 special promotion of a certain number of selected officers 
 of the Indian Army annually, which he had got sanctioned 
 by the Secretary of State ; asking me if I didn't think 
 it very sound ? 
 
 I told him frankly that I didn't like it at all, because it 
 was bound to act unfairly in a huge country like India, 
 Adding that all the promotions were bound to be given 
 either to fellows at Simla, and immediately under the 
 eye of the authorities, or, to possibly mediocre men 
 pushed forward by interested generals. All to the detri- 
 ment of just as able, if not better men, whose good 
 fortune did not take them to Simla, or whose ill-luck 
 had placed them under commanders disinclined io push 
 them. 
 
 Saying this with a good deal of diffidence, K.'s reply 
 pleased, though it rather astonished, me. 
 
 " You are quite right," he said. " It was entirely my 
 own idea, based on my Egyptian experience, but even 
 before I got it through I realised that India was too big 
 a country, and it was therefore unsuitable. I then decided 
 to make none at all, and informed my staff accordingly.
 
 KITCHENER AS I KNEW HIM 145 
 
 Next day, however, Elles 1 came to me and said I had already 
 promised him one, and that on the strength of this he 
 had actually told one of his officers Moberley that he 
 was to get it." 
 
 K. told him he was certainly not going to give one to his 
 blessed department only, but if he had promised, then it 
 must hold good. Eventually the Chief made them all 
 for that first occasion. He told me he did not intend to 
 make any more, but having got it sanctioned, he would 
 leave it on the books as an incentive. 
 
 He added he was sorry, for the idea came to him mainly 
 on account of his own case. That he was over ten years a 
 subaltern, and had then realised how hopeless it all was 
 trying to get on, when you were up against slow and 
 stereotyped promotion. However well you did, and how- 
 ever hard you worked, you were forced to wait for the 
 vacancy, or for the time laid down, just the same as the 
 man who never did a stroke more than he was obliged 
 to. 
 
 Next he mentioned the great difficulty he found in 
 getting his orders understood. This is a trouble many of 
 us have encountered, and would be emphasised in the case 
 of Kitchener, because his big brain and clear-sighted 
 vision were denied to lesser mortals. 
 
 He quoted a recent case where he had told his staff he 
 wanted a manoeuvre map made for the whole of India. 
 It was to be completed by the staffs of brigades, divisions, 
 etc., to ensure that they, and their generals, learnt a little 
 more about the country within their areas. There was 
 no particular urgency, but so great was everyone's awe 
 of K., that the commands marked it urgent, divisions 
 very urgent, and brigades immediate with a two months' 
 time limit for completion. The order happening to reach 
 brigades in the monsoon, a fact no one seemed to have 
 anticipated, was of course an impossible one, for you 
 cannot do outdoor sketching during the " rains." K., 
 hearing about this accidentally at Simla, was furious, 
 and the order was cancelled altogether. 
 
 Meanwhile my wife had returned, and seeing us in the 
 verandah, went to K.'s room to inspect it. She found 
 his servant squatting outside, but all doors and windows 
 
 1 Sir Edmund R. Elles, the last military member of Council 
 in India. 
 
 K
 
 146 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 tightly closed. Opening the long French windows, she 
 explained to his man the working of the " jinmills " or 
 shutters. These, when closed at night, prevented the entry 
 of stray dogs, etc., and yet gave plenty of air. The servant, 
 however, told her that the " Lord Sahib " never had any- 
 thing at all open at night ! Truly he was a veritable 
 salamander, for it was mighty warm weather.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE HUMAN SIDE OF K. 
 
 KWAS dining at our mess that night, and on 
 entering the ante-room it looked very well, 
 with red curtains, red shades to the lamps, 
 red covered easy chairs and pots of red geraniums 
 in the fireplaces. He was evidently rather impressed 
 for, stopping short in the doorway, he looked round and 
 said : " Hum ! this is the result of being localised." 
 
 I think it is " The Gentleman with a Duster," in his 
 Mirrors of Downing Street, who tells us that although Lord 
 Kitchener had many admirers he was liked by few, and it 
 is doubtful whether anyone loved him. 
 
 Shades of Hubert Hamilton, FitzGerald and Frankie 
 Maxwell, do you hear this ? Loyal and faithful " Birdie," 
 do these words make you squirm with indignation ? Read- 
 ing them myself, my thoughts went back at once to that 
 spring evening in 1905 when, taking Hubert Hamilton in 
 to dinner in the 3rd Gurkha mess at Almora, our conversa- 
 tion turned on to the Chief sitting opposite us. Anything 
 like the look on Hamilton's face, when his whispering 
 became eloquent through emotion, I had never seen before. 
 
 Many things he told me of his hero, exemplifying his 
 wonderful forethought, judgment and kindliness. Of the 
 South African campaign he said : 
 
 " Who do you suppose settled up the South African 
 War ? Do you think the Boers could have been induced 
 to come to terms without K. ? I am firmly convinced 
 it was entirely due to his personality, prestige and firmness 
 that we were enabled to arrange matters at all, and that 
 no one else could possibly have done it. I have been on 
 his staff in Egypt, South Africa and India, and simply 
 love him." 
 
 147
 
 148 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 An amusing incident, indicating his cross eye, occurred 
 when he was saying good night. Two youngsters put 
 their hands out together, each thinking he was being looked 
 at ! It was an awkward moment, but K. passed it off 
 with a laugh. 
 
 When he left us it was to stay with the Gaselees l at 
 Naini Tal. On departure he said : " I've enjoyed my visit 
 very much," and turning to me added : "I must modify 
 my opinion about localised units ! The abandonment of 
 Almora will remain in abeyance at present." Shortly 
 afterwards we got an official notification to the same 
 effect, and that is the last that has ever been said about it. 
 
 The first nineteen miles of the journey to Naini Tal was 
 done on hired ponies along a narrow hill track, and I rode 
 alone with K. We made a bad start, for the station 
 staff officer had given him, for the first stage all down hill, 
 a wretched little tat about I2| hands high, with a goose 
 rump, no shoulder, and cow hocks. I did not dare offer 
 to change, as my own hill pony I was riding was a perfect 
 fiend to shy. 
 
 K. looked very cross, especially as the pony stumbled 
 occasionally. Trying a remark about the surrounding 
 country being so excellent for training was not encouraging, 
 for he only snapped out : 
 
 " Oh, I dare say, but it is all far too remote from the 
 railway." 
 
 The thought came to me that I was in for a bad three 
 hours' ride, but after four or five miles there was a change 
 of ponies, and to my joy I noted the best hireling in the 
 district was ready waiting. Lengthening the stirrups for 
 him, to his injunction, " Make 'em as long as your arm," 
 K. got up and started off at a canter. 
 
 As soon as he realised the splendid paces of the pony he 
 was on, his ill-humour entirely vanished, and when I 
 caught him up he was cantering along, flapping his disen- 
 gaged arm and actually singing. Much more than a loud 
 hum, something with words, though quite unintelligible. 
 When we slowed down to a walk he asked me at what 
 sort of pace we generally did such long rides, and laid 
 down the dictum that the proper way was to trot or 
 canter a mile or two, then walk the same distance, and so 
 
 1 The late General Sir Alfred Gaselee, then G.O.C. Eastern 
 Command.
 
 THE HUMAN SIDE OF K. 149 
 
 on. I didn't dare tell him that once, in a hurry, I had 
 done those nineteen miles in an hour and twenty minutes ! 
 
 During this ride another trait of Kitchener's came to 
 light to confute those enemies of his who called him a 
 butcher. Some of the hills on each side were very wild 
 and precipitous, and at one place he pointed at a bluff 
 saying it was like some ground near Simla where he had 
 been taken out to shoot ghoral (wild goat). 
 
 " Poor little beggars," he said, "I sat on a rock with 
 two rifles beside me, and dozens of them were driven 
 towards me on the opposite side of the ravine by hundreds 
 of coolies, quite unconscious of the fate awaiting them. 
 I didn't like it a bit." 
 
 Lady Gaselee did not seem to find Kitchener such a de- 
 lightful guest, during this three days' visit to Naini Tal, 
 as we had done at Almora. She wrote to my wife asking 
 what on earth we had done to K., as he arrived in such a 
 bad temper ! On arrival he had only grunted when she 
 told him there was a big dinner in his honour that night, 
 a garden party the next day and a picnic the day after. 
 When she asked him if he would like to walk out and look 
 at the lake, he told her he could see it from his bedroom 
 window! Finally, at the dinner and garden party, he 
 would not speak to a soul ! The good lady had not employed 
 her usual tact. K. hated entertainments, and she had 
 given him a surfeit. 
 
 The next time I came across Kitchener was at the Indian 
 Bisley rifle meetings at Meerut. I forget how many 
 meetings, but during one of them I remember taking him 
 to see the new " Rexer " quick-firing gun which some 
 enthusiasts insisted on showing him. Riding home I tried 
 to get his opinion on it, but only elicited a loud and long- 
 drawn-out " H u m." Quite enough, however, to convey 
 to me the fact that he was not enamoured of it. 
 
 He also made a long address on musketry before one 
 presentation of prizes, afterwards helping Lady Gaselee 
 to give them away. He was rather snappish with me 
 when he saw what dozens there were to be presented, 
 saying he should never catch his train. As it was then 
 4 p.m., his train went at 9.30 and the station was a fifteen- 
 minute drive, I only laughed. But he was in an awful 
 hurry all the time, and Lady Gaselee got quite rattled at 
 the way he kept pushing the cups at her, saying, sotto voce :
 
 150 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 " Go on, go on, give the man his prize, can't you ? Don't 
 haver over it." She, poor lady, was trying to say a few 
 nice words to each winner ! 
 
 While in command of a battalion of the 7th Gurkhas 
 (sometimes ironically called "Kitchener's Own"), and at 
 home on leave, I was requested to address a large assembly 
 of " might-be " Territorials, in the north-west of England, 
 in the interests of recruitment. It was at this meeting I 
 first realised the enormous hold K. had obtained over the 
 British public. During my speech I referred to some 
 remarks recently made by Lord Kitchener, to the Calcutta 
 Volunteers. No sooner had I mentioned the name than 
 the whole hall burst out into applause. Remarking, on 
 its subsidence, how delighted I was to note the approbation 
 
 with which Lord Kitchener's Here I had to stop 
 
 again, for the cheering was deafening directly the name 
 was out of my mouth. 
 
 Not daring to say " Kitchener " any more, I explained 
 in a roundabout way that the reason I was so particularly 
 gratified was because he happened to be my colonel. This 
 remark was received in stony silence and with every mark 
 of disapprobation. Such an audience could in no way 
 understand how the Commander-in-Chief in India could 
 possibly be a colonel \ In fact my address was entirely 
 spoilt by this unfortunate remark, the audience looking 
 upon me as an infernal humbug. As this was the second 
 time I had been let down by a reference to Kitchener's 
 colonelcy of the yth Gurkhas, I was careful never to mention 
 it again. 
 
 Kitchener was a " big man " in every sense of the word. 
 One cannot conceive him doing a contemptible action. 
 An instance of his lack of all pettiness was told me by 
 the Chief of the Staff, Sir Beauchamp Duff, personally. 
 
 Soon after Lord Curzon resigned, K. received some 
 manuscript from a first-class English magazine containing 
 a hand-written article dealing with the Kitchener-Curzon 
 controversy. The publisher said they could not divulge 
 the name of the writer, but he would like to know before 
 issue whether Kitchener objected to its publication. Find- 
 ing it was a violent attack upon himself, K. handed 
 it over to Duff to read. The latter asking, after perusal, 
 if he might make some enquiries about it as he thought 
 he knew the handwriting was given permission to do so.
 
 THE HUMAN SIDE OF K. 151 
 
 These enquiries proved the author to be a well-known 
 colonel of the Indian Army, who was very clever with his 
 pen. Duff, bringing this information to the Chief, asked 
 what he would like done about it. 
 
 " Write and ask him whether he wrote it," said K., looking 
 up from his table. 
 
 This was done, and the colonel replied that he couldn't 
 remember ! There the matter ended. 
 
 A few months later, a brigade becoming vacant, Duff 
 took three or four names up to K. for appointment. The 
 top name was that of this very colonel. Duff told me he 
 expected it to be scratched out at once. On the contrary, 
 after careful scrutiny of this officer's confidential reports, 
 K. put him in without a word. 
 
 The relations between Kitchener and his personal staff 
 were most devoted ; indeed might be called affectionate. 
 They all appeared just as strongly attached to him, as he 
 was to them. Of all, perhaps " Birdie " did him the most 
 wonderfully faithful service, and undoubtedly FitzGerald 
 was the best beloved. The connection between the two 
 was extraordinary, for while FitzGerald worshipped the 
 ground K. trod on, K., in his turn, treated him as a dearly 
 loved son. 
 
 FitzGerald's influence with Kitchener was enormous, 
 but one never heard even a hint of it being misused. 
 During the period K. was unemployed after leaving India, 
 FitzGerald was beside me at the Quetta Staff College. 
 There had just been a regular press campaign at home 
 regarding K.'s unemployment. Sarcastic comments were 
 made about the debasement of our greatest soldier by his 
 acceptance of the chairmanship of the London, Chatham 
 and Dover Railway. During a long walk together, Fitz- 
 Gerald and I discussed this, as well as the question of K.'s 
 succession to Lord Minto as Viceroy, which it was known he 
 so greatly desired. FitzGerald did not tell me all he knew, 
 but one remark of his amused me immensely: "I keep 
 writing to him begging him whatever is said to keep his 
 mouth shut, telling him that if he does this he is bound to 
 come out top dog ! " 
 
 Regarding the succession to Lord Minto it is interesting 
 to record that at a very big dinner given to some notable or 
 other at the Bengal Club in Calcutta in 1910, the appointment 
 of K. as Viceroy was freely discussed after dinner. The
 
 152 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 commercial magnates in Calcutta are shrewd and knowledg- 
 able men, yet there was not one single dissentient voice 
 on this question. 
 
 Talking of Calcutta reminds me of an anecdote about a 
 dinner Kitchener gave to the Japanese military attache 
 
 there, Colonel . The latter's English was not his 
 
 strong point. During conversation K. asked him what 
 would be the principal sights should he visit Japan. The 
 little colonel gave a list of local wonders, some of which 
 caused K. to remark that they did not appear quite " proper." 
 The attache, not at all understanding what his host said, 
 simply answered, smiling : " Yes, yes, veree nice, veree 
 nice " ! 
 
 Kitchener always wanted the best. Nothing short of 
 this satisfied him. It fretted him to live in an atmosphere 
 where things were standing still, when they could so easily 
 be bettered. When improvement was within his grasp he 
 made it. This of course led to changes and alterations. 
 People affected, sometimes found these unpalatable, and 
 abused K. as a man who was never content to leave things 
 as they were. True for them, he was not, if his great 
 mind saw advancement was called for. It must have been 
 somewhat discomforting to them, however, to find he was 
 nearly always right. 
 
 Many stories exist of his kindly, helpful nature. Lady 
 Flora Poore allows me to quote one. She must know 
 several, for in 1901-2 Lady Flora and Lady Maxwell, 
 being the only two English ladies in Pretoria, always sat 
 on Lord Kitchener's right and left. 
 
 In 1901 Lady Flora, whose husband (Major R. M. Poore, 
 yth Hussars) was on the head-quarters staff at Pretoria, 
 went out to South Africa for the second time, expecting to 
 remain with the other married ladies down at Newcastle, 
 with an odd chance of seeing her husband now and then. 
 
 On reaching Cape Town she heard the joyful news that 
 Lord Kitchener had given her leave to go up to Pretoria, 
 which was a great surprise. Lodging at the Grand Hotel 
 she wondered if she could possibly stay as long as a week. 
 When that was about to expire she expected orders daily 
 to return to Natal. 
 
 Getting an invitation to dine with the Commander-in- 
 Chief at the end of the week, Lady Flora felt sure she would 
 get her conge at the dinner, and was very despondent accord-
 
 THE HUMAN SIDE OF K. 153 
 
 ingly. When, however, the Chief came into the room the 
 first thing he said was : " How do you like Pretoria ? " 
 and the second : " Have you got a house yet ? " ! What 
 with delight and astonishment Lady Flora was barely able 
 to gasp out " Not yet," but quickly recovering, added, 
 " Though I shan't be long about it now I have your tacit 
 permission." K. seemed very much amused, and the 
 Poores were established in a house next morning ! 
 
 As regards his numerous residences, his desire to make 
 things better became a hobby. Houses, grounds and gar- 
 dens had to be improved. Snowdon in Simla ; Wildflower 
 Hall in Mashobra, beyond Simla ; Treasury Gate in Fort 
 William, Calcutta ; and Broom Hall, Kent. He had 
 even sketched out in his mind, and talked over with the 
 Mintos, what he would do at Viceregal Lodge were he to 
 be made Viceroy. He often used to say that he ought to 
 have been a house designer and architect instead of a 
 soldier. 
 
 It has been said that K. had no sense of humour and 
 could not make a joke if he tried. Never was there a 
 greater misconception. The stout lady and the bed incident 
 in the Simla earthquake has been mentioned. That is 
 perhaps rather clumsy, but here are two more. 
 
 When Sir William Meyer, the present High Commissioner 
 for India, became financial adviser to K., he is said to have 
 suggested he should receive some military rank. Kitchener 
 replied he could not see his way to recommending him for a 
 commission, but would gladly promise that Meyer should 
 be given a military funeral, if he died while employed in 
 the Army Department ! 
 
 An officer of the head-quarters staff in India of very 
 uncouth appearance went by the name of " The Walrus." 
 One cold day he turned up to take papers to the Chief in 
 a new suit of Irish frieze, as stiff as a board. Going into 
 K.'s study, the Chief, after looking hard at him, said : 
 " The Walrus has evidently had a suit made by the car- 
 penter." 
 
 Some peculiarities of Lord Kitchener's were : 
 
 (1) He had very small hands for a man, but extraordin- 
 arily well formed. 
 
 (2) His hair was much thicker than most people's, and in 
 India he had not a single grey one. 
 
 (3) He carried a well-known danger signal, on seeing
 
 154 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 which it was advisable to change the subject or quietly 
 disappear. This took the form of veins swelling on the 
 cheek bones, and caught the eye at once. 
 
 (4) His spectacles were rather unusual. The shanks 
 instead of being prolonged behind the ears were so con- 
 structed that they maintained the glasses in position by 
 pressure against the temples. 
 
 (5) Mention has been made of his constant interjection 
 " Hum " when conversing. It was his favourite method 
 of implying doubt, and the greater the doubt the longer 
 drawn out was the interjection. 
 
 Many instances could be quoted of his chivalry. Per- 
 haps the finest was the way in which he always gave to 
 Lord Roberts the entire credit for every advantage we 
 gained in South Africa, including the successful termination 
 of the war itself. 
 
 Kitchener did a great deal to promote temperance and 
 reduce venereal disease in the army. He was all for clean 
 living, and I am sure did more to influence the soldier 
 in this matter than any of his predecessors. Not even 
 excepting Lord Roberts, who certainly made great efforts, 
 but finally funked " grasping the nettle." 
 
 Many will remember that excellent little paper every 
 British soldier received on the way to India, and a some- 
 what similar note entered in the service book of every 
 man of our expeditionary force in 1914. These were 
 written by K. himself, and he approached the subject in 
 quite a new way. 
 
 Although he did not show up as a churchman in India, 
 he was always on the side of religion and clean living, 
 backing up very strongly all efforts to this end, such as the 
 Rev. G. D. Barnes' League of Honour, etc. 
 
 The influence Kitchener exercised over some people 
 was very great, and his power of persuasion quite uncommon. 
 Here is an instance : When the late Amir of Afghanistan 
 (Habibullah, who remained so staunch to us throughout 
 the war) visited India in 1907, the whole programme of 
 functions and ceremonies was arranged with motor-cars as 
 the means of conveyance. Shortly before his arrival it 
 was ascertained that nothing would induce the Amir to 
 enter a motor. All the timings, therefore, had to be 
 rearranged, and state carriages collected from here, there 
 and everywhere. He was duly met by a state landau, and
 
 THE HUMAN SIDE OF K. 155 
 
 the next day lunched with the Commander-in-Chief in 
 his camp. 
 
 During the meal Kitchener said he was taking him for a 
 motor drive after luncheon. The Amir was horror-stricken, 
 and said he couldn't think of it. K. insisted, and telling him 
 they would go very slow and he had a special expert, in 
 the shape of a Royal Artillery officer to drive, the Amir 
 eventually gave way. The result was, that afterwards 
 the Amir would not get into a carriage, and all the timings, 
 etc., had to be again altered ! A further sequel was that 
 Habibullah bought several cars, and insisted on taking 
 the gunner officer back to Kabul with him ! 
 
 Time after time have I referred to Kitchener's prevision. 
 It was only miraculous because it was a doctrine he had 
 taken unto himself. Something akin to the " Scouts " 
 motto, "Be Prepared." 
 
 Once when talking to Lady Flora Poore of " careers " 
 and about men getting on in the world, he explained how 
 he had always looked on life rather with the eyes of a 
 naturalist, who watches an ant hurrying in some direction, 
 or peers into an ants' nest. 
 
 He expounded how this student of nature looked with 
 attention at their comings and goings, and their circumam- 
 bulations, so as to note carefully what was the actual 
 drift of their activities. 
 
 So, said K., has it been with me through life. I would 
 hear of disturbances in Pekin. I at once set myself to 
 learn Chinese. Again there would be a rumour of trouble 
 hi some other part of the world. Getting books and maps, 
 I would study the past and present history of that 
 country. And so on, always endeavouring to be before- 
 hand with any knowledge that might be of value when the 
 time came. 
 
 In his farewell speech at the Simla United Service Club 
 on the 2ist August, 1909, he pointed out that two main 
 principles underlay all he had tried to do in India: 
 " Firstly, that each step in army reform must be founded 
 on an accepted policy, based upon admitted premises, 
 arrived at either by experience or by reasoning, and laid 
 down in clear language understood by those who have to 
 apply it, and intelligible to those to whom it is to be 
 applied. 
 
 "The second principle has been, in all things to look
 
 156 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 ahead. To consider not merely for the present, but to 
 lay the foundation for the needs of the future." 
 
 Kitchener was simplicity itself. When given any one 
 of his numerous decorations, no one was more childishly 
 pleased; but he was the last man to do the least thing 
 special in order to gain it. Talking of decorations reminds 
 me of an incident that occurred when he was in command 
 of the troops in London at the 1911 coronation, by King 
 George's special desire. In one of the coronation proces- 
 sions Kitchener's G.C.S.I. star came off his tunic, and 
 could not be found anywhere. The police and everyone 
 were informed, and asked to look for it. When K. came 
 to have his field-marshal's boots pulled off he gave a yell 
 of pain. The star had to be cut out of the boot with the 
 aid of a razor ! 
 
 Although by no means devoid of sympathy this attribute, 
 by the very nature of the man, was seldom openly displayed. 
 Being a real worker, with the highest ideals, he judged 
 everyone from the standard he had set himself. If a man 
 did good work it was not K.'s custom to praise him, because 
 in his opinion he had only done his duty. At the same 
 time censure was very rare. 
 
 When he caught a snag he got rid of him. Swept him 
 away. Sometimes this was impossible. It may have 
 been a highly paid appointment, perhaps not directly 
 under K., or there was no one available to succeed. In 
 this case he simply ignored the man and did the work 
 himself. 
 
 What was the case when Kitchener went to the War 
 Office in 1914 ? He found the majority of the best officers, 
 who really knew the up-to-date and highly organised War 
 Office, bound for overseas. To help him he had mainly 
 weak, mediocre men, or men brought back who only knew 
 the institution as it was ten years before. What was 
 the consequence ? He did all the work himself. 
 
 Even the " Gentleman with a Duster " gives K. credit 
 for high and honest endeavour, yet he describes him as 
 weak and petulant with his colleagues in the Cabinet. 
 This seems highly improbable, for it was not K.'s way. 
 If he could not get what he wanted, especially in a time 
 of stress, his nature was to say : " Very well, you are 
 running the show. I've said what I want. If you won't 
 agree, that's your look out. I can do no more."
 
 THE HUMAN SIDE OF K. 157 
 
 As indicated at the commencement of this chapter my 
 endeavour has been to show that Kitchener was a man 
 and not an official machine. If such a man possesses the 
 confidence of a nation to so large an extent that he has 
 only to say a thing is necessary to gain unquestioning re- 
 sponse. If, in addition, he possesses character, industry 
 and persistence. If he is also a deep thinker with unique 
 talent for organisation, immense driving power, super- 
 natural foresight, high ideals, reasonableness when con- 
 vinced, and a desire for efficiency that is absolutely con- 
 tagious can he ever be classified as anything but one 
 
 Of the GREATEST OF MEN ?
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 1 
 
 IN the southern ranges of the Himalayas and north 
 of two Indian provinces, called respectively " Bengal ' ' 
 and " United Provinces of Agra and Oudh," lies 
 the little independent kingdom of Nepal. It is a 
 narrow tract of country extending for about 520 miles 
 along the southern slope of the central axis of the Hima- 
 layas. It has an area of 54,000 square miles with a popu- 
 lation of about six millions, chiefly Hindus. The average 
 annual revenue is now estimated at about 1,100,000, 
 but it is probably a good deal more. 
 
 This state enjoys complete independence, and has at 
 its capital (Katmandu) a British envoy, whose chief 
 duties are connected with correspondence relating to the 
 Gurkhas who enlist in the Indian Army, and serve as 
 mercenaries under an oath of allegiance to our King- 
 Emperor. The term " Gurkha " is now the national 
 designation of the inhabitants of this country, but it was 
 originally limited to a people occupying a district of the 
 same name, and situated in the centre of the present 
 kingdom. That is to say, the term does not denote a race, 
 but simply a follower of the King of Gurkha in the old 
 days. 
 
 About 1765, the King of " Gur ; kha " one Prithwi 
 Narain made his second invasion of Nepal proper, and 
 after some four years' hostilities, conquered the whole 
 valley and established his capital at Katmandu. For 
 the next thirty years the Gurkha was engaged in almost 
 
 1 As regards this and the following chapter, I have to acknow- 
 ledge the kindness of the Committee of the Royal United Service 
 Institution in allowing me to include in them some portions of 
 an article I wrote for their journal in December, 1906. 
 
 158
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 159 
 
 continual fighting for conquest. Sikkim was overrun 
 and a large portion annexed. Thibet was invaded, and 
 much loot and plunder were acquired. 
 
 In 1792 a Chinese army managed, with great difficulty, 
 to penetrate into Nepal, and actually dictated terms near 
 the capital. But the damage inflicted by the invaders 
 must have been small, for in the next two years the Gurkhas, 
 striking westward, subdued and annexed the petty States 
 of Kumaon and Garhwal. Indeed, so great was their 
 prowess, and so many and so vast were their conquests, 
 that in 1795 they were masters of all the hills and valleys 
 from Bhutan to Kashmir, and from British India to 
 Thibet. 
 
 At this time they showed little or no consideration for 
 boundaries ; nor would they listen to any friendly remon- 
 strances from their neighbours. So intolerable did the 
 incessant pillaging in our territory, and encroachments 
 on our frontier become that, in 1814, Lord Hastings, 
 unable to endure it any longer, declared war against Nepal. 
 After a six months' campaign, during which the Gurkhas 
 behaved with the greatest gallantry and determination, 
 the war came to an end owing to the skilful operations of 
 General Ochterlony. 
 
 Peace, however, was not yet assured. The Nepal Govern- 
 ment would not accede to our demands, and it took a 
 second campaign, under the same capable leader, to bring 
 about the Treaty of Segowli, which was signed in 1814 
 and ratified the following year. This treaty defines British 
 relations with Nepal at the present day, except that a 
 legation has now been established at the capital of our 
 allies, instead of the old-time Resident. 
 
 But before this treaty was ratified at all, Gurkha soldiers 
 began to troop to our colours, as military service is what 
 they adore. In 1815 the first, second and third Gurkhas 
 were raised at Subathu (Simla hills), Sirmoor (near Dehra 
 Dun) and Almora (Kumaon) respectively. In 1857 the 
 4th Gurkhas were raised at Pithoragarh (beyond Almora 
 on the western border of Nepal), and a year later the 5th, 
 at Abbottabad. The other regiments were some of them 
 formed in the early part of the last century, but were 
 not designated " Gurkhas " until 1886 or later. 
 
 Many accounts are given in the official handbook on 
 Gurkhas originally compiled by Colonel Eden Vansittart
 
 160 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 of the 5th and then loth about the extraordinary valour 
 repeatedly shown by them in the Nepal wars. Tales 
 which show that not only were they the bravest and cleanest 
 fighters, but had a wonderful confidence in the good feeling 
 and rectitude of the British. 
 
 Quite close to Dehra Dun, the permanent home of the 
 2nd and gth Gurkha regiments, is a ruined fort, very 
 strongly posted, called Kalinga. It was held in the first 
 war by a Nepalese warrior named Balbhadar and 600 
 Gurkhas. General Gillespie with exceeding rashness as 
 he had no heavy guns unsuccessfully attacked this fort, 
 and was himself killed leading the first assault. The 
 second assault was also repulsed, and altogether Balbhadar 
 caused us a loss of thirty-one officers and 750 men killed 
 and wounded. When ultimately three days' incessant 
 shelling compelled the Gurkhas to leave, Balbhadar and 
 the survivors, reduced to ninety, cut their way through 
 our posts and escaped. The defence of this fort retarded 
 a whole division for over a month. 
 
 One day, while shelling was in progress, a Gurkha was 
 seen in the breach advancing towards the British, and 
 waving his hand. The guns ceasing fire, the man came 
 calmly into our lines to ask for medical assistance as his 
 jaw had been shattered by a round shot. When he left 
 hospital he openly declared that he was going back to 
 fight against us once more, and did so ! 
 
 With reference to these campaigns, it is extremely inter- 
 esting to note that General Bruce whom I refer to 
 later on got hold of a diary written by an officer who 
 took part in them, and found that " Gurkha snipers " 
 were continually referred to. Perhaps the first use of 
 that particular term. 
 
 Writing of General Bruce reminds me that he, with 
 his extraordinary knowledge of Gurkhas, should really be 
 writing these two chapters and not /. However, I have 
 done the next best thing, viz., freely consulted him, and 
 I am greatly indebted for much information and many 
 stories from his pen, or told me personally, which appear 
 in these pages. 
 
 His Majesty the King of Nepal is called the " Maharaj 
 Adhiraj " and, being too sacred a personality to be troubled 
 with mundane affairs, he takes no share in the adminis- 
 tration of the State, which is ruled by the Prime Minister
 
 To face page 1M 
 
 BRIGADIER-GENERAL THE HONBLE. C. G. BRUCE, C.B., M.V.O., 
 
 LATE OTH ROVAL AND ()TH GURKHAS AND OF MOUNT EVEREST FAME.
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 161 
 
 The King is nominally the head, but since the appointment, 
 over a hundred years ago, of Bhim Sen Thapa as Prime 
 Minister, all the power has been wielded by the holder 
 of that office. This Bhim Sen ruled the Gurkha dynasty 
 with great ability for more than twenty-five years. Many 
 attempts were made by the reigning monarch to secure 
 absolute power, with a final result that, about 1840, Bhim 
 Sen either committed suicide, or was murdered in prison. 
 Some six years later a general massacre of the most 
 powerful nobles brought the famous Chieftain Sir Jung 
 Bahadur to the front, and he obtained from the sovereign 
 the perpetual right to the office of Prime Minister of Nepal. 
 This right is still enjoyed by his descendant. Under Bhim 
 Sen's rule an offer was made (1848) to assist us in the 
 second Sikh War, but declined. Later (1857), during the 
 troublous times of the Mutiny, a similar offer was accepted, 
 and over 10,000 troops, with the Prime Minister and 
 Commander-in-Chief at their head, fought for us against 
 the rebels. 
 
 The Nepal Army is roughly estimated at 50,000 men, 
 of which a total of about 2,500 is artillery. Service is 
 compulsory for at least three years, after which it is optional 
 to remain on. The Nepal Government have given every 
 facility during the last thirty years or so for the enlistment 
 of Gurkhas in the Indian Army. This recruitment does 
 not affect the supply for the Nepalese units. Formerly 
 many impediments were placed in the path of our recruiters 
 by the Nepal Durbar. Our men had first of all to make 
 a long stay on the Indian border to enable them to grow 
 their hair, and thus pass as ordinary villagers. Whispered 
 enticements in the ear of a likely looking boy at some local 
 fair led to midnight trysts in a lonely jungle. Here the 
 keen recruiter, mustering his batch for the onward journey, 
 travelled only by night, until the British frontier was 
 reached. 
 
 After the successor to the great Jung Bahadur had been 
 duly assassinated, came an enlightened Prime Minister 
 in the person of Sir Bir Shum Shere Rana, and he eventually 
 removed every restriction. For years our men have gone 
 in freely, and provided, annually, from 1,500 to 2,000 
 men to meet all requirements. For this we also have to 
 thank Lord Roberts, as it was mainly due to his influence 
 and energy that this free enlistment was permitted. So 
 
 L
 
 162 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 great was the Field-Marshal's admiration for Gurkhas that 
 he chose one as a " supporter " on the left of his coat-of- 
 arms. 
 
 The origin of the Gurkha is undoubtedly Mongolian. 
 His appearance shows it pretty clearly. The nation consists 
 of many tribes and clans, but the classes enlisted in our 
 Army before the war were almost entirely Gurungs, 
 Magars, Thakurs, and Khas, with Eastern Nepal men (i.e. 
 Rais, Limbus, Sunwars, and Lamas) for the yth and loth 
 Gurkhas. 
 
 My first experience of Eastern Nepal men was when 
 Lord Kitchener selected me to raise the 2 /7th at Quetta 
 in 1907. Limbus and Rais were supposed to be bad tem- 
 pered and difficult to manage. This idea got about because 
 no battalion had, formerly, more than a very small per- 
 centage of them. Having been the latest converts to 
 strict Hinduism, it is possible that in moments of excite- 
 ment and passion, the other classes reviled them re- 
 garding their former indiscretions. This would raise any 
 Gurkha's ire, and the Limbu or Rai, seeing red, probably 
 whipped out his kukrie (long, broad-bladed, curved knife) 
 or bayonet, and went for his calumniator. Hence his 
 reputation. 
 
 I found them exceedingly good-tempered, and particularly 
 intelligent. Much more so than any other class. I must 
 mention, however, that at first I found such difficulty in 
 getting my orders obeyed, especially as regards gambling 
 and the illicit brewing of alcohol, that I had to punish 
 very heavily, and convene a large number of courts-martial. 
 So much so that, first of all, my brigadier (now General 
 Sir F. J. Aylmer, V.C.) talked to me about it, but was 
 quite satisfied with my explanation. 
 
 Then my second-in-command, who had served with East- 
 ern Nepal men in Burma, warned me, with much solemnity, 
 that I was riding for a fall. Asking why, he explained 
 that I could not discipline the Limbu and Rai, and that 
 if these heavy punishments for disobedience of orders 
 were persisted in, I should have a sort of mutiny. I gave 
 him clearly to understand that it was my intention to 
 continue as I had begun, that ill-discipline in the battalion 
 could not be tolerated for a moment, and that if I failed 
 I was prepared to face the consequences. 
 
 Like the good fellow he was, he gave me his whole-
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 163 
 
 hearted support, and after another three months we had 
 no more trouble at all. Six years later, when this officer 
 took over the command, the letter he wrote regarding 
 the condition of the unit, and its discipline, is one I often 
 re-read with pride. 
 
 The Magars and Gurungs are to be found chiefly in 
 Central Nepal, and are aborigines of the country and of 
 the old district of " Gurkha." They have been warriors, 
 pure and simple, from the very earliest times. When 
 not employed fighting, the energy of the Magar tribe has 
 been mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits, and that of 
 the Gurungs to pastoral work. 
 
 The Thakur and Khas (or Chettris, as they prefer to be 
 called) tribes are of the highest social standing in Nepal. 
 The Thakurs indeed reigned in the old kingdom of Gurkha, 
 and were descended from the Rajputs, who took refuge in 
 Nepal after the first siege of Chitor. 1 The Nepalese Royal 
 family is in a straight line from the old Gurkha Kings. In 
 fact the present " Maharaj Adhiraj " is the Gurkha King 
 himself direct. 
 
 The Gurkhas have a very strong sense of their obligations 
 when on duty. More zealous sentries it would be difficult 
 to find. Sometimes this creates an awkward situation. 
 At Dacca, on one occasion, a Gurkha sentry shot at and 
 wounded a perfectly innocent member of the municipal 
 committee. This man had every right to be where he was, 
 and had answered the challenge by shouting out " Friend." 
 Still the Gurkha fired at the city father. At the enquiry 
 his defence was that the man, not being a soldier, could 
 not possibly be a friend ! 
 
 One ancient custom I must briefly refer to as regards 
 violation of the laws of marriage by a man with another 
 man's wife, to whom the latter had been properly married, 
 i.e. by what is called the "Biaiti" 2 ceremony. (Many, if 
 they can afford it, have other wives, who do not count 
 in the same way.) 
 
 By the law of the land the husband of this wife was 
 permitted to have one cut with his kukrie at the accused, 
 if convicted by the court. This " cutting " took place 
 in full ceremonial, and if the man tried to bolt, he would 
 
 1 Chitor in Rajputana : four times taken and sacked by Moham- 
 medan kings and emperors between 1303 and 1567 (Akbar). 
 * Properly by ah.
 
 164 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 be tripped-up by the spectators. There was only one 
 way he could get off, and that was to so humiliate himself 
 as to crawl between the straddled legs of the injured 
 husband. 
 
 In recent years this law has been abolished, and a system 
 of fines substituted, varying from 120 to 5 rupees. In 
 addition, all property, ornaments, dowry, etc., have to be 
 returned to the husband. 
 
 When the present reductions in the Indian infantry 
 are completed, we shall have ten Gurkha regiments of 
 two battalions each, or a force of about 18,000 men. Of 
 these, the gth Regiment enlists Khas, the yth and loth 
 Limbus and Rais, and the remainder almost entirely Magars 
 and Gurungs. Of course during the war units had to 
 take what they could get, and many rather undesirable 
 classes were enlisted, but most of these have by now been 
 eliminated. 
 
 Allured by every prospect of employment in the field, 
 our service is extremely popular. Doubtless the men are 
 not blind to the advantages of good and regular pay, and 
 the fairly liberal pension establishment. But the boy- 
 villagers noting, with envy and admiration, the bemedalled 
 veterans settling in their midst, are mainly attracted by 
 the hope of fighting for the " Sarkar " the name they 
 give to the British Government. 
 
 After joining Head-quarters it is astonishing to note how 
 quickly they learn to reverence the King- Emperor, whom 
 they look upon with much veneration. Our barrack-rooms 
 are full of coloured prints of the Royal family, and the 
 most acceptable gift you can make to a non-commissioned 
 officer's room are pictures of our reigning monarch and 
 his consort. 
 
 On the outbreak of the Great War, the present ruler of 
 Nepal * threw in his lot with the British at once, and 
 immediately placed all the military resources of his State 
 at the disposal of the British Government, for the defence 
 of India and India's frontiers. 
 
 Here it is necessary to explain that according to the 
 religious usage of Nepal it is obligatory for any soldier 
 crossing the Kalapani (black waters of the sea) to obtain 
 
 1 General His Highness Maharajah Sir Chandra Shum Shere 
 Jung, Bahadur Rana, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., D.C.L. 
 (Oxon), Prime Minister and Marshal of Nepal.
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 165 
 
 a special dispensation on return, before he can enter Nepal 
 or have any intercourse with Nepalese, even with 
 the members of his own family. This dispensation is 
 called pani pathya (purification ceremony), and is looked 
 on as being of extreme importance. The penalty for 
 evading it is excommunication of the severest type, for 
 the man becomes an absolute pariah, his own relations 
 refusing to eat, drink, or smoke with him. This is described 
 by our men as huqqa pani band (lit. smoking and water 
 stopped). 
 
 The supreme religious authority in Nepal has to be 
 consulted in such matters, and, as regards the Great War, 
 the question was a very big one on account of the enormous 
 number of Gurkha soldiers in our army proceeding overseas 
 to France, Gallipoli, Egypt, Mesopotamia, East Africa, 
 Palestine, etc. Fortunately for us the influence of the 
 present Prime Minister is so great that the priesthood 
 consented to grant this dispensation to all except pure 
 Brahmans under certain conditions. Firstly, it had to 
 be active service under the orders, or with the consent 
 of the Nepal Government. Secondly, there was to be 
 no tarrying abroad longer than was necessary. Thirdly, 
 each man was to bring back convincing proofs, signed 
 by a competent British officer, of having upheld the pre- 
 scribed caste observances throughout. 
 
 Sir Chandra showed great forethought over this, and 
 also his usual solicitude for his people who would other- 
 wise have been put to much trouble, expense and humilia- 
 tion. But this was not all, for he persuaded the spiritual 
 head in Nepal to depute a representative to Dehra Dun 
 and other places used as centres for this grant of patia. 
 Moreover, representatives were despatched to Gurkha 
 stations on behalf of the families of soldiers who had died 
 overseas, and for whom this dispensation was also necessary 
 in connection with after-death ceremonies. 
 
 It was on account of the difficulties regarding this purifi- 
 cation ceremony that the contingent of the Nepal army 
 was proposed for the defence of India and India's frontiers 
 only. This did not involve any crossing of the sea. 
 
 At first the offer was not accepted, because of the many 
 difficulties regarding command, employment, training, etc. 
 Early in 1915, however, the Government of India, finding 
 itself in great straits for reliable troops, welcomed the
 
 166 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 suggestion with open arms, asking for contingents of six 
 thousand men as early as possible. For these camp 
 accommodation was provided at Dehra Dun (2,000) and 
 near Abbottabad (4,000). This strength was increased 
 a year later by two more battalions to each station, making 
 a total of over ten thousand. 
 
 I happened to arrive at Dehra Dun as brigade com- 
 mander, in April, 1915, about the same time as the first 
 two battalions, 1,060 strong each, and at once took their 
 training in hand. As the men, though of good physique 
 and possessing a knowledge of ceremonial combined with 
 a fine soldierly spirit, had never lived together in camp or 
 barracks before, nor done any field training ; and moreover 
 the officers and N.C.O.s, though keen and zealous, had 
 received little professional instruction or schooling, it was 
 rather a puzzle how to ensure a good start and make rapid 
 progress. 
 
 A brain wave gave me the inspiration of " practical 
 demonstrations." Taking up the idea at once, my excellent 
 Territorial battalions and the good old 2nd Gurkhas were 
 daily utilised to give exhibitions to the Nepalese officers 
 and N.C.O.s. Every description of military training from 
 physical exercises to night operations and, later on, attack 
 and defence with ball, was demonstrated, and all with the 
 most gratifying and surprising results. 
 
 I found General Tej Shum Shere 1 in command of the two 
 very strong battalions at Dehra Dun. He was an earnest 
 soldier, who backed me up in all my endeavours, being as 
 anxious to advance his own professional knowledge as he 
 was to absorb all we could teach regarding sanitation and 
 hygiene. This up to date had been to him a closed book. 
 
 When transferred later to Abbottabad, I found there 
 four equally strong units under General Padma Shum 
 Shere z who proved himself always a shrewd and zealous 
 helpmate, ready in every way to take infinite trouble to 
 further the fitness and proficiency of his officers and men. 
 The Inspector-Generalship of the Nepalese forces in India 
 was in the capable hands of the second son 3 of the Prime 
 
 1 Now General Sir Tej Shum Shere, Jung, Bahadur Rana, K.C.I.E. 
 
 * Now Commanding-General Sir Padma Shum Shere, Jung, Bahadur 
 Rana, G.B.E., K.C.I.E. 
 
 8 Now General Sir Baber Shum Shere, Jung, Bahadur Rana, 
 G.B.E., K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E.
 
 \Toface page 166 
 
 GENERAL SIR BABER SHUM SHERE, JUNG, BAHADOOR RANA, G.B.E., 
 K. c.s.i., K.C.I.E., NEPAI.ESE ARMY.
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 167 
 
 Minister. This officer remained with army head-quarters, 
 making periodical visits to Dehra Dun and Abbottabad 
 for purposes of inspection. At Simla and Delhi he was 
 most useful, and was freely consulted in all questions 
 concerning the contingents. With him I formed a close, 
 and I hope a lasting, friendship, and I am full of admiration 
 for his soldierly qualities and brave spirit. 
 
 Attached to each contingent were supervising British 
 officers with four or five British sergeants per battalion. 
 On these devolved tasks requiring a considerable amount 
 of hard work, combined with a good professional know- 
 ledge, and more than a little tact. I shall always feel I 
 owe them a deep debt of gratitude. I am certain also 
 that the enormous strides made, in so short a time, 
 by the Nepalese, were due as much to their fostering 
 care, as to the zeal and keenness of the troops them- 
 selves. An opinion shared, I feel sure, by His Highness 
 the Maharajah. 
 
 In January, 1920, the Government of India offered to 
 the Nepal Government an annual present of ten lacs 1 
 of rupees as a " mark of appreciation of the attitude adopted 
 by Nepal during the war, as a recognition of the sacrifices 
 which have been made, and in the hope that the gift will 
 not only further strengthen the ties of friendship which 
 have existed for so long, but will add to the power and 
 prosperity of Nepal." 
 
 According to Nepalese official returns the total male 
 adult population is just under one million, and the number 
 of men taken out of the country for all purposes connected 
 with the war from 1914 to 1920 reached the enormous figure 
 of over two hundred thousand. 
 
 Money contributions reached the large amount of over 
 a million and a quarter rupees, of which over a fifth were 
 from Sir Chandra's private purse. Again, hi 1915, on the 
 King's birthday Nepal presented to His Majesty thirty-one 
 Vickers-Maxim machine guns. 
 
 The Prime Minister looked on the war as if it was his 
 own, and his efforts to provide more and more man-power 
 were prodigious. But nothing less could be expected from 
 one who has proved himself for many years such a successful 
 ruler, and so staunch an ally to the British Empire. His 
 influence has never waned, indeed his authority has increased 
 1 At 15. Bd. exchange = ^83,333.
 
 168 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 with time, and the present prosperity of the country is 
 due to his sagacity, energy and foresight. 
 
 The host of our King-Emperor in 1911 in the famous 
 jungles of Nepal, he has been much looking forward to 
 the present month when he acts in a similar capacity to the 
 Prince of Wales. 1 
 
 I have already mentioned my friendship with his second 
 son, and would like to relate a personal incident connected 
 with the innate good feeling of this gallant officer. Our 
 dear son, having been one of the British officers attached 
 to the Nepal contingent at Dehra Dun, had been photo- 
 graphed in a group of Nepalese and British officers. Some 
 months after our boy was killed, General Baber, calling 
 on me at Abbottabad, said, at the end of the interview, 
 that he had a group photograph for my wife, mentioning 
 what it was. Thanking him, I rather expected him to 
 bring it out of his pocket. Nothing appeared, however, 
 until evening when a coolie arrived with a large case con- 
 taining an immense framed and glazed enlargement of 
 the group. We were extremely touched at the kind thought 
 which prompted our friend to make this gift, and at his 
 consideration in bringing it himself all the way from Simla. 
 When three years later he suffered the loss of his own 
 eldest son, Bala Shum Shere, aged thirteen, we felt, in 
 our deep sympathy, that this sad loss was another bond 
 between us. 
 
 To set in motion the training of the Dehra Dun contingent, 
 before I left it in the capable hands of Colonel Lord Radnor, 
 and to perfect the military education of the remainder 
 of the 10,000 at Abbottabad, was work entirely after my 
 own heart. With any troops it would -have been con- 
 genial, but connected, as it was, with a nation which had 
 always so much attracted me, and in intimate relations 
 with an inspector-general and commanders who were so 
 responsive to every hint, or demand, made it a real 
 pleasure. 
 
 The Prime Minister took an enormous interest in the 
 progress and welfare of his men, which gave me the opportu- 
 nity for some correspondence with him. In my zeal I 
 suggested certain innovations regarding promotions, etc., 
 some of which were agreed to, and others inacceptable. 
 To give effect to the former meant increased expenditure, 
 1 Written December, 1921.
 
 THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL 169 
 
 necessitating a reference by me to army headquarters. 
 The result was a letter from the Chief of the General Staff 
 asking for an explanation as to how this matter had origi- 
 nated. On getting my reply that it was my own brain 
 wave transferred to His Highness by letter post, I received 
 a mild wigging, and a reminder that all communications 
 with Nepal must be made through the Foreign and Political 
 Department of the Government of India. The letter added 
 that I had usurped functions far beyond my province, 
 and, indeed, functions which even His Excellency the 
 Commander-in-Chief could not exercise ! The main point, 
 however, to me was, that all my proposals were sanc- 
 tioned. 
 
 The contingents remained under canvas for over four 
 years, and it speaks much for the attachment and fortitude 
 of our Nepalese Allies that, during all that long period, 
 they never faltered, simply concentrating their attention 
 on their own efficiency, and delighted with the opportunity 
 given some of the battalions of seeing service on the North- 
 West Frontier. One must remember too that it was only 
 possible to house the officers very poorly, just as our own 
 had to fare during the exigencies and overcrowding of the 
 war. Even General Padma, accustomed in his home to 
 a marble palace, electric light and every convenience, 
 had a small subaltern's tin-roofed quarter ; yet I never 
 heard one word of complaint. 
 
 Much interest was taken in the sanitation and cleanliness 
 of the camps, and units vied with one another in ornamenta- 
 tion and the like. Weird and grotesque figures were 
 constructed of clay and wood near all quarter guards, 
 symbolic of the name of the battalion, Hindu divinities, 
 etc. Ornate creations apparently peculiar to Nepal, for 
 I have never seen them anywhere else. I reproduce one 
 of these. 
 
 In 1917 the Government of Nepal instituted two Orders 
 for the first -time in Nepalese history. One was for the 
 rank and file, and the other a higher order styled " The 
 Star of Nepal," and divided into four classes, with the 
 highest carrying the title of " Supradipta Manyabar " 
 (The Most Honourable Honourable). It was with extreme 
 gratification that I heard in 1920 that the Nepal Govern- 
 ment had conferred on me the honour of this " Star 
 of Nepal " (Second Class), with he title of " Pradipta
 
 170 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Manyabar " (The Right Honourable Honourable) in recog- 
 nition of the supervision I had given to the welfare and 
 training of the contingents. The King's authority having 
 appeared in the London Gazette for the unrestricted use of the 
 insignia at all times when medals and decorations are worn, 
 enables me to show, with pride, this mark of esteem 
 from the gallant little nation I so much admire.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 
 
 NEARLY thirty years ago the 5th Gurkhas 
 presented a silver model of a Gurkha in his 
 national costume, commonly known as " The 
 Little Man," as a challenge trophy for an 
 individual competition by Gurkha units in a " Khud " 
 race, i.e. an up-and-down-hill cross country run. For 
 some time, probably owing to better ground at their stations, 
 the competitors mainly came from the 3rd and 5th, until 
 the 6th took up the matter so seriously, that it appears 
 possible the trophy may remain in their mess for ever. 
 The 3rd had a wonderful performer called Budhipersad, 
 who won it quite six years running, partly, in the end, by 
 brow-beating ! 
 
 One year General Sir Alfred Martin, an old 5th Gurkha, 
 and then commanding the Rohilcund Brigade, was instru- 
 mental in having the competition held at Ranikhet, only 
 twenty-four miles from Almora. A battalion of the Rifle 
 Brigade and one of the 6oth Rifles, at Ranikhet and Chan- 
 buttia respectively, became so bitten with khud racing 
 that they did little else than run round and round and round 
 the selected course. 
 
 * When the actual race was over, owing to a mistake they 
 made in the timing, it seemed to the 6oth that certain of 
 their men could easily do better time than the winner. 
 An invitation and challenge were therefore sent to the 
 3rd Gurkhas, inviting a hundred men to come over, as guests, 
 in a month's time and compete against a hundred of the 
 6oth over the original khud racecourse. The challenge 
 was accepted, and a time test being decided on, resulted in 
 the Gurkhas taking the first 99 places ! 
 It is the coming down hill where the Gurkha scores, and 
 
 171
 
 172 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 the more precipitous the going, the more he scores. It is 
 unnatural to him to run up hill, and he only does it, in a race, 
 under protest, as it were, and of dire necessity. The Brit- 
 isher can go up better, but when it comes to the descent 
 he is left standing still. To see, from a distance, a batch 
 of trained Gurkhas, in a khud race, coming down a really 
 difficult bit, can best be described as reminding one exactly 
 of raindrops falling down a window-pane. 
 
 One cannot possibly mention the " Gurkha Khud Race " 
 without a reference to its founder, Charlie Bruce, 1 late of 
 the 5th Royal Gurkhas, who may be fitly termed " the 
 spirit of the race." Not that there is anything spirit-like 
 or ethereal about his appearance, for he has always been 
 " a fine figure of a man." But simply because it was owing 
 to his impulse and efforts that the competition came into 
 being. A member of the Alpine Club, mountaineering 
 has been his hobby for years, while his enthusiasm over 
 this particular form of sport is very great. 
 
 Of extraordinary physique and colossal strength, Charlie 
 Bruce has always been famous in the brigade for his muscular 
 vigour. One of his feats on a " big night " was to lie on the 
 floor, and get the heaviest man in the room to jump up and 
 down on his stomach ! This was usually referred to by 
 the heavy one as something similar to prancing on the deck 
 of a ship. Being unavoidably absent at his farewell dinner, 
 I enquired of a staff officer of mine of great weight next 
 day if he had been asked to carry out this performance. 
 " Yes, indeed, sir," he said, " and I was greatly afraid I 
 should hurt him with my sixteen stone, but he only told 
 me to jump higher." 
 
 I remember at Almora he was the only man who could 
 lift up our celebrated brass image of " Buddha " weighing 
 about two hundredweight. He could lift this right up, and 
 one night another man talking a great deal of his strength, 
 Bruce passed it to him. Being much too heavy, however, 
 the boaster dropped it, and smashed his own toe. After 
 that we kept it screwed down. General Bruce was always 
 looked upon by his Gurkhas as a paragon, while his intimate 
 knowledge of their classes, languages and customs made 
 him the intimate friend of many hundreds. 
 
 He was always in the highest spirits and always ready 
 to fight, laugh, balance a full tumbler on his chin, or race 
 
 1 Brigadier-General the Honourable C. G. Bruce, C.B., M.V.O.
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 173 
 
 somebody down the khud. His everlasting juvenility and 
 his love of a joke were contagious, and made all his associates 
 young again. I reproduce a picture of him posing, in his 
 pyjamas (with a big cushion to give him the requisite 
 figure !) as " Lalla Bruciram Daftari." 1 
 
 He has added much to my knowledge of khud racing, has 
 given me many notes, and we have discussed the vexed 
 question of it being harmful to the men. Budhipersad 
 ran in eleven competitions, beginning when he was seventeen 
 and finishing when he was thirty-five. Harkia Thapa, of 
 the 5th, and later subadar-major of the 6th, ran his first 
 race in 1890, the first year the competition for the trophy 
 was held, which foilr years later was opened to the whole 
 brigade. In 1913 he was fourth, as subadar-major, in a 
 double-company competition. This particular athlete never 
 actually won the trophy, but he was in the first four no 
 less than eight times. There are many instances of men 
 having run in this competition for ten years on end, without 
 the least harm being done. It is simply a matter of training 
 them on the right lines. 
 
 Look at General Bruce himself. He has climbed moun- 
 tains and run up and down hills all his service, yet this 
 summer, when over fifty-five, he tells me he went better in 
 Switzerland than he has gone for the last ten years. As he 
 has just been selected by the Royal Geographical Society 
 (Nov., 1921) to lead the Mount Everest expedition in the 
 spring, I hope to hear of him, next summer, as being on top 
 of the highest mountain in the world. 
 
 Khud racing was first introduced by him partly because 
 years ago Gurkhas were supposed to be inferior in physique 
 and stamina ; and partly to create a higher standard of 
 manoeuvre. Pace in hill fighting is everything. That is 
 to say, there are often occasions when, if you can go fast, 
 you have the finest weapon possible at your hand. The 
 Gurkha scouts in the Tirah Campaign under Lucas, Bruce, 
 Tillard, Nightingale, etc., proved this. They had to carry 
 out almost daily the most difficult of all hill manoeuvres, 
 viz. retirement under fire ; yet they never failed, and intro- 
 duced a new standard of pace of manoeuvre. 
 
 Every young officer joining a hill regiment should be 
 taken into mountainous country to learn the meaning of 
 pace, and the ordinary rules of scouting. Moreover occa- 
 1 A man who looks after any clerical office.
 
 i 7 4 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 sionally, he should carry a rifle and full weight of accoutre- 
 ments so as to judge for himself the tasks he sets his 
 men. 
 
 It is not only as a climber that General Bruce deserves 
 a niche in the temple of fame. He is the inventor of 
 " shorts " ! I can find no earlier record of them than 1897 
 with the Gurkha scouts in the Tirah Campaign. For a 
 long time many of us thought that Hugh Rose, of the 3rd 
 Gurkhas, was the first to introduce them, about 1900, as a 
 service dress for a battalion. But as Bruce assures me 
 the 5th Gurkhas adopted them in 1898, Rose must give 
 way. 
 
 The dress was speedily adopted in India for work in the 
 hills by British infantry and mountain gunners, and soon, 
 although for years unrecognised officially, became universal 
 for dismounted soldiers. Finally they obtained a grudging 
 admission into the list of items of military supply, as 
 "shorts, khaki, pairs." 
 
 Even now, although the war was won in " shorts," their 
 position is still far from secure. The late Commander-in- 
 Chief in India would have abolished them, had he dared ; 
 but on his Q.M.G. telling him he had the whole army 
 against him, he refrained. 
 
 Those who rail against " shorts," khaki stockings and 
 brown shoes as " uniform " in the tropics, should be made 
 to take long dusty motor journeys, and work in a mud- 
 hut office, say, Tank, on the North- West Frontier, for a 
 whole summer, while forced to wear Bedford cord breeches 
 and leather gaiters. As one somewhat notorious for his 
 strict views on dress, I submit that, with a well-cut khaki 
 frock and a Sam Browne belt, the turn-out is particularly 
 smart. 
 
 Each of the five old regiments, raised in India, had its 
 characteristic, for which it was famed in the brigade. 
 The ist at Dharmsala was renowned for its shooting, 
 marching and band. The 2nd for polo and a wonderful 
 esprit de corps. This, though by no means wanting in the 
 others, was so particularly marked at Dehra Dun, that if 
 the men were all dying of scurvy, they would still perform 
 prodigies for the good name of the " siccon," as the Gurkhas 
 call the regiment. The 3rd was remarkable for its football 
 and, later, its excellent training ; the 4th, at Bakloh, for 
 its dress ; and the 5th at Abbottabad, for the good pro-
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 175 
 
 fessional knowledge of the officers, their mountaineering 
 prowess and greater experience in hill warfare. 
 
 An outsider, talking to an officer of Gurkhas, was always 
 immensely struck by two things : firstly, by the affection 
 he displayed for his men, and, secondly, at the assured 
 manner in which he let it be known that his own battalion 
 was by far the best of the bunch. At only one period 
 during my long service with Gurkhas did I know of any 
 exception to the latter idiosyncracy. This was during the 
 tenure of command of the i/3rd Gurkhas by Hugh Rose, 
 when it was quite common, in any discussion of proficiency 
 in some matter of training, to hear the remark : " Splendid 
 at hill work (or whatever it was), couldn't be beaten, 
 except of course by the i/3rd." 
 
 For many years it was a sort of unwritten law/not to 
 be found in regulations, that a very tall officer should never 
 be appointed to Gurkhas. It is supposed to have originated 
 in the Bombay command at the time when the Commanders- 
 in-Chief of Bombay and Madras had a few nominations. 
 It was not, however, really very strictly enforced until the 
 great height of Ivor Philipps, of the 5th, called particular 
 attention to the anomaly of a man of, say, six feet four 
 inches, working on the hill-side with Gurkhas of five feet. 
 Lord Kitchener took up the matter keenly and laid down a 
 maximum of five feet nine inches, though that, too, I have 
 known evaded. His successor (O'Moore Creagh) annulled 
 the order altogether. 
 
 " K." was very jealous of his patronage regarding first 
 appointments to Gurkhas, and like Lord Roberts always 
 made them himself. He told me, personally, that the 
 " Commands " had put up a suggestion that they ought to 
 be allowed to make those appertaining to their own areas. 
 
 " I told them," said K., " that I quite agreed, but wasn't 
 going to let them ! " 
 
 The first time K. saw Gurkhas was at the Delhi man- 
 oeuvres, shortly after landing in India, and I happened to 
 be present. We were going round the outpost line of the 
 army defending Delhi. While watering horses and eating 
 sandwiches at midday in a " bagh " (grove of trees), 
 Smith-Dorrien, the adjutant-general, told him there were a 
 lot of Gurkha mounted infantry close by, and would he 
 like to see them. 
 
 " Yes," said K., " send for the O.C."
 
 176 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Now Gurkhas are not, and never will be, horsemen. 
 Their thick legs and rounded thighs were not meant for 
 gripping the sides of a horse. This does not mean they 
 are not good horse masters, for they are, when properly 
 instructed (as evidenced by the reports from the M.I. schools), 
 but proficient, graceful and pleasing mounted soldiers they 
 are not. 
 
 However, this was just after the South African War. 
 The decree had gone forth that every infantry unit was to 
 have a proportion of trained mounted infantrymen, and 
 no exception was made for the poor little Gurkha ! He 
 was therefore issued with drawers, riding breeches and spurs, 
 and sent off in batches to the M.I. school. Just one of 
 those stupid, undigested orders so apt to be issued, where 
 the good old motto " In medio tutissimus ibo " is entirely 
 ignored, and slavish adoption of a rule held in much higher 
 estimation than skilful adaptation. 
 
 It was a little hard on the Gurkha that his first introduc- 
 tion to the great K. of K. should be on the back of a pony ! 
 Presently the O.C. (Porteous, of the gth) arrived and walking 
 outside the copse with him, K. said : 
 
 " Take your men a good half-mile over there, gallop up to 
 about here, and come into dismounted action against that 
 mound, some eight hundred yards away." 
 
 Now K. liked everything done rapidly. If you covered 
 the ground quickly, every fault was forgiven. The first 
 time he saw my battalion in the field at Quetta, it was 
 executing a flank attack on an enemy in position. We 
 went much too fast, quite unrealistically so, and I expected 
 to hear about it. However, when the " Stand fast " 
 sounded he sent for me and said : " Your men move 
 very well, Woodyatt. They went fast, I like a good 
 pace." 
 
 Porteous could hardly have known this, but he hadn't 
 many flies on him, and they galloped up like the devil. 
 A bit ragged, but the men were soon out of the saddle, the 
 led horses nicely handled, and the attack on foot very well 
 carried out, though absurdly fast. K. was delighted and 
 began to ask Smith-Dorrien about Gurkhas. Spotting 
 General Hill, the Divisional Commander (a great person- 
 ality and one of the best known and most brilliant of all 
 Gurkhas), the A.G. called him up and I heard the following 
 conversation :
 
 To face page 176 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM HILL, C.B.
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 177 
 
 K. " What sort of shots are these men ? " 
 
 Hill. " None better." 
 
 K. " Have they good eyesight ? " 
 
 Hill. " Can see through a brick wall." 
 
 K. " How do they stand hardship ? " 
 
 Hill. " They'll stand anything, except abuse." 
 
 K. " Humph ! A pretty useful sort of soldier, 
 apparently." 
 
 General Hill then saluted and walked off. That was 
 absolutely all that occurred. It is typical of K., who seldom 
 wasted words, and also very typical of Hill. 
 
 The temperament of the Gurkha soldier reminds one 
 of our public schoolboy. The same light-hearted cheer- 
 fulness, hatred of injustice, love of games and veneration 
 for superior ability or skill. There is the same tract- 
 ability, with dogged affection (if well treated), and also, 
 like the schoolboy, he works best and hardest with a 
 firm controlling hand. No punishment, however severe, 
 is ever resented if thoroughly deserved ; but with us, 
 punishments, I am glad to say, are usually few and far 
 between. 
 
 The Gurkha cannot stand " nagging." Once get the men 
 sulky owing to continual " nagging," and it is well-nigh 
 impossible for the aggressor himself to put matters right 
 again. Many years ago it was the fashion to assert that the 
 Gurkha should not be made smart ; his worth was so well 
 known that he might slouch about with impunity, and look 
 generally untidy. A great mistake, I am sure, for now no 
 battalion permits this, and the result is most satisfactory 
 in drill, discipline, field work, and appearance. 
 
 Unlike most soldiers, Gurkhas seem to rather enjoy the 
 many changes that have taken place in late years in drill, 
 manoeuvre, etc. It is something new! In the early 
 nineties free gymnastics were a great joke, and they were 
 immensely amused at " knees up." One often noticed at 
 these exercises small batches of their women-folk perched 
 on surrounding eminencies, evidently much entertained 
 at the antics of their lords, as, stripped to the waist, they 
 developed the muscles of their legs and arms. 
 
 On manoeuvres they show themselves born scouts, with 
 a wonderful eye for country, especially in the hills. The 
 art of skirmishing is to them second nature, and beyond 
 the broadest principles, any attempt to teach from the drill 
 
 M
 
 178 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 book is unwise. On the range they are good shots some 
 of them particularly good. 
 
 When sick, the Gurkha is very sick, and in hospital he 
 looks the picture of woe ; but about going there, or reporting 
 himself ill, he is very whimsical. Be the medical officer, 
 or his native assistant, not to his taste, he will probably 
 do his own doctoring, in spite of exhortation to the contrary. 
 On the other hand, should either, or both, have gained his 
 confidence, then he puts himself readily under their care ; 
 nor does it matter a bit to what faith the native doctor, or 
 " doctor Baboo," as he calls him, belongs. I knew one 
 fine specimen of the subordinate medical establishment, a 
 Mahomedan, who was immensely liked and looked up to 
 by the men. 
 
 It is extraordinary how easily Gurkhas, of whatever class, 
 adapt themselves to European companionship. One can 
 go further and say they possess a marked faculty for hitting 
 it off with people of all nationalities. I mention elsewhere 
 how a Gurkha detachment at Amritsar, in 1920, were 
 received at first with black looks and offensive remarks, 
 when shopping in that city ; how they smiled it all down 
 until, after a month or two, relations between them and the 
 Sikhs of the city were quite amicable. Here is another 
 instance : 
 
 At Quetta, about 1910, half my battalion was told off to 
 garrison for six months the outposts of Robat on the Eastern 
 Persian frontier. This meant a short rail journey to 
 Nushki, followed by a desert march of some three hundred 
 miles across the Baluchistan district of Chargai, then 
 administered by a Lieut. -Colonel Webb- Ware, a dis- 
 tinguished frontier officer of the Political Department. He 
 also controlled numerous bodies of tribal levies garrisoning 
 Nushki and each post beyond. 
 
 On arrival of the detachment at Robat, Webb- Ware wrote 
 to tell me how well the men had behaved and what a good 
 impression they had made by their genial manners and 
 prompt payments. Also how much the inhabitants had 
 taken to them, although of an entirely different sect to 
 themselves. At the end of their stay I received further 
 eulogia, but my gratification was still greater when he 
 wrote me, after their return journey, saying, so much were 
 they liked that the levies had sent in to ask permission to 
 turn out guards of honour for them, a thing he had never
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 179 
 
 known them even hint at before. He added : " In their 
 petition they also begged me to inform the writers what 
 kind of people are Gurkhas ? That they were said to be 
 Hindus, but the levies declared that they had never seen 
 any Hindus at all like them before, and were sure they 
 were some ' Naya kism Mussulman ' (new kind of Mahome- 
 dan ! ) " 
 
 The sequel to this is also amusing. 
 
 The last portion of Webb- Ware's letter was reproduced 
 in a battalion complimentary order. The result was that 
 a few days later my Gurkha officers, headed by the Subadar 
 Major, came to see me. Looking very solemn, they in- 
 formed me that the Gurkha officers of our sister battalion 
 were much upset about this order, as it would get about 
 in Nepal that some of the 7th Gurkhas had turned Mahome- 
 dan, and there would be dreadful complications. My brother 
 commandant and myself had a good deal of trouble getting 
 into their heads the meaning of fafon de parlsr. 
 
 On two or three occasions General Bruce has brought 
 Gurkhas home with him, and also taken them to Switzer- 
 land, etc. He tells me he was astounded how easily they 
 got on with all the races met with. It did not matter 
 whether it was a case of French poilu, Swiss guides, British 
 gamekeepers or English maidservants, the Gurkha smiled 
 at them all, and made friends. But in England he 
 much preferred the gamekeeper's cottage to the servants' 
 hall. 
 
 Even the millions at home, who hardly know the position 
 of India, have some vague feeling that Mr. Thomas Atkins 
 especially the Highland Atkins and the Gurkha are 
 great friends. They fight together, take walks together, 
 smoke together and drink together, the while the Gurkha 
 copies his paragon in all he does, even to learning his bagpipes. 
 That they are quite unable to converse does not seem to 
 matter in the least. Their tastes are similar, and they are 
 just attracted to one another and become pals. 
 
 In the second Afghan War (1878-80) Colonel Jack 
 Strachey was riding one afternoon through the streets of 
 Kabul, when he came upon an excited crowd gathered 
 round a gigantic Highlander of the Black Watch, just in 
 front of a shop. On pushing up to see what was the matter, 
 Strachey observed that the Highlander was quietly puffing 
 at his pipe and looking on, while a Gurkha, who reached up
 
 i8o UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 to about his waist, was holding forth in his own lingo, which 
 was as intelligible as Gaelic to the Afghans. Enquiring 
 what was the matter, the Highlander replied : " Well, 
 sir, I don't rightly ken. There's a deal of trouble about 
 some money I paid, but my little friend here is seeing to it, 
 and it's bound to be all right, sir." 
 
 The Gurkhas and the 42nd (Black Watch), in Kabul, 
 used to go about in pairs, sometimes jabbering fluently 
 in their respective tongues, although well aware the other 
 did not understand a single word. More often, though, 
 they sat together in silence, smoking. The fact that both 
 smoked pipes may have brought them into companionship. 
 I wonder if it was the sight of these pairs, in his daily rides 
 through Kabul, which gave Lord Roberts the inspiration 
 of a Highlander and a Gurkha as " supporters " in his 
 coat-of-arms. 
 
 This trait of atti activeness served Gurkha prisoners well 
 in the war. I had long talks in 1920 with an old batman of 
 mine in the 7th, who was three years with Germans and 
 Turks. He said all Gurkhas were well treated, except 
 during the march from Kut. Another, Kulbahadur Gurung, 
 had an account of his wanderings written. He was taken 
 prisoner in Gallipoli on 4th June, 1915, and spent three and a 
 half years, as a prisoner of war, in different parts of Turkey. 
 There he lived and worked with Australians, Italians, 
 French, etc., and sailors as well as soldiers. His story 
 shows that he was received with extraordinary sympathy 
 everywhere, and entirely as one of themselves. 
 
 The Gurkha is a very cheery little fellow, and many 
 think he is full of wit and humour. I agree with General 
 Bruce that this is not exactly the way to put it. What 
 he has really is an enormous sense of the ludicrous, and 
 anything ridiculous or comic excites laughter from him at 
 once. General Bruce gives me two instances : 
 
 The first Gurkha he took home sat with him to Vereker 
 Hamilton for the Kandahar picture. One afternoon Hamil- 
 ton took him to the Zoo, and suddenly introduced him to 
 the giraffe. It was such a surprise that, although in uni- 
 form, he fell into so immoderate a fit of laughter as to 
 finally collapse on the ground ! The same man on a diffi- 
 cult climb on the Baltoro Glacier, at a particularly dangerous 
 place, roped another Gurkha round the neck with a slip- 
 knot. Then, what with laughing himself, and the tightness
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 181 
 
 of the slip-knot, they were eventually extricated with 
 extreme difficulty. 
 
 In Gallipoli two Gurkhas, having captured a Turk, put 
 him up in the corner of a trench and took alternate charges 
 at him with a fixed bayonet, missing him by an inch or two 
 each time. After having satisfied their bent for something 
 ludicrous by reducing the Turk to chewed string, they took 
 him away and fed him. 
 
 At Almora once, on the occasion of our annual inspection 
 dinner, a new orderly had been put into the mess, whose 
 duty it was to dust officers' Wellingtons, in the porch, with 
 a long feather brush. When the general arrived the little 
 Gurkha, getting somewhat excited at his exalted rank, 
 rather rushed at him. The brigadier being much surprised 
 by a man running at him with a stick, involuntarily stepped 
 away, when the long brush got between his legs, and, 
 tripping him up, he fell over backwards. The boy being 
 intensely amused burst into laughter ! The moment was 
 a most awkward one, and it took all the colonel's tact, and 
 much champagne, to prevent the battalion getting a bad 
 report ! 
 
 The Gurkha is very fond of a looking-glass. He always 
 has one handy. Knowing this weakness, one of our officers 
 tried the effect of his much magnified shaving-glass on his 
 batman. Struck dumb at the sight of his own familiar 
 features so grotesquely enlarged as almost to be unrecog- 
 nisable, the little man turned it first this way and then 
 that in dead silence, and then promptly sat down convulsed 
 with mirth. 
 
 Every Gurkha wants to go to England, and to London. 
 They think the world of London, and " the bridge that 
 breaks in half " as they call the Tower Bridge. Every 
 wounded man in France when told he was being evacuated 
 to England immediately asked if he would see London. 
 To keep him happy and contented he was always told 
 he would. One of our ladies was visiting the wounded 
 Gurkhas at Brockenhurst. She found those of the 3rd very 
 querulous. They said : " We are now convalescent and 
 were promised we should see London, what then are we 
 doing in this jungle ? " I am not sure she did not take 
 up the whole lot at her own expense, for she has a very 
 large heart, and is most devoted to Gurkhas. 
 
 The same lady went to see other wounded Gurkhas at
 
 182 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Brighton, where she found one man, with his jaw badly 
 shattered who appeared to be very friendly with his British 
 hospital orderly. Talking to the latter, he told her he had 
 been looking after this Gurkha for six weeks, and since 
 the start had done all he could to buy his kukrie. 
 Beginning with five shillings he had gradually gone up to 
 twenty, but the patient only shook his head. The lady 
 condoling with him, he added, " But I 'ave a ' soovneer ' 
 after all. I've got one of his teeth ! " 
 
 Talking of souvenirs I happened to meet six hundred 
 Gurkhas entering Abbottabad on a few weeks' leave, to 
 see their families, after a long absence in Gallipoli, etc. 
 They were halting just outside the cantonment, and on 
 falling in I walked down the ranks. There wasn't a uniform 
 button amongst them. Asking a man the reason he talked 
 about " Asstrely " and " sufner " which I could not under- 
 stand, until a very intelligent N.C.O. told me that the 
 Australians had taken them all as souvenirs I 
 
 The Gurkhas admired the Australians immensely. 
 Thought them splendid fellows. And the feeling was 
 reciprocated. A soldier from the Australian hills was seen 
 tapping a Gurkha on the chest, and shouting at him hard : 
 "I'm an Australian Gurkha, come from mountains in 
 Australia, see ? " 
 
 It should be understood that our Gurkha soldiers hail 
 from every kind of climate in Nepal. That is to say, from 
 districts a few hundred feet above sea-level, as well as from 
 mountainous areas over ten thousand feet high. Also, 
 that large numbers live in regions which, for many months 
 in the year, are extremely malarious. It is this great 
 mixture of men, naturally affected by the conditions of 
 temperature, moisture, etc. , in which they have been brought 
 up, that has given to the Gurkhas the reputation, largely 
 deserved, of being a somewhat delicate race. 
 
 It is as well this should be known. As it is hardly 
 recognised in India, it is not likely to be understood at 
 home. Gurkhas at the present time have taken on the 
 role of " additional British troops " in India. In troublous 
 times they have exactly the same duties allotted to them. 
 I note they have now been sent to the Moplah country to 
 assist in quelling the rebellion there. As it contains highly 
 malarious tracts we must expect a biggish sick-roll. 
 
 Every Gurkha is supposed to be a shikari. It would be
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 183 
 
 much more correct to say ALL are shikar lovers, but only 
 a very small minority has any real knowledge of game. 
 When you do get a shikari he is good, as good as they make 
 them, and quite fearless. I cannot illustrate the reliability 
 and trustworthiness of a Gurkha-soldier-shikari better 
 than by repeating a story told, I rather think, in the official 
 handbook on Gurkhas. 
 
 It happened a very long time ago, before the Mutiny, 
 and was told by Sir C. Reid, once of the 2nd Gurkhas and 
 known in London as " Gurkhy Reid." After relating how 
 a man he lost at Delhi had shot twenty-two tigers with 
 his old smooth-bore ; how Gurkhas never wasted a shot 
 and called their ammunition " kazana " (treasure) ; how 
 eminently they possessed that grand righting quality, 
 " courage," he quotes an old Gurkha saying : " It is better 
 to die than to be a coward." Then he tells his tale regard- 
 ing coolness, bravery and amenity to discipline. 
 
 Two officers at Dehra Dun hearing of a tiger " kill " 
 close to the cantonment, went after it at once. Having no 
 success they started home on the elephant with a Gurkha 
 orderly just in front, on foot, to show the way, and carrying 
 his old smooth-bore. Suddenly, as they were leaving the 
 jungle this man dropped on his knee and " presented," as 
 if to fire. 
 
 The officers got their rifles ready and pushed up the 
 elephant, but could see nothing. To get direction better 
 one called out " As you were," and the Gurkha brought 
 his rifle down as if on parade. Then " Present," and up 
 it went again, but no pull on the trigger, although the tiger 
 was only three paces away. 
 
 The younger officer shouting out that he could not leave 
 the gallant fellow alone like that jumped off the elephant, 
 but although he looked along the levelled barrel of the 
 orderly he could still see nothing. Putting up his own 
 rifle he told the Gurkha to fire. A terrific roar, a bit of a 
 rush and all was still. When the smoke cleared there was 
 the dead tiger with a ball in his brain which had entered 
 through the centre of the forehead. 
 
 The Gurkha takes readily to games. Football, undoubt- 
 edly, appeals to him most. When starting the " soccer " 
 game at Almora, in 1888, I had occasion to write to the late 
 Sir E. Marindin (then a major) on a nicety concerning the 
 " off-side " rule. In his reply he added a postscript : "I
 
 184 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 am glad the Gurkhas are taking to football ; I hope they 
 don't draw their kukries when playing ! " He evidently 
 thought they would be hot-tempered over it ! But not 
 at all, they are very good-humoured, though a foul charge 
 does put their backs up. After football, quoits, putting 
 the shot, tug-of-war, and then hockey come next in their 
 estimation. 
 
 It is rather a curious fact that with such an active-minded 
 people the ruling clans have so little care for field sports, 
 or athletic games. Very different from Indians of the 
 same class. Beyond the great official tiger hunts, riding 
 and drill and manoeuvre, the ruling classes do not take a 
 great deal of outdoor exercise. The real keenness, for both 
 sport and games, seems to be characteristic of the peasant. 
 
 Gurkhas get much attached to their British officers, and 
 feel their retirement or transfer very keenly. They will do 
 wonders for officers they admire, and the amount of work 
 they can get through, when properly managed, is truly 
 marvellous. My old colonel (now General H. D. Hut chin- 
 son, C.S.I.), than whom there is no better judge, always 
 used to say that provided you gave the Gurkha plenty of 
 time for his two meals, and provided he saw some definite 
 end in view for his labours, you could work him or parade 
 him, with advantage, all day and every day. 
 
 The Gurkha has an excellent opinion of himself, is most 
 patriotic, and very fond of his country. Indeed, his 
 devotion to the latter is most touching, and his contempt 
 for some of the " plainsmen " of India is somewhat amusing. 
 A favourite orderly of mine once asked me during a halt 
 in the jungle if my father had served in the Indian Army. 
 On my telling him I had never had a relation out there, 
 he remarked quite solemnly : " That's like me ; I never 
 had a relative in this country either ! " 
 
 When there is no fighting to be done, the Gurkha is 
 decidedly domestic. He makes a capital husband and a 
 kind father. He frequently brings his wife with him from 
 Nepal, and in every battalion a married establishment of 
 from 200 to 250 is provided for. The youngsters born in 
 barracks are called " line-boys," and many of them make 
 good soldiers, signallers, bandsmen, etc., if well looked 
 after when young. In the field, too, these line-boys are 
 most conspicuous for their daring and courage, being 
 frequent leaders in an attack or assault.
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 185 
 
 I was staying in the same house with Lord Kitchener 
 on his return from a visit to Nepal about 1906. Asking 
 him how he liked it and what he thought of Nepal, he said 
 he had enjoyed every minute of it and was never so surprised 
 in his life. He described how he was carried the last stage 
 in a dhoolie, 1 while " Birdie " (Sir William Birdwood) and 
 his adjutant-general (Sir A. Martin) walked, but couldn't 
 raise their legs without pain for three days, as it was mainly 
 steps. 
 
 Describing his visit, Lord Kitchener said he was intensely 
 surprised at the look of the country on getting out of the 
 dhoolie, for he had expected to see something like the hills 
 round Simla. Instead, what he saw was a beautiful valley 
 in front of him dotted with little houses painted green. 
 Country, he said, exactly like Switzerland and the 
 resemblance intensified by these houses, which looked so 
 thoroughly Swiss in shape and design. 
 
 " Then I was put into a roomy landau, horsed by very 
 fine walers, and driven along a splendid road to the capital 
 (Katmandu). There I found marble palaces, lighted by 
 electricity and full of Nepalese officers who were all generals 
 and always in uniform, like a continental nation. The 
 Maharajah was kindness itself, and meted out to us the 
 most splendid hospitality, while the big review was excel- 
 lently carried out by very soldierly looking troops." 
 
 Lord Kitchener took advantage of his visit to press for 
 permission to raise two more battalions of Gurkhas to the 
 then existing eighteen ; a question which had been hanging 
 fire for some time. The Maharajah wasn't very keen, and 
 the Chief did not advance matters much just then. A 
 friend of mine was in the carriage when Lord Kitchener 
 made his request, pointing out that it was Eastern Nepal 
 men he wanted, which would not be so great a drain. 
 Adding also that he was anxious to have a round number 
 of twenty battalions. In 1907, one more was agreed to 
 (my battalion, the 2/yth), and in 1908, another, the new 
 2/ioth. 
 
 Gurkhas are very fond of the Scotch bagpipes. In their 
 own country they have something similar. I don't quite 
 know when they were started, but I believe the old 4th, 
 in 1884, was the first unit to have a regular set. Almost 
 
 1 Species of covered roomy " stretcher " carried on the shoul- 
 ders of coolies.
 
 186 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 every battalion has a complement of pipers now. It is 
 usual to send selected men to a Highland regiment for a 
 proper course of six months or more, with refresher classes 
 every two or three years afterwards. 
 
 There was much opposition at first by the regimental 
 bandmasters. When started in the 3rd Gurkhas, our 
 bandmaster was an Italian, a Signer Rossetti. He hated 
 them. When playing out at the club, etc., the pipers 
 marched up and down, playing, after each piece by the 
 band. One evening, to pull his leg, I went up to Rossetti 
 and said : 
 
 " Well, Signor, how do you think the pipers are getting 
 on ? " Up went both hands and, pulling a dreadful 
 grimace, he said, with much gesture : 
 
 " Don't mention them, I have played one wonderful 
 piece of music, and the beautiful melody is running in 
 my head, when [squeezing, in jerks, an imaginary bag 
 under his arm] whare, whare, whare, those blasted pipes 
 begin ! " 
 
 The great annual festival of the Gurkhas is called the 
 " Dasehra " * in honour of the goddess Kali 2 (the destroyer). 
 It takes place in September or October, lasts a week and 
 is much thought of by the men. Ten days holiday with us 
 is usually given to allow for the preliminaries, and also for 
 recovery afterwards from the orgies of food, drink and 
 revelry, which are a natural corollary to the celebrations. 
 
 On the big day the arms of the unit are " piled," with 
 bayonets fixed, in an improvised tabernacle, the floor of 
 which is carefully levelled and then "leeped," 8 while the 
 ground all round is lavered with water. The rifles are 
 adorned with flowers and blessed by a Brahman, for 
 Gurkhas worship the implements of war believing that it 
 is to the favour of the sword they owe their prosperity. 
 Just northward of this tabernacle is a stout post 4 to 5 ft. 
 high, with 2 or 3 ft. of it firmly embedded in the ground. 
 
 1 From earliest days a great Hindu military festival at the close 
 of the wet season, which was the period when military expeditions 
 were usually undertaken. The Mahrattas used to celebrate the 
 occasion in a way characteristic of them by destroying a village ! 
 
 1 Wife of Shiva, one of the Hindu Trinity, i.e. (i) Brama, the 
 creator ; (2) Vishnu, the preserver ; (3) Shiva, the destroyer. 
 
 1 I.e. plastered carefully with a mixture of cow-dung and wet 
 clay.
 
 THE LITTLE MAN 187 
 
 Round holes, capable of taking a stout rope, are bored in 
 the post at convenient heights from the ground. 
 
 When all is ready, the sacrifices commence by one goat 
 after another being anointed, brought up to the post, his 
 head secured against it, and then struck off by a stroke of 
 the kukrie. No bungling ever takes place. All sacrificial 
 animals are males, and death is absolutely instantaneous. 
 Some blood of each victim is sprinkled on the floor of the 
 tabernacle. 
 
 Last of all comes the piece de resistance, or the decapi- 
 tation of a young male buffalo with one stroke of the kukrie. 
 This is a most difficult feat and the executioner is specially 
 selected for his strength, activity, quickness of eye and 
 nerve. The buffalo, duly anointed, is led to the post with 
 much ceremony, and his head firmly secured to it. The 
 selected man, clad in new linen " shorts " and vest, 
 approaches the beast, carrying a very large kukrie. Using 
 both hands, he carefully measures distance, straddles his 
 legs, raises his arms very high and, with incredible swift- 
 ness, brings down his weapon, with a cut and a draw, right 
 through the nape of the neck to the dewlap. 
 
 I have seldom seen this bungled and it is a remarkable 
 feat. To be absolutely propitious, the buffalo should sink 
 on his knees and belly and not fall to one side. 
 
 With reference to these sacrifices it is most interesting 
 to read about peace, sin and trespass offerings in the third 
 book of Moses (Leviticus). Here we have a direct analogy. 
 Note the tabernacle, the priest, the sprinkling of blood, 
 the lavering of the ground, the clean linen breeches, the 
 anointment of the victim, his position and his male sex. 
 
 In conclusion, what more can I say about these splendid 
 little fellows who are such fighters, and yet so jolly with 
 it all ? Before the Great War, during the Great War, and 
 since the Great War they have indeed given of their best 
 for England. At their recruiting depot at Gorakhpur we 
 hope soon to see rest-houses erected surrounding a replica 
 of the Whitehall cenotaph. On this will be recorded the 
 heavy losses the men of Nepal sustained during the Great 
 War in our service ; while in a niche will be a semi-sacred 
 book containing the names and units of the glorious dead. 
 
 I write on Gurkhas. My enthusiasm is but natural 
 when I served with them for over a quarter of a century, 
 and my only son was killed fighting with them. But let it
 
 i88 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 not be thought there are no other races in our Indian Army 
 who have an equally good fighting spirit, and can show a 
 grand and honourable record. There are many, and, as 
 I learnt after completing my regimental service, the number 
 of brave and gallant soldiers of all classes and creeds 
 included in that wonderful force passes comprehension. He 
 should be a proud man who has the good fortune to be 
 associated with them.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 
 
 WHEN preparations were being started in the 
 early part of 1911 for the King George 
 V. Coronation Durbar to be held in December 
 of that year, I was astonished one day to 
 get a wire from my old friend Jack Strachey, then manager 
 of the Army and Navy Stores at home, asking if I would 
 look after one of the camps, provided he was given the 
 task of arranging all visitors' accommodation. Under- 
 standing that no troops would go from Quetta, the idea 
 had some attraction ; so, replying in the affirmative, I 
 received orders a couple of months later to report myself 
 at Delhi to Sir John Hewett, president of the Durbar 
 Committee. 
 
 There I found old Jack (who was on a tour of inspection 
 of his branches in India) wallowing in detail regarding the 
 question of the visitors' accommodation. My first job 
 was to survey and map out a large camp near the King's 
 site to accommodate Members of both Houses of Parliament. 
 Borrowing a plane-table, work was started, only to result, 
 after completion, in a wash-out, because it was ascertained 
 an autumn session and other reasons would prevent any 
 Members coming. 
 
 Hoping then to return to Quetta, where the command 
 of my battalion gave me quite enough to do, it was with 
 much disgust that I received instructions to take over 
 all the visitors' camps at Delhi, and command my battalion 
 at Quetta, at one and the same time ! 
 
 Strongly objecting, the president was bearded, and he 
 told me Strachey could not be spared by his board of 
 directors, and he wished me to take his place. He reminded 
 me also that my services had already been placed officially 
 
 189
 
 igo UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 at his disposal. Giving me twenty-four hours to think it 
 over, I made certain conditions, including the appointment 
 of a locum tenens in Delhi itself, while I returned to Quetta 
 with a small establishment. All being agreed to at once, 
 there was nothing for it but to submit, with the best grace 
 possible. 
 
 Then followed the most strenuous six months' work that 
 ever fell to my lot. The only staff obtainable was a lance- 
 corporal of the Essex as clerk and superintendent, and a 
 post office baboo niched, with some difficulty, from the 
 superintendent of Postal Records in the Punjab. The 
 latter did all the accounts and was an excellent fellow ; 
 but, not being a trained accountant, had everything to 
 learn. 
 
 To facilitate concurrent battalion work, the Gurkha 
 Officers' Club, opposite my own orderly room, was com- 
 mandeered. There I was to be found daily from early 
 morn until 8 or 9 p.m., sending orders for camp equipment, 
 furniture, crockery and all the odds and ends required for 
 various camps to accommodate about a thousand visitors. 
 Or else framing budgets, revised one after the other, 
 checking accounts and trying generally to keep within 
 the estimates. 
 
 The camps and fees per diem, per head, for a minimum of 
 twenty days, were : 
 
 Ten guineas for double suites in Curzon House, 
 
 Six guineas for quarters in the Cecil Hotel (this Strachey 
 had most astutely hired for a month, as it stood, for Rs. 
 95,000, which an ungrateful Government cursed him for 
 doing, although eventually it was the only camp that paid 
 its way). 
 
 Five guineas for tents in Kudsia Bagh. 
 
 Two guineas for accommodation in the " Nicholson " 
 Camp. 
 
 I entirely disagreed with the committee over these 
 fees, holding that the variation was too great. Ten guineas 
 seemed to me too much, while two guineas was too little. 
 Intending visitors would shy at the former and think 
 the latter was a camp intended for European servants. 
 Although I was told to mind my own business, the result 
 justified my contention, for only nineteen suites were 
 taken out of twenty-seven in Curzon House, and Nicholson 
 Camp was not nearly filled. The Cecil Hotel and Kudsia
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 191 
 
 Garden accommodation was snapped up at once, the former 
 making a good profit and the latter paying its way. 
 
 Looking back on those days it conies home to me now 
 that there was really a great fund of amusement to be got 
 out of it all. At the time, however, to have your office 
 hourly besieged by one or other of my twenty-three worried 
 camp officers requiring instant decisions ; to be pestered 
 day and night by Britishers, Canadians and Americans 
 about non-receipt of invitations to the various functions; 
 to have visitors eluding their camp officers to make com- 
 plaints personally to me none of this seemed to me joy 
 then, and probably made me very snappish and irritable. 
 
 One morning I heard a rustle and, looking up, found a 
 well-known and extremely good-looking Austrian countess 
 at my side, who, plumping herself down on the edge of 
 my office table, motioned her companion to the only vacant 
 chair. 
 
 Asking what I could do for her she said, with a most 
 
 attractive foreign accent, that the Countess (pointing 
 
 to the lady in the chair, who was quartered next her in the 
 Cecil) wanted to change her room, as she could not sleep 
 because Sir Surname on the other side snored so badly. 
 Explaining that there were no vacant rooms, she then 
 proposed Sir Surname should be moved elsewhere, and 
 next to some people she had spoken to and squared. I 
 told her that Sir William (a well-known English baronet) 
 had taken his rooms through our London agent, and would 
 strongly object, because he had purposely got his two 
 sons (aged eighteen and nineteen respectively) placed next 
 to him in the hotel. 
 
 " But why," said this beautiful creature with a charming 
 smile, " they are not bab-bies, it is not as if they wanted their 
 mother ! " Seeing it was no use arguing, I told her I 
 could not interfere, adding that I had a camp officer 
 there on purpose to arrange these sort of things, and why 
 therefore did she come to me ? 
 
 " Oh," she smiled, " because they all say you are so 
 nice ! " 
 
 On the whole I think visitors were fairly satisfied, with 
 the exception of an irate general who abused me because 
 he had not got some particular invitation for a lady he 
 was interested in. Telling him I had nothing to do with 
 the selection for the invitations, I advised him to go and see
 
 192 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Sir John Hewett. I believe he did, and got no change, 
 for the lady was a divorcee. 
 
 A high Canadian official at Curzon House was most indig- 
 nant because he had received no card for the " Investiture 
 ceremony." He told me in a remarkably nasal twang 
 how he had been assured in London he would get invita- 
 tions to all functions, free ; that, on the strength of 
 this, he had bought a court suit, with sword, and that 
 he didn't consider Canada was receiving the attention due 
 to her. 
 
 I expounded the fact that the Investiture was a Com- 
 mand, not an ordinary invitation. At the same time I 
 gave him a letter for Sir John Hewett, and eventually 
 getting his card, he was able to utilise the court suit, though 
 it was not in the least necessary. 
 
 The Durbar ceremony itself (i.e. the Royal proclamation 
 announcing the solemnity of His Imperial Majesty's Corona- 
 tion in London on 22nd June, 1911) took place on the same 
 site as in January, 1903, and comprised a large roofed-in 
 amphitheatre with tiers of seats and radiating gangways. 
 Below the bottom row and along the ellipse ran a broad 
 red road. Facing the centre, on the opposite side of the 
 road, was a raised dais and canopy with two thrones. 
 Behind these, running out into the arena, was a broad raised 
 gangway of a couple of hundred yards or so, leading to a 
 beautifully constructed pavilion, in which was another 
 pair of thrones facing the paraded troops. Behind the 
 troops again was a second huge roofless amphitheatre in 
 which was accommodation for the assembled multitude in 
 holiday attire. 
 
 A most impressive spectacle was the solemn procession 
 of the King-Emperor and Queen-Empress, crowned and 
 in state robes, from their thrones on the dais to the royal 
 pavilion. This took place directly the Governor-General, 
 the high officials and the ruling chiefs had individually 
 done homage. The dead silence, the stately march, with 
 equerries backing in front of Their Majesties all the way, 
 the royal robes with the long trains held by pages, the 
 scarlet-clad troops, and the gaily-dressed crowd beyond, 
 all helped to make as gloriously an impressive scene as 
 is possible to imagine. Not the least of the wonders of 
 that day was a Grenadier from London, in full dress, posted 
 in front of the royal pavilion, who stood at strict attention
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 193 
 
 with his cane under his arm, without the slightest movement, 
 for about two hours. 
 
 When the Durbar was over, and as the troops were 
 moving away, hundreds of natives pressed forward towards 
 the thrones in the royal pavilion and did puja (worshipped) 
 to them. 
 
 Even greater loyal emotion was shown at Calcutta a 
 few days after the Delhi Durbar. The King, noticing 
 the huge crowds at the principal ceremony and the great 
 distance they were being kept away, had heavy ropes brought 
 and an inner cordon formed much closer, with the aid 
 of these ropes held by police. 
 
 Intimation being given the crowd that they could come 
 up to the ropes, such a rush took place that the ropes 
 and police were swept away, and for some considerable 
 time the King was actually lost in the middle of an excited 
 mob ; but as safe as in the drawing-room of Buckingham 
 Palace. All they did was to touch the " hem of his 
 garments." 
 
 When he had gone away thousands worshipped the gold 
 chair he had sat in, and every particle of dust and sand 
 below the chair was gathered by nimble fingers to be treasured 
 till doomsday. 
 
 One incident in the Durbar proves how short a step 
 it is from the sublime to the ridiculous. In India there 
 is a saying that it is impossible to eliminate the sweeper l 
 and his broom from any function or gathering. Still, 
 one would think it impossible for him to figure in a royal 
 durbar. Nevertheless, he did in 1911, and photos snapped 
 of the amphitheatre when all had taken their seats, and 
 we were awaiting the arrival of Their Majesties, depict this 
 menial with his attendant broom emerging round a corner 
 of the dais ! He was soon hunted off by a terribly shocked 
 political. 
 
 Two other never-to-be-forgotten functions are stamped 
 on my brain, the homage ceremony at a bastion of the Delhi 
 Fort, and the fire at the Investiture. 
 
 As regards the homage ceremony it must be stated that 
 over a million inhabitants of the surrounding district 
 had been collected and assembled by the civil authorities 
 in the beta 2 of the River Jumna, close under the walls of 
 
 1 Very low-caste menial of the Conservancy Department. 
 * A sandy waste on the banks of a river. 
 
 N
 
 194 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 the fort. This multitude was to march by and do homage 
 to the King and Queen seated, fully robed, in a bastion 
 jutting out from the fort wall. 
 
 My wife and I had got seats in an enclosure a few feet 
 to the right of Their Majesties. In common with the 
 majority, we had looked upon this particular performance 
 as a vast piece of humbug a sort of "by order " 
 function got up to please the King and Queen. But 
 Lord Hardinge and Sir John Hewett had known better, 
 and this we realised when we saw this huge mass of 
 people of all ages surging forward in excited batches, 
 through the well-arranged barriers, to do homage to their 
 King-Emperor. 
 
 It amazed us to behold with our astonished eyes the 
 spontaneous, genuine and impulsive feelings by which they 
 were undoubtedly actuated. To hear their cheers, shouts 
 and excited cries of " Badshah ! Badshah ! " (Emperor ! 
 Emperor !) as they passed the Presence. Finally to note, 
 with big lumps in our own throats, that below the eyes 
 which blazed with so much enthusiasm, tears were running 
 down the cheeks. 
 
 If any corroboration were necessary it was given me on 
 my way home by a major of Indian infantry on duty in 
 the bela who told me he had been as sceptical as I 
 was before the event, and felt as small as I did at our defec- 
 tive forethought. We could see that the King and Queen 
 were deeply affected. In fact no one had expected so 
 emotional a scene. 
 
 The fire at the Investiture was a very near thing. The 
 function was held in a huge canvas hall draped in light 
 blue muslin, the colour of the " Star of India " order. 
 This was festooned in wave after wave along the ceiling, 
 and right down to the floor all round. It can easily be 
 imagined how this would have blazed to nothingness in 
 a few seconds had flames once touched it. 
 
 What happened was, a telegraph messenger, bringing 
 a wire to the tent next but one to this hall, and windward 
 of it, leant his bicycle with its lighted lamp against the 
 ropes of the tent while he tried to find someone to whom 
 to deliver his message. The breeze blowing over the bicycle, 
 the lamp set fire to the tent, and in less than two minutes 
 there was nothing left but charred canvas and bks of 
 burnt furniture. Fortunately the tent in between, belonging
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 195 
 
 to Lord Crewe, was cut down immediately, and that really 
 saved the situation. 
 
 Inside the hall we could plainly hear the roar of the 
 flames, which sounded only a few feet away, and every 
 second we expected to see them. There was a sudden 
 movement amongst the large audience of ladies, British 
 officials, non-officials, Indian nobles and native gentlemen. 
 Many rose up, turning towards the one entrance, but all 
 with their eyes on the royal dais. 
 
 Seated in the third row and actuated by a sudden impulse, 
 I remember standing on my chair, and shouting in a loud 
 voice, which sounded quite strange to me : "Sit down, oh ! 
 do sit down." 
 
 Near by this had a good effect, but it appeared to me 
 that the spectacle of the King calmly persevering with 
 the investments, as if nothing had happened, did more 
 than anything else to stay the excitement. 
 
 It was not as if he did not know. For one thing, he could 
 not fail to hear the roar of the flames, and besides this the 
 Duke of Teck had slipped out at the back at once, and 
 returning had whispered the news to His Majesty. Adding, 
 I fancy, that Crewe's tent had been cut down, because 
 King George appeared much amused. 
 
 Early in the evening an entertaining thing happened. 
 The heralds having proclaimed by fanfare the arrival 
 of the King and Queen, and Their Majesties, after the 
 processional entry, having taken their seats on the dais, 
 the Queen suddenly got up and, with a small escort, walked 
 out again. 
 
 An excited Rajah, exactly in front, turned round to me 
 to say she must be ill. Shaking my head, he insisted 
 on repeating his remark, enquiring what else could it be ? 
 Not satisfied with my further negative motion, he jumped 
 about on his seat, and informed his right- and left-hand 
 neighbours that the Queen must be sick, very sick. Being 
 just as ignorant as he was of the cause, we felt puzzled, 
 but it seemed extremely unlikely to be sickness with a 
 private way out behind the dais, if required. When just 
 about to ask the Rajah if he was obliged to be so fidgety, 
 a flourish of trumpets was again heard, and in marched 
 the Queen, through the audience, in the sky-blue robes 
 of the Star of India. Making an obeisance to the King, 
 she was invested with the order of Grand Commander,
 
 ig6 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 after which His Majesty, assisting her to rise, kissed 
 her full on the lips in front of us all. I very nearly 
 cheered ! 
 
 One sad event, indeed a tragedy, in Kudsia Garden Camp, 
 really marred the pleasures of the Durbar. About midnight 
 towards the end of the King's visit, my medical officer 
 came to tell me that an American visitor named Harris 
 (Harris' agricultural machinery) had got confluent small- 
 pox. Asking why I had not been told before, he said he 
 was not certain until that night, and did not wish to raise 
 an alarm in such a large camp with the occupants of this 
 tent, in the middle of a line of several others. This seemed 
 a bit lame, but the only thing to do was to get the case 
 away somewhere. 
 
 Mr. Harris was on his honeymoon with a young and 
 extremely pretty bride, and a boy of fourteen, the issue 
 of a former marriage. He was a religious enthusiast, and 
 had been attending missionary meetings in the Delhi City, 
 where it was supposed he had contracted the disease. 
 
 The doctor was sent off immediately in a car to see the 
 Durbar health officer, a stoutish colonel, who, waked out 
 of his beauty sleep, was not very helpful. He absolutely 
 refused to take the patient into his segregation camp, 
 nor did he give any feasible alternative. It was now 
 2 a.m. and there was nothing more to be done that 
 night. 
 
 Having heard, as a dead secret, that Leslie Cheape, of 
 the Inniskillings, was a smallpox patient in the Hindu Rao 
 hospital on the Ridge, but that the fact was being kept 
 very dark to prevent alarm, there seemed to be in this 
 a possible solution of our difficulty. 
 
 Calling up the medical officer in charge of his hospital 
 at 6 a.m., I told him of our case and asked him to take it 
 in. Very indignant he was ; couldn't dream of such a 
 thing ; his hospital was not for contagious diseases, etc., 
 etc. Mentioning that I happened to know what Leslie 
 Cheape was suffering from, there was a brief silence, and 
 then a voice came through : "I'll send an ambulance 
 over at 3 p.m. ; please have patient ready then ! " 
 
 The camp officer, two orderlies and myself, carrying poor 
 Harris to the bullock ambulance, accompanied it to the 
 outlet gate on to the main road. There we found the 
 men of a British infantry unit lining the street on both sides.
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 197 
 
 It was for the King's passage to some function, and this 
 road we had to cross. Causing a slight commotion by 
 getting the men to make way, their colonel galloped up, 
 extremely angry, to ask why the devil we were upsetting 
 his dressing, and ordered the men back immediately. 
 
 Saying how anxious we were to get the ambulance through, 
 he answered me that it was quite impossible, as the King 
 was almost due. " Very well," I said. " Just as you 
 like, then, we stay here, but this is a case of confluent 
 smallpox." The ranks were opened at once, and we got 
 through. 
 
 Next morning Mr. Harris died at 4 a.m., and in the 
 evening we buried him in the little cemetery just behind 
 the statue of John Nicholson. It was a cruel beginning 
 of married life for his poor wife, who bore her loss with 
 true fortitude, supported as she was by her deep religious 
 convictions. We visited her frequently, and took her books, 
 at the Hindu Rao hospital, where she and her young 
 stepson had to wait over ten days in segregation before 
 returning to America. 
 
 It was most fortunate that we had no other cases, and 
 due, I consider, to the precautions at once taken. Having 
 pulled down the batch of Harris tents, I had them dragged, 
 together with the matting, furniture, carpets, all his clothes, 
 bedding, etc., to a space behind, where they were instantly 
 burnt ; while everything belonging to Mrs. Harris and 
 the boy, together with a few sentimental relics of her 
 husband, were thoroughly fumigated and disinfected. All 
 the remaining visitors were informed of what had taken 
 place in order that, if they so wished, they could go else- 
 where, but no one left. 
 
 Shortly after the Durbar, Field-Marshal Sir William 
 Nicholson, having completed his tenure as Chief of the 
 Imperial General Staff at the War Office, was raised to 
 the peerage as Lord Nicholson. He was then deputed to 
 India as president of a commission to advise regarding 
 reductions in Indian military expenditure. 
 
 The findings of the commission were not unanimous. 
 That is, there was a strong minority report which dis- 
 favoured the recommendation that India should not be 
 required to supply, even herself, from her own munition 
 factories. The feelings of all thinking soldiers were with 
 the minority, and that's about all there is to say.
 
 198 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 There are a good many stories about Lord Nicholson 
 as C.I.G.S., 1 two of which are quite worth repeating : 
 
 One morning he suddenly decided he would go and 
 inspect the cavalry depot at Canterbury. The staff were 
 informed, the depot warned by telephone, and off he went, 
 by motor, accompanied by one staff officer. On arrival 
 it was found the O.C. had gone off to a wedding, but Sir 
 William was met by a young officer with an eyeglass who 
 addressed him in French ! Assuring the boy he knew 
 English quite well, the usual round was made, both the 
 C.I.G.S. and his staff officer being much puzzled by this 
 young officer's manner and his treatment of them. 
 
 During luncheon with the officers the O.C., having been 
 urgently sent for, returned. When asked whether the 
 War Office telephone message had been duly received, 
 he said " Yes," but they had also been warned to expect 
 a visit from a Russian general. The boy had jumped 
 to the conclusion that Sir William was the foreigner. 
 
 On saying " Good-bye," Nicholson when stepping into 
 his car, turned to this youth and said : " Even now 
 I don't believe you know who I am." A fatuous smile 
 being the only response, Sir William added : " Well, I'm 
 commonly called the Chief of the Imperial General Staff 
 and First Military Member of the Army Council." 
 
 " Good God ! " gasped the lad, " what's that ? " 
 
 Lord Nicholson was extremely fond of quoting Horace 
 and the Bible, being a master of both. These quotations 
 served him well on many occasions. Here is an example : 
 
 In 1909, when C.I.G.S., he had to preside at a banquet 
 of officials and others in connection with the scheme for 
 the new Territorial force. Amongst the after-dinner 
 speeches, one was delivered by a very irate and injured 
 Volunteer colonel, who told the Army Council in unmeasured 
 terms what he thought of them and their treatment of the 
 Volunteers. The whole table was quite uncomfortable. 
 Many wondered how the chairman would be able to refute 
 the speaker's charges and arguments, which had been ably 
 put. 
 
 Rising to reply, the C.I.G.S. touched on other points 
 brought up, and coming to the speech of this indignant 
 
 warrior, said : "As for Colonel 's charges, I am indeed 
 
 sorry he should think he has been so badly treated by the 
 1 Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 199 
 
 Army Council. I can only ask him to take comfort in the 
 words of the scripture, that ' He whom the Lord loveth, 
 He chastiseth.' " 
 
 The roar of laughter which followed, in which the 
 aggrieved one himself had to join, entirely eased the situ- 
 ation. There was nothing more to be said. 
 
 " Old Nick," as he was often called, had held many 
 appointments at Simla, including those of military secretary 
 to Lord Roberts and adjutant-general to the Army. He 
 was therefore well known in India when he took his seat as 
 president of this Army Commission. One of the members 
 was Sir W. Meyer, now " High Commissioner for India," 
 in London, and to him is given credit for the most appro- 
 priate allusion to Lord Nicholson's sobriquet of " Old 
 Nick." 
 
 At the first meeting of the commission Meyer was late. 
 Coming into the room with his little mincing steps, and 
 seeing so many military members seated at the table, he 
 stopped short, exclaiming : "I feel like Daniel in the lions' 
 den ! " Then, after a pause, " But I am much worse off 
 than Daniel. He put his trust in the Lord, while / can 
 only hope for support from Old Nick ! " 
 
 A year or two later the very interesting officiating 
 command of the ist Quetta Infantry Brigade fell to my lot. 
 After holding it nearly six months orders came appointing 
 me to the general staff as G.S.O.I., 8th (Lucknow) Division, 
 with summer head-quarters at Darjeeling. It was a matter 
 of great regret to both of us to leave Quetta, but it couldn't 
 be helped, and we felt that we had been extremely lucky 
 to remain there undisturbed for nearly six years. 
 
 When you are moved there is nothing like a real good 
 move, which is certainly the case when it is a matter of 
 going from Quetta to Darjeeling, a distance of over two 
 thousand miles by rail. In the month of July, too, across 
 the Sirhind Desert with a wife, two Gordon setters, two 
 horses, two orderlies and six servants, to say nothing of 
 mountains of luggage. Great were the preparations, for 
 the dogs had to be shaved, household effects packed, and 
 arrangements made for a halt in Calcutta after four nights 
 running in the train. 
 
 But what did it matter ? Wasn't it a matter of con- 
 gratulation to be appointed a first-grade general staff 
 officer before you have finished your regimental command,
 
 200 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 and didn't we long to see Calcutta, which neither of us 
 had ever visited ? Nor was the journey half so bad as 
 we expected. What with reserving a whole compartment, 
 keeping it tightly closed by day, and filling a large tin tub 
 with a block of ice, the carriage was comparatively (!) cool. 
 The dogs were in clover near the ice, and the horses were 
 kept comfortable with ice-caps on their heads. 
 
 Darjeeling was mostly enveloped in mist, and it never 
 ceased raining. Even in the early autumn it was only 
 occasionally one got a glimpse of the glorious snows with 
 Kinchinjunga (28,100 feet) overtopping everything else. 
 By going five miles to a small rest-house, and getting up 
 before dawn, we saw the highest peak of Mount Everest 
 (29,002 feet) tipped by the rising sun. We missed the 
 American invasion, which came annually a little later in 
 the year. Sallying forth from their hotels at 3 a.m., these 
 indefatigable sightseers would rush up to this bungalow 
 to add to their bag a glimpse of the highest mountain in 
 the world. 
 
 At the beginning of the following year came my first 
 introduction to the Y.M.C.A., at a concentration (which 
 included a large number of British units) held at Dacca, 
 in Bengal. 
 
 The Y.M.C.A. was a movement in which my divisional 
 commander took much interest, and which, with his usual 
 foresight, he felt would eventually become of inestimable 
 benefit to our men. He made rather an amusing slip in 
 an official letter about getting a branch to Dacca, when 
 he ended up : " In fact, I feel certain the British soldier 
 will much appreciate the presence of the Y. W.C.A." ! 
 
 The response by the Y.M.C.A. to his request far exceeded 
 our most sanguine expectations. We found on arrival a 
 large staff assembled under the direction of Mr. Callan, 
 who made such a name for himself later in France. There 
 was a huge shed for addresses and lectures, with roof and 
 walls of matting. Its capacity was a thousand soldiers. 
 There were writing and other rooms attached, where 
 letters could be written, and various indoor games played. 
 In addition, preparations had been made for all sorts of 
 outdoor tournaments, from football, hockey and swimming 
 to badminton and tennis. Lectures and addresses took 
 place at 7.30 p.m. and the general and I went frequently, 
 and sang lustily the opening chorus of " Oh ! my darling,
 
 RUNNING A DURBAR CAMP 201 
 
 oh ! my darling, oh ! my darling Clementine," much to the 
 delight of the soldiers ! 
 
 On the first night Mr. Callan told the audience the aims, 
 objects and achievements of the Y.M.C.A. He was a born 
 orator with a telling voice, lucidity of expression, and 
 fluent delivery. He explained that there was much mis- 
 apprehension regarding their object and aims. That 
 many thought they were intent on ramming religion down 
 the soldier's throat, whereas their main desire was to provide 
 him with healthy recreation for mind and body, so as to 
 maintain both in a clean and fit state. He instanced this 
 misunderstanding about religious pressure with the follow- 
 ing tale : 
 
 " Why, coming here to-night I met Private O'Brien of 
 
 the whom I had known in Calcutta as being a good 
 
 deal addicted to the wet canteen, but not a bad fellow. 
 ' O'Brien,' says I, ' I trust we shall see you at our shows 
 here.' ' Well, no, Mr. Callan,' said he, ' I can't very well 
 come to your shows, as I don't carry the brick.' ' 
 
 I sat between the colonels of the Argyll and Sutherland 
 Highlanders and the " King's Own." When " carrying the 
 brick" was mentioned there were roars of laughter from the 
 men. I whispered in turn, to each, asking the meaning of 
 the phrase. Neither knew, nor had I heard it before myself. 
 Afterwards I had to tackle Mr. Callan, who told me it was 
 a soldier's expression for carrying the Bible, and meant 
 that a man had found or " got," as he expressed it, religion. 
 
 We were all much impressed with the great work done 
 by the Y.M.C.A. at Dacca. Since then the world has seen 
 what an immense boon the Association has proved itself 
 to our soldiers in the field. 
 
 Among other military diversions at Dacca, many experi- 
 ments were made in crossing a river by cavalry and artillery 
 with their horses, arms, saddlery and guns as quickly as 
 possible. Rough rafts were easily constructed, as well as 
 inflated bags (one called the " Wheatley," invented by an 
 officer of Indian cavalry) , bales of compressed hay, balloon- 
 like tarpaulins filled with dry grass, etc. The last gave the 
 greatest buoyancy. I reproduce a photograph of the 
 crossing of a fifteen-pounder gun, the motive power being 
 a horse swimming on each side of the raft with his head 
 held by a gunner. 
 
 We had a competition between a squadron of the I2th
 
 202 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 and one of the i7th Cavalry. The men and horses, fully 
 armed and accoutred, were drawn up on one bank. At 
 a given signal all had to get to the other side as quickly as 
 possible without wetting their clothes, rifles or ammunition. 
 Then dress, saddle up, mount and gallop away in line from 
 the further bank. The bags, bales, tarpaulins, etc. (filled), 
 were ready at the water's edge, and they could take their 
 choice. 
 
 Lord Carmichael, the Governor of Bengal, came down to 
 see the show, and at the signal " Go ! " it was very interesting 
 indeed to see three or four of the best swimmers throw off 
 their uniforms and dive in, carrying across rope ends as 
 guides for the means of transport selected. Then all got 
 stark naked (British officers included), stacked rifles, 
 ammunition, uniform, saddlery, etc., on the conveyance 
 chosen, while one half of the men swam over to receive the 
 horses and the remainder drove them all in, crossing with 
 or after them. The I2th won by a small margin, and the 
 time from the start until the order was given to gallop off 
 in line, fully dressed, was under half-an-hour. A very fine 
 performance !
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 
 
 BEING at home in 1914 on eight months' leave from 
 my Lucknow appointment, the ominous portents 
 which heralded the advent of the Great War 
 found me in London offering my services to the 
 War Office. 
 
 Early in the morning of Saturday, the ist August, I 
 met a friend, Buckle of the West Rents, with a beam- 
 ing face, who told me he had just received his orders, 
 and was off to take up some appointment that evening. 
 Agreeing to lunch with me at the " Senior," it was a 
 matter of great surprise when he came to my room soon 
 after noon with a most dejected air, saying his orders 
 had been cancelled, and asking if I had not heard the 
 news. 
 
 On saying, " What news ? " he told me that a Cabinet 
 Meeting that morning had decided that (even with Bel- 
 gian neutrality violated) under no circumstances would 
 England enter the war. Hardly believing my ears, I 
 told him such action was impossible, but he replied that 
 there was no doubt about it, and that he was off at once 
 to his home in Surrey. That was the last I ever saw 
 of Buckle, who was killed in action very early in the 
 war. 
 
 Returning to the club for lunch, I found Lord Morley 
 at the next table, and evidently in very good-humour with 
 himself, which seemed somewhat to confirm Buckle's 
 report. His presence, after being a party to such an incon- 
 ceivable decision, quite put me off my own lunch, and it 
 was with a kind of fascination that I watched him put 
 away a large brandy and soda, and a glass of port, with an 
 old brandy in the smoking-room afterwards. Then, to my 
 
 203
 
 204 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 relief, he disappeared, when I pondered over the wisdom 
 of the club's rule which makes Cabinet Ministers honorary 
 members, and thought what an advantage the concession 
 must be when they wish to get away from political dis- 
 sentients. 
 
 The next thing to do was to get back to the War Office. 
 Groups of officers were walking about, instead of working, 
 in a very excited manner, and you heard such remarks 
 as : " Good God! how can one ever visit France again or 
 even go overland to Marseilles en route to India," etc., 
 etc. 
 
 Wishing to get some confirmation of this Cabinet Meeting 
 decision, I looked up an old pal of mine, who was always 
 full of information. Not finding him in his office, I rang 
 the bell and asked the messenger what Colonel B. was 
 doing, and when he was likely to be in again. From 
 his replies I gathered that B. had gone off indefinitely, 
 with no apparent intention of returning; that he was in 
 a very bad temper, and had used the most appalling 
 language ! 
 
 The War Office appearing to be a most gloomy and 
 undesirable spot, with no one doing any work, and my 
 wife and belongings being at Westward Ho ! the notion 
 took me to go down there. Rushing back to the club, I 
 found I could get a train at 4 p.m. from Paddington to 
 take me as far as Exeter. In the hall I met Sir Henry 
 McMahon, soon to be High Commissioner in Egypt, to 
 whom I imparted the news about the Cabinet Meeting, 
 which, to my great relief, he scoffed at. Still, there was 
 a lot of evidence on the other side, so I decided to carry 
 out my plan of desertion, wired for my car to meet me at 
 Exeter early Sunday, and duly caught the four o'clock 
 train. 
 
 On Monday, the 3rd, Sir Edward Grey made his famous 
 speech, and about 3 a.m. the next morning a man shouting 
 outside awoke me with a telegram reading : " Return at 
 once. War Office." The same evening saw me again in 
 London, hearing the glad tidings that the Cabinet had 
 decided to declare war on Germany on account of their 
 invasion of Belgian territory, and that Morley, Haldane 
 and John Burns had accordingly resigned. At the same 
 time a communication was received from the India Office 
 telling me to hold myself in readiness to return at once to
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 205 
 
 India, which was rather a cold douche after my castles in 
 the air, on the upward journey, of an early crossing to 
 France. 
 
 Retiring to bed at my club shortly after midnight, I 
 found the tape recording the fact that we had actually 
 declared war. This momentous news, coupled with grave 
 misgivings as to my success in evading the India Office 
 order, so preyed on my mind, that, sleep being impossible, 
 I changed into flannels and walked the London streets 
 until daybreak. 
 
 In Trafalgar Square, about 5 a.m., while drinking a cup 
 of coffee at a stall, one of the London waifs and strays in 
 tattered clothing accosted me, to say he was very hungry 
 and thirsty, had slept on a bench all night, and it was 
 a lovely morning. Inviting him to coffee and buns, 
 he told me, while he drank, what he would do as re- 
 gards the war, if he were Prime Minister. How he had 
 held responsible positions abroad, but been unfortunate 
 enough to lose them. How he had visited India and 
 the Cape, and still hoped for another appointment some- 
 where ! 
 
 He ended up with the coming war again, and the 
 assertion, which astonished me and I pooh-poohed, that 
 it would last for years, thus being even before Lord 
 Kitchener in a correct prediction. He talked extremely 
 well, with quite an educated voice, and had evidently seen 
 better days, but I did not press for details of his history. 
 He was a deplorable-looking object, and the three cups of 
 coffee and three buns I stood him must have been very 
 acceptable. Rather to my disgust he insisted on accom- 
 panying me back to the club, where the page boy at the 
 entrance to the residential quarters appeared very shocked 
 at my choice of a companion ! 
 
 Deciding to lay my case with its extraordinary record 
 of ill-luck about ever getting on service, anywhere before 
 Sir Edmund Barrow, the military secretary at the India 
 Office, I got close to his door on the 5th August about ten 
 o'clock. Just then he appeared in the passage, looking 
 very worried, with a closely-written sheet of foolscap in 
 his hand. After greeting me he asked if I were very 
 busy, but without waiting for any answer, handed over 
 the paper, with a bunch of keys. He told me he must go 
 at once to the Secretary of State, and would I please
 
 206 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 encipher the message I held, saying the cipher was in the 
 right-hand drawer of his table. 
 
 Looking over the document I found it was from the 
 Secretary of State to the Viceroy, making suggestions about 
 the two divisions for France, and making proposals regard- 
 ing what officers from India, on leave in England, should 
 be allowed to remain, and who must return immediately. 
 Scanning this part with feverish haste, I read the fol- 
 lowing words, which are for ever burned into my brain : 
 "... I am sure your Lordship will agree with me that 
 all officers holding staff appointments in India must re- 
 turn at once." That seemed to cook my goose, but I 
 had no time to think, for there was the telegram to be 
 enciphered. 
 
 Now, while coming up the India Office stairs, I thought 
 I saw near the top a man called Torrie, 1 brigade-major to 
 the cavalry brigade at Lucknow, and that he appeared to 
 be hastening to avoid me. Looking round, the way he 
 had gone, his nose which was abnormally large was 
 distinctly visible round a pillar. Approaching it, I found 
 no one there, but the nose again appeared behind a further 
 pillar. Feinting on one side while quickly moving to the 
 other, I bumped into Torrie, and asked him what on earth 
 he was playing at. 
 
 He explained that he was temporarily employed at the 
 War Office, and expected to be sent over to Belgium imme- 
 diately. That he had come to draw some money, but was 
 in mortal dread of meeting his brigadier, General Cookson, 
 who had been wiring everywhere to find him. That, if 
 successful, the general would certainly put a stop to his 
 War Office work and drag him out to India, whence we 
 had all been warned to be ready to start. This, then, was 
 the reason for the game of hide-and-seek, and, imploring 
 me to tell no one, Torrie disappeared down a corridor 
 leading Heaven knows where. 
 
 While enciphering the wire, the door opened and Cook- 
 son's head appeared. Seeing me instead of Sir Edmund 
 he asked what I was doing there, and being told, began 
 about Torrie, saying he could get no news of him at all. 
 That he wanted to get out to India at once, as he was sure 
 his brigade of cavalry would go to France, but he must 
 
 1 A major in the 26th Light Cavalry, later temporary O.C. ist 
 Life Guards killed in the war.
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 207 
 
 have his brigade-major. Muttering something, I went on 
 with my work and Cookson disappeared. To the best of 
 my knowledge, neither of us ever set eyes on poor Torrie 
 again. He was, I believe, in Belgium very shortly after- 
 wards. 
 
 It is interesting to add that the two divisions detailed 
 for the Indian Corps were not the 3rd (Lahore) and yth 
 (Meerut) which eventually went to France, but the 3rd 
 and 6th (Poona). The change was made at the instance 
 of Lord Kitchener, who, not knowing them, did not believe 
 in Mahrattas, whereby he did them a great injustice, for 
 their record in Mesopotamia and elsewhere surprised many, 
 and was second to none. 
 
 I had just finished the enciphering when Sir Edmund 
 returned. Opening my own case, as soon as I could, I got 
 no change whatever ! Indeed, when persisting, I was met 
 with the curt remark that it would be very inadvisable, 
 in my own interest, to press the matter any further, and 
 that I would sail in the Dongola on the nth August. This 
 I was determined I would not do, for my divisional 
 commander being also at home on leave, I had made up 
 my mind before that, if I really had to go, I would sail with 
 him in the P. & 0. ship Multan, in which he was to embark 
 on the yth August. 
 
 But I was to make one more futile effort. Lord 
 Kitchener was the Colonel-in-Chief of my old regiment, the 
 7th Gurkhas, and had selected me, as C.O., to raise the 2nd 
 battalion. Going to see FitzGerald next day, I asked him 
 to get me an interview. Here again I had no luck, for 
 although " K." received me quite nicely, I no sooner 
 mentioned my wish and begged for his help with the India 
 Office than he got quite cross, and told me he had received 
 so much obstruction from the hands of the officials there 
 that he would ask nothing more. 
 
 So the Multan it was, and a regular nightmare of a 
 voyage, for everyone felt he was going the wrong way. 
 When starting off to confirm our passages, I met my 
 divisional commander, who upset our calculations a good 
 deal by saying : " You can't take your wife. I've been 
 told I can't take mine." This was most awkward, and all 
 the way to the P. & O. steamship office I pondered over 
 what I could do. By the time I got there the best plan 
 seemed to be to take the booking official into my confidence,
 
 208 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 after judiciously sounding him about ladies' passages to 
 India. 
 
 He had not heard of any restrictions, but said of course they 
 might come later. To avoid trouble, I persuaded him to put 
 my wife down on the list as " Mrs. Wood- Smith," of Australia, 
 while allowing our cabin tickets to remain unaltered. This 
 was all right at first, and during the voyage I forgot all 
 about it. An unfortunate lapse, for at Aden we tran- 
 shipped into the S.S. Salsette. Finding the new steward 
 removing my baggage out of our cabin, I stopped him 
 doing so at once, and he walked off. Returning shortly, 
 he asked me to speak to the purser, and going to his office, 
 I was confronted with the charge of forcing myself into 
 Mrs. Wood-Smith's cabin ! The matter took quite a lot 
 of clearing up, for there were no passports in those days, 
 and finally I had to call in my divisional commander to 
 identify us ! 
 
 Going up the gangway of the Multan, I was deprived 
 of the gun-case in my hand, on the grounds that immediate 
 sinking would follow capture, if any arms were found on 
 board. Being an expensive gun, its loss was a consider- 
 ation, so, going to the captain, I asked for an assurance 
 that he would not sail without me, while I went back to 
 find someone to take it to London. The result was 
 permission to put it on board, which it only took me a few 
 minutes to promulgate to everyone, for the quay was full 
 of officers, gun-cases in hand, running about to find an 
 agent to take them over. 
 
 The India Office had given me a mass of secret documents 
 for Aden and India, with strict orders to sink them in the 
 sea if we were captured. I handed some over to the captain, 
 but the most important he absolutely refused to take. 
 Lashing them to a small crowbar, for speedy submersion, 
 the purser was persuaded to put them into his safe. He 
 promised in an emergency and in case of my own demise 
 to sink them himself. 
 
 We had over seventy officers of the Egyptian Service 
 on board, many without berths. Also returning to his 
 country incognito, Prince George of Greece, whom it took 
 those interested many days to identify. We were daily 
 assured by some inquisitive lady or other that So-and-so 
 " was really the Prince." He would not have been nattered 
 at some of the representations.
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 209 
 
 At Port Said we saw Major (now Brigadier-General) 
 Crauford, Gordon Highlanders, who had laid his hands on 
 eight German Hausa Line steamers. His official appoint- 
 ment was, I believe, that of censor ! 
 
 Amongst the Egyptian officials was the Sirdar, Sir 
 Reginald Wingate, and the late Lord Edward Cecil, the 
 Financial Adviser. From them we gathered the following 
 illuminating account of Kitchener's visit to Dover, a few 
 days before, when about to return to Egypt, with his staff, 
 on board a destroyer. 
 
 What I gathered was that when the train reached Dover, 
 K. received a message on the platform to say he was 
 wanted on the telephone by Mr. Asquith. " Damn Mr. 
 Asquith," said K. " I'll have nothing more to do with 
 that Government. They are a lot of haverers, and I 
 hate haverers." 
 
 It was only after much persuasion that he eventually 
 consented to enter the telephone box, and then his remarks, 
 bawled out in a loud voice, could be heard all over the 
 station. 
 
 This is possibly the origin of the report, so commonly 
 believed, that Mr. Asquith was very adverse to the 
 appointment of Lord Kitchener as Secretary of State for 
 War. That indeed he actually pressed him to take a joint 
 Under-Secretaryship with Lord Haldane, while he himself 
 retained the War Office portfolio. K., however, would 
 accept nothing but the post of unrestricted War Secretary, 
 with a seat in the Cabinet, and eventually he got his way. 
 Coming out of the box, somewhat ruffled and red in the 
 face, he snapped out an order for a " special "back to London. 
 
 Late at night on the 5th August, having a look at the 
 tape in the club hall, on the way to bed, I had seen it tapping 
 out : " Lord Kitchener has been appointed Secretary of 
 State for War." So great was my delight that, inadver- 
 tently, I went upstairs humming loudly, and continued 
 to do so as I began to undress. The door opening, a figure, 
 in pyjamas, appeared and, with hand on hip : 
 
 " Are you obliged to make that noise ? " it asked. 
 
 A burst of laughter, I was so tickled, was my first 
 rejoinder, hastening to add, as wrath was gathering : 
 
 " Indeed I am. It is very inconsiderate of me, I allow, 
 and I apologise, but I've just seen the tape record that 
 Kitchener has been made Secretary of State for War." 
 
 o
 
 210 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 To my astonishment the figure drew itself up to " Atten- 
 tion," saluted and, saying, " Hurrah ! I entirely forgive 
 you," disappeared. 
 
 As it was the next room door that closed, I looked him 
 up, and found he was a naval commander ; but I forget the 
 name. 
 
 On the Multan we were not in as bad straits as on the 
 Dongola, which sailed for India on the nth August with 
 about one thousand three hundred officers, who had great 
 difficulty in getting meals, and were so inextricably mixed 
 up that it took ten days to get a list of them made out. 
 Arriving at Southampton, the officers saw about half a 
 mile of their luggage stacked on the quay with no porters 
 to handle it. 
 
 My friend, Major-General Sir Godfrey Williams, the 
 Director-General of Military Works, told me that they had 
 to put it on board themselves. That, while staggering 
 up the gangway amongst a crowd of officers carrying their 
 own baggage, with a suit-case in one hand and a heavy 
 kit-bag held on the other shoulder, he was forced into the 
 man in front of him by the crush behind. This man, 
 turning his head as much as he was able, called out angrily : 
 
 " To hell with your pushing, sir, do you know I'm a 
 major-general ? " 
 
 To which Godfrey replied in great wrath : "To hell 
 yourself, for I happen to be a major-general too ! " 
 
 Evidently these officers also felt they were going the 
 wrong way ! 
 
 The S.S. Multan reached Bombay on 2Qth August, 1914, 
 and my divisional commander, the A.D.C., and myself 
 proceeded at once to our destination, Lucknow. My 
 general, however, only stayed there a few days, being moved 
 up to command the northern army vice General Sir James 
 Willcocks, given the Indian Army Corps on the Western 
 Front. Entirely lost as I felt without him, and impossible 
 as it was to get overseas, my promotion very shortly after- 
 wards, as deputy adjutant-general (additional) army head- 
 quarters, with the rank of brigadier-general, was very 
 welcome. 
 
 Joining immediately, it appeared my appointment would 
 keep me in Simla during the winter, as head of the adjutant- 
 general's branch there, while army head-quarters took 
 up its cold weather residence in Delhi. In addition to
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 211 
 
 being director of personal services, with much other detail 
 of discipline and administration to attend to, my most 
 important task was the organisation, and future conduct, 
 of all arrangements for " enemy subjects " in India of 
 military age. This included those who were residential 
 and those, many being combatants, captured on the sea 
 and in East Africa, Mesopotamia, Persia, etc. 
 
 The undertaking seemed a truly formidable one, not 
 only because it comprised the framing of rules and 
 regulations as regards their apprehension, internment, 
 location and treatment ; but also because none of us had 
 the very ,vaguest notion of the correct procedure, nor had 
 we any former experience to guide us. The " military 
 age " varied according to nationality, and in some countries 
 priests and medicals were deemed to be exempt, while in 
 others they were not, e.g. Germans and Austrians. All 
 " enemy subjects " who were above or below military age 
 including all women and children were dealt with by 
 the civil authorities. 
 
 After a short time, with work at a very high pressure, 
 chaos was relieved, but we were always having to increase 
 our accommodation. At first Ahmednagar, near Poona, 
 in the Bombay Presidency, was the selected spot, for those 
 of military age as well as others, but as this place got filled 
 up, those under the civil authorities were moved to the 
 Fort at Belgaum, where there were many houses and very 
 good quarters. 
 
 As Turkish prisoners arrived, I had to think of some other 
 locality, as it would have been inadvisable to incarcerate 
 them near a Mahomedan population. Burma was selected, 
 and at Thayetmyo, Meiktela, etc., we had eventually over 
 ten thousand. 
 
 It was surprising the amount of money the Germans had. 
 Many of course were business men in the large cities. The 
 commandant at Ahmednagar wrote to me early in the war 
 to say that the large sums in their possession, and the heavy 
 remittances coming to them, were a source of danger. By 
 permission of the Postmaster-General I got any limit for 
 deposits in the local post office withdrawn entirely, and the 
 money put in there, no prisoner being allowed more than 
 fifty rupees in his possession at one time. Eventually the 
 assets of all " enemy subjects " were taken over and dis- 
 posed of by Government.
 
 212 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Getting authentic information from the South of India 
 that members of the Basil Mission were communicating with 
 the S.S. Emden, and were also reviling the Government 
 habitually to the natives, I ordered the internment of fifty- 
 two at Ahmednagar. Amongst these were German Jesuit 
 priests and doctors who, being of military age, came under 
 my jurisdiction as liable for enemy service. 
 
 The Home Member however thought otherwise and, being 
 impeached by him, I had the honour of a special citation on 
 paper before the Members of Council up to the Viceroy, but 
 was saved by Sir Beauchamp Duff's note, running : "I 
 only wish he had interned the whole lot. B. D." When 
 the case came down again, through the Council, as is the 
 rule in the case of contradictory noting, the Home Member 
 wrote : " After the remarks of His Excellency the Army 
 Member, I do not wish to press the case any further " ! 
 
 More than four long years afterwards, when inspecting 
 the Ahmednagar internment camps as G.O.C. Poona 
 Division, I came across these men standing by their cots at 
 " Attention," the priests in beautiful white garments, well 
 got up and splendidly starched. I must confess I felt sorry 
 for them living all those years behind barbed wire, and 
 wondered whether they had any idea that the general 
 going round was the very one responsible for their incar- 
 ceration ! 
 
 Under our care, however, the prisoners in India were 
 exceedingly well treated, and, reading the account of the 
 recent Leipzig Tribunal, one marvels at the psychology of 
 a nation that could not only countenance, and practise, 
 every form of brutality towards helpless fellow-creatures, 
 but even maintain later that there was every justification 
 for doing so. These people even got the daily newspaper. 
 This I had tabooed, but was overruled. All those who 
 would give parole were allowed to go anywhere within a 
 ten-mile limit, while married ones, on parole, or not judged 
 dangerous, lived with their wives in special barracks. 
 
 When visiting Burma I was much struck with over ten 
 thousand Turkish prisoners of war from Mesopotamia, etc. 
 Most of the men were exceedingly fine fellows, vigorous, 
 lusty and well set up, while many of the officers impressed 
 me most favourably. An army comprised of such material, 
 and well led, should be invincible. 
 
 In the early part of 1915 the attempts of seditionists to
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 213 
 
 tamper with the allegiance of the Indian Army, following the 
 return of the Sikh immigrants refused admission into 
 Canada, caused some serious rioting at Budge Budge, near 
 Calcutta. The trouble was undoubtedly instigated by the 
 Ghadr x party, and achieving some success in certain 
 quarters ultimately resulted in a number of executions. 
 
 A new brigade recently formed at Delhi becoming vacant 
 about this time, I was ordered from Simla, with less than 
 twelve hours' notice, to take command, as the central 
 investigation department had information of increased 
 activity amongst this Ghadr party, with, possibly, further 
 attempts on the person of the Viceroy. 
 
 Arriving at 6 a.m. it seemed the first thing to do was to 
 find out the arrangements for internal security. To my 
 amazement practically none existed, in spite of the most 
 gloomy reports given me by officials of the above-mentioned 
 department, whom I visited at once. Incredible as it may 
 seem, it is a fact that although there were nearly four 
 hundred able-bodied Britishers employed as clerks, etc., 
 in the Secretariat situated in the civil lines, Britishers 
 who were all trained volunteers and many of them old 
 soldiers yet their rifles, and the ammunition, were kept 
 two miles off in the Fort, to get to which you had to cross 
 the railway, and skirt the confines of the city itself ! 
 
 It did not take many hours to put this right and, besides 
 evolving a practical scheme, to place four hundred rifles 
 and a supply of ammunition under a guard in the Secre- 
 tariat buildings. Then came the security and employment, 
 in case of emergency, of the troops cantoned and camped 
 beyond the Ridge close to Viceregal Lodge. 
 
 Riding round the various barracks and encampments it 
 was evident that in some cases there was an entire lack of 
 adequate protection. The latest reports pointing to sudden 
 attacks by bombs on quarter guards from concealed vantage 
 spots made me anxious to provide a good system of observa- 
 tion, without, if possible, increasing the number of armed 
 sentries. Orders were therefore given for " flying sentries " 
 (observation men with a definite area, carrying sticks only) 
 to be posted where necessary. Hereby hangs a tale denoting 
 the extraordinary way false rumours can gain credence, 
 and how impossible it is to anticipate them. 
 
 1 See Chapter xxi., page 283. N.B. The root meaning of Ghadr 
 is " treachery."
 
 214 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 The back of the gunners' camp on the edge of a deep 
 ravine, separating them from the lines of the Indian cavalry 
 regiment, being one of the weak spots, I sent for my C.R.A. 
 (Colonel L. A. Smith) to tell him to order the;battery com- 
 mander concerned to put a flying sentry there. I repeated 
 to him, in confidence, what I had just learnt about the pro- 
 bable action of the malcontents, which made the nullah 
 a likely hiding place. 
 
 Next day I was called up by Lord Hardinge's military 
 secretary (Frankie Maxwell) on our private connection, 
 saying the Viceroy wanted to know whether I had given any 
 orders lately about protection in the artillery lines. Explain- 
 ing that I had, he asked if I could remember exactly what 
 was said, and I gave him an account, as above. Telling me 
 he would call up later, he rang off. 
 
 Sending for Smith again, he repeated to me his words to 
 the battery commander, which were just what I had told 
 him, including a remark that the nullah which ran between 
 the artillery and Indian cavalry lines must be continually 
 watched. Towards evening Maxwell called me up once 
 more to say the Viceroy was perfectly satisfied. " Satisfied 
 about what ? " I asked, when he explained as follows : 
 
 The battery commander (the late Lord Suffolk), when 
 returning to quarters, hinted to his wife that there was 
 pending trouble with the Indian cavalry regiment, which 
 might mutiny at any moment, and he had been ordered to 
 put extra sentries in that direction. The lady, being a 
 friend of the Viceroy, went to him to ask if she ought to 
 send her children home, telling him what she had just heard. 
 Hence the telephonic enquiry ! 
 
 " His Excellency added," said Maxwell, " that he wished 
 to God husbands would not babble to their wives ! " 
 
 The Delhi Brigade had evidently been hastily formed, 
 for a more peculiar composition could hardly be imagined. 
 Besides Delhi itself, I was charged with the administration 
 and training of all troops in Dehra Dun, Agra, Bareilly, 
 Chakrata, Landour, etc., but not Ranikhet and Chau- 
 battia ; and this with only one brigade major to assist me ! 
 There was a Territorial battalion in Delhi, Agra and Bareilly 
 respectively, and although it was well on in March before 
 I could get away to the last two, it was insisted on that all 
 should be subjected to a " Kitchener test," in a somewhat 
 modified form.
 
 SEDITION IN INDIA 215 
 
 No orders could be obtained regarding my summer head- 
 quarters, so when the Viceroy left Delhi I packed up and 
 transferred the office to Dehra Dun which was much cooler. 
 There the ever vexed question of house accommodation 
 came up and not a bungalow fit to live in could be found. 
 Eventually I came across a delightful house designed by 
 Lord Curzon for the commandant of the Imperial Cadet 
 Corps. A diplomatic letter to the Foreign Department 
 pointing out that, as the cadet corps had been dispersed, I 
 should much like to live hi it, resulted in the necessary 
 permission, at a very moderate rental. 
 
 For the benefit of those who do not know Dehra Dun in 
 the United Provinces, the permanent home of the and and 
 gth Gurkhas, and situated on the south side of the large 
 hill station of Mussoorie (6,500 feet above sea-level), it may 
 be stated that it is perhaps one of the most beautiful and 
 delightful places in India, outside Kashmir. Rather hot, 
 of course, from the end of May to September, and somewhat 
 unhealthy in the latter month, still, being only fourteen miles 
 from Mussoorie, a pleasant change can be easily obtained, 
 With unrivalled advantages for polo, shooting and fishing, 
 and with a bracing cold weather climate, is it any wonder 
 it is such a favourite spot ? 
 
 M It was during my tenure of this command that I got to 
 know Lord Hardinge, my eighth Viceroy. Both at Delhi and 
 at Dehra Dun he was kindness itself to both of us. The 
 recollection of his handsome presence, courteous manners 
 and dauntless courage in carrying on in most difficult times, 
 and after a dastardly attempt on his life, which nearly proved 
 fatal, can never be effaced. 
 
 I was dining with him at Dehra Dun when he received the 
 news by cable of the naval attempt to force the Dardanelles. 
 He was extremely angry at the futile effort. The blue veins 
 swelled in his forehead, and he appealed to me to back him up 
 in his assertion that it was pure madness. I replied that we 
 soldiers had always been taught the principle that naval 
 action must be fruitless unless adequately supported by 
 land forces, which pleased him immensely. 
 
 Those were happy days in the beautiful Doon with our 
 beloved son beside us in the 2nd Gurkhas. Days, however, 
 which were destined to be all too short. Since my return 
 to India I had been worrying the military secretary on every 
 opportunity to get me overseas. I now made another
 
 216 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 attempt, pleading, for the hundredth time, my extraordinary 
 ill-luck about ever getting on service. 
 
 The reply I got was that as far as could be seen I was 
 likely to remain at Dehra Dun for the duration of the war ! 
 This being so, and the house being an excellent one, we 
 collected all our belongings from Quetta, Lucknow, Calcutta, 
 etc., unpacked everything, put up heads and skins in the hall, 
 got a big flagstaff erected on the lawn, and issued invita- 
 tions for our first Dehra dinner party. Hardly had these 
 been posted, however, when a wire came saying I was trans- 
 ferred to command the Abbottabad Brigade, and should 
 join as soon as possible ! 
 
 At first, this was rather a shock, until the thought came 
 that in reality Sir Beauchamp Duff was doing me a good 
 turn by this transfer to the North- West Frontier. The 
 Abbottabad brigade synchronised with the 3rd war brigade, 
 so if there was any trouble on the frontier I should take the 
 field under my old friend Sir Frederick Campbell command- 
 ing the ist (Peshawar) Division. The trouble was not long 
 in coming. 
 
 As we were preparing to move I was called up on the 
 telephone by the acting divisional commander to ask who 
 I suggested should succeed me at Dehra. My senior colonel 
 was a Territorial officer, the Earl of Radnor, commanding 
 the i /4th Wiltshire Regiment, and of whose military 
 capabilities I had a high opinion. Naming him at once the 
 query came through asking if I realised that he was a Terri- 
 torial ? My reply was : " Yes, but what's that got to do 
 with it ? He is a good soldier, has knowledge of men, much 
 sympathy and great common sense ; therefore, in my 
 opinion, eminently qualified." I'm glad to say he was 
 appointed, and I handed over to him a few days later.
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 
 
 A >OUT three months after joining at Abbottabad 
 the 3rd war brigade was mobilised, and later 
 on entrained to Hoti Mardan, about fifty miles 
 north-east of Peshawar, and the head-quarters 
 of the famous corps of Guides. Not being at all certain of 
 the situation, I posted off by car at once with my brigade 
 major to Mardan, and found orders awaiting me to take over 
 command of all troops in the Yuzufzai l country. 
 
 A good deal of chaos prevailed at Mardan, and reaching 
 there in the early morning some difficulty was experienced 
 in ascertaining exactly what troops I had, and where they 
 all were. One fact was quite clear, however, namely that 
 a detachment consisting of the Guides infantry with some 
 squadrons of cavalry and a field battery had been heavily 
 engaged with a large number of Bunerwals 2 the day before 
 at a place called Rustam. 
 
 1 A division of the Peshawar district containing Mardan and 
 outposts beyond. 
 
 2 A tribe of Pathans occupying Buner, a tract of independent 
 territory N.E. of Yusufzai. Can probably put about ten thousand 
 fighting men in the field when well united and acting in a common 
 cause. Looked upon as one of the finest races on the N.W. frontier 
 of India, and being simple, austere, truthful, religious and hospit- 
 able, they are bright examples of Pathans. With the assistance of 
 other tribes, the Bunerwals proved most formidable opponents 
 against us in the Ambela expedition in 1863. They were predom- 
 inant in the attacks on the famous Crag piquet which was lost 
 and won no less than three times (with heavy casualties on both 
 sides) , eventually remaining in our possession. I am told on good 
 authority, but cannot find the official reference, that it was the custom 
 amongst the Bunerwals to tie a piece of red string round the right 
 wrist of each of their dead warriors who had specially distinguished 
 himself. On our retaking this Crag piquet for the third time our 
 dead there (mainly Highlanders) were found with a red string 
 round each wrist. 
 
 217
 
 218 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 This hamlet was close to the Buner border, and some twenty 
 miles from Mardan, along a road the last eight miles of which 
 went through heavy sand. The enemy had been dispersed, 
 but was hanging about close by, with the evident intention 
 of attacking the camp again that night. Reinforcements 
 were urgently required at once, but only half of my British 
 battalion (ist battalion Royal Sussex) had arrived, the other 
 half might come in shortly, the 6th Gurkhas ought to arrive 
 that evening, while the 84th Pioneers was the only unit 
 ready in Mardan. 
 
 Evidently my mission was to get to Rustam immediately, 
 and see the situation with my own eyes, but it was stated 
 my own car (a Rover) could not get through the deep sand. 
 Luckily it was possible to purloin a Ford, so pushing off, 
 after giving orders to impress all country carts possible, 
 we reached Rustam by nine o'clock to find the garrison 
 anxiously expecting assistance. 
 
 The camp was cram-full of horses belonging to the four 
 or five squadrons and the field battery, and although every- 
 one was digging hard, the perimeter was none too secure, and 
 much too large for the number of men available for its 
 defence. It was August of a rainless year, and the heat 
 was intense, yet there was nothing for it but to go back as 
 quickly as possible to try and get the remainder of the 
 force to Rustam immediately. Anyhow before dawn 
 next day, when the Bunerwals might be expected to be 
 withdrawing from, what we hoped would be, a futile 
 attack. 
 
 On reaching Mardan again we found the other half of the 
 Sussex had turned up, the 6th Gurkha trains, with a lot of 
 transport, were to arrive at 4 p.m., and a mountain battery 
 with a company of sappers and miners next day. It was 
 obviously impossible to start before night, so orders were 
 issued to march off in one column at 8 p.m. 
 
 The question then arose where to assemble the troops so 
 as to ensure a satisfactory start. There was an unbridged 
 river to cross at Mardan itself, which the local commander 
 told me was then easily fordable, but which a little rain 
 rendered impassable for many hours. The sky was very 
 clouded, rain was long overdue. 
 
 On both banks of the river were excellent positions of 
 assembly alongside the road. If I concentrated on the 
 Mardan side, and it rained, I couldn't cross. If on the
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 219 
 
 other, I ran the risk of all my supplies, which were only 
 just being loaded and couldn't be ready till late, being cut 
 off by an unfordable river, while the troops were marching 
 away from the farther bank ! 
 
 This was somewhat of a dilemma, but undoubtedly my 
 endeavour must be to relieve Rustam, and for this purpose 
 to get all the troops, all the transport, all the carts, across 
 the river at once, man-handling the remainder of the 
 supplies over as they arrived. One had to take risks ; 
 fortunately it did not rain, but the large fatigue parties 
 necessitated a postponement of the march until 10 p.m. 
 
 It was a horribly sultry night, the men were dog-tired. 
 At every halt they just threw themselves on the ground and 
 were asleep in a few seconds, Lewis gunners twisting the 
 mules' reins round their wrists. At 2 a.m. we could hear 
 the furious cannonade of a camp heavily attacked, but 
 were helpless to assist. It held out, however, and, very 
 bedraggled, we crawled inside their piquets about 7.30 
 a.m., and after a rest set about the construction of a new 
 and enlarged perimeter. 
 
 By next evening the force was complete with : 
 
 Six squadrons cavalry (two being on detachment). 
 
 One field battery. 
 
 One pack battery (mules). 
 
 One company sappers and miners. 
 
 Four battalions infantry with Lewis guns. 
 
 Usual field ambulances, supply sections and transport. 
 
 There was a political officer in camp who informed me 
 that there were about eight thousand Bunerwals, some three 
 thousand other tribes, and a lot of Hindustani fanatics l 
 opposed to us. These latter people are always bent on 
 creating disloyalty and unrest amongst the frontier tribes. 
 They join many of the periodical risings and are noted 
 for their disregard of death. Their chief desire is to kill as 
 many British infidels as possible. If one of their number 
 succeeds in killing a British officer he is perfectly happy, 
 
 1 Also called Muhajirin, plural of Muhajir = one who abandons 
 his country. A colony of fanatical Mahomedans who migrated 
 from India about 1823 to the Buner country from Patna in Bengal. 
 Their doctrines are those of the Wahabi sect, i.e. expounding the 
 original tenets of Islam. The colony consists of about 1,000 fight- 
 ing men and 1,500 women and children. They are a species of 
 reformer, rather like our reformers of Cromwell's day.
 
 220 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 and it does not in the least matter if he loses his own life 
 in the attempt. Braver and more dare-devil fellows I 
 never met. 
 
 Only the day before our arrival one had concealed himself 
 like a hare in some scrub jungle where line upon line of 
 Guides passed over him. Waiting his opportunity, he 
 rushed out at a British officer, advancing a little apart from 
 his men, killed him from behind with his sword, and sank 
 with a smile when riddled with bullets a few minutes 
 later. 
 
 Some days afterwards seven more, trying the same game 
 on a flank, close to me, were caught between a party of the 
 Sussex hunting them, and some flankers of the Guides 
 coming down from higher ground. Seeing the game was 
 up they rushed out like tigers towards the Guides, missing 
 the officer, but badly wounding one Guide before being all 
 disposed of themselves. The most unpleasant part of this 
 encounter was the vast danger of Guides shooting Sussex, 
 or Sussex shooting Guides ; or both, or either, shooting 
 me ! 
 
 The courage and ferocity of the Bunerwals combined with 
 great speed and stamina on the hillside had for years 
 stamped them as very formidable opponents, whom the 
 Government were always most anxious to placate, and 
 dissuade from joining any frontier disturbance. They were 
 not particularly well armed as a tribe, though like the 
 Hindustani fanatics possessed, individually, of a good 
 number of modern rifles. Openly expressed pride at the 
 efficiency of my little force probably led Sir G. Roos-Keppel, 
 the Chief Commissioner of the North- West Frontier Pro- 
 vince, to motor over from Peshawar, for an hour, to implore 
 me not to despise my opponents, to remember they were 
 men of extraordinary activity and spirit, and to read and 
 re-read the accounts of the fighting in 1863 1 when we had 
 come off so badly against them. 
 
 And this was the only visit I had, and as for instructions, 
 I received none. My divisional commander away back at 
 Peshawar was more than busy with the situation on his 
 other flank, where the Mohmands were expected to break 
 out any minute. Writing to him for a hint, I said, that 
 except feeling certain I was not to allow the enemy an 
 
 1 Ambela Campaign. British force, 9,000. Killed and wounded, 
 909.
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 221 
 
 initial success, I was very hazy regarding my limitations, 
 but did not propose to let him knock me about without 
 retaliation. His reply was that it was difficult to say much, 
 and the only thing he could think of was Lumsden's 1 
 invariable instruction to his Guides : 
 
 " I want Heads." 
 
 That was just like Fred Campbell 2 ; so typical of this fine 
 frontier soldier the best we now have alive who trusted 
 his subordinates, and left them alone to carry out their 
 tasks, probably the reason for his unfailing success, and 
 the cause of his wide popularity. 
 
 It took a few days to settle down at Rustam, and make 
 our camp impregnable. For five nights running we were 
 attacked by hordes of wild tribesmen, evidently well sup- 
 plied with ammunition, for they fired thousands of rounds 
 from all sorts of rifles. It was very interesting to note the 
 difference between the " swish " of the larger bore like the 
 Snider or Martini-Henry, and the " ping " of the '303 or 
 256. 
 
 Our casualties were surprisingly small, due partly to the 
 fact that the cavalry had been reduced by sending two 
 squadrons to distant outposts, and partly to dug-outs, 
 traverses and other precautions. An enormous number of 
 bullets went high. As the tribesmen often attacked from 
 two opposite sides, it is a matter of wonder whether they 
 made many casualties amongst themselves. I don't think 
 we made many at night ourselves. My standing orders 
 were that the fire was on no account to be returned, unless 
 there was a distinct target visible by flares, searchlight, 
 or moon, and then only by order of a British officer. 
 
 Fire discipline was excellent. The hour of attack varied, 
 being sometimes 9 p.m., but oftener i or 2 a.m. At the 
 first shot every tent was downed immediately. On no 
 occasion did the enemy actually close, due undoubtedly, 
 after the first night, to trip wires, booby traps and elephant 
 pits. At first I scorned a dug-out, but later, as the area of 
 my bivouac seemed to attract an enormous quantity of 
 bullets, I had to submit to the hot, stuffy abomination. 
 
 1 Raised the Guides, as a subaltern, in 1846-47 at Peshawar. 
 Corps is now called " Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Fron- 
 tier Force) (Lumsden's)." 
 
 "Now General Sir Frederick Campbell, K.C.B., D.S.O.
 
 222 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 On the second night and before I had succumbed to 
 a dug-out I woke just before the firing began in a muck 
 sweat, as the slight breeze we got had suddenly dropped, 
 and called to my servant to get me a change. He 
 was in a dug-out twenty yards away, and as he came the 
 bullets started. Down he dropped, and I thought he was 
 shot. It was only a precautionary measure, however, for 
 I soon saw him wriggling to me on his stomach, from which 
 posture he handed me a clean shirt, and then retired in the 
 same way. He was a fat cantonment Pathan from Abbotta- 
 bad, and I laughed so much I got hotter than ever. 
 
 After the third night the " sniping " in force was no longer 
 to be calmly endured ; besides I was then ready to move out. 
 There were three main valleys leading to the Buner country, 
 named Ambela, Malandri and Pirsai, and I felt sure that 
 one, or all, must be the temporary resting place of the 
 enemy. Taking each in turn, we drove out the tribesmen, 
 inflicting such casualties on them that their night operations 
 became less and less formidable, until when the third 
 valley was cleared, and its villages burnt, they ceased 
 altogether. 
 
 The most serious impediment to successful work in the 
 field was the intense heat, and the sandy nature of all roads 
 and tracks, making them extraordinarily trying to the 
 infantry and^mountain artillery. Already several cases of 
 heat stroke had occurred in camp, and my cavalry brigadier 
 had returned with two dead sowars * tied on their horses 
 (and several more unconscious ones supported by comrades), 
 after an all-day reconnaissance to report on an adjacent 
 tribe. Meeting them at the entrance to camp, it was a 
 sorrowful sight to see a nice-looking horse stepping out 
 freely, while on his back lay the dead rider with head 
 touching the mane, hands tied together below the neck, 
 and feet lashed under the horse's belly. 
 
 The temperature of one British soldier down with heat 
 stroke rose to 110 Fahrenheit, which I had always thought 
 impossible. Such however was the fact reported by my 
 principal medical officer, and moreover the man recovered 
 after treatment in ice baths. 
 
 Visiting one of our distant outposts with my invaluable 
 brigade major, we had some eighteen miles to ride, mainly 
 across country. On arrival he looked rather cheap, but 
 1 Trooper of Indian cavalry.
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 223 
 
 swore he was all right. After going a few miles on the 
 return journey he appeared really bad, and shortly after- 
 wards collapsed, though I was fortunately able to catch 
 him before he fell to the ground. The combined water 
 bottles of the escort revived him, but we still had twelve 
 miles to go before we reached any track fit for an ambulance. 
 
 There was a well of coldish water six miles ahead. Get- 
 ting Loveday on to his horse, we galloped the whole distance, 
 supporting his swaying body, myself on one side and a 
 duffedar x on the other. Then came the last six miles 
 covered in the same way. He was 106 on arrival at the 
 hospital tent, where he had to remain over a week, much 
 to his chagrin, for although not over strong, his lithe wiry 
 body contained the heart of a lion. 
 
 I was to lose him soon afterwards to command his battery, 
 and then a group of artillery in France, where he covered 
 himself with glory. 
 
 My worst experience of heat-stroke was during the return 
 from our advance up the Malandri Valley. Although we 
 started at 3 a.m., and had less than eight miles to cover, 
 there was opposition to contend with, villages to burn and 
 much scrub jungle full of rocks and boulders to be searched. 
 All this took time, so that it was after midday when we 
 began to withdraw to camp. 
 
 So many British soldiers fell down with heat-stroke that 
 the rear-guard could hardly move. The stretcher bearers 
 were so overcome themselves that they were useless. It 
 was then that the splendid Guides, and later the 84th 
 Pioneers, came forward and volunteered to carry the sick, 
 while officers, mounted and dismounted, as well as men in 
 the ranks, took over the rifles and accoutrements of those 
 hors de combat. Fortunately I had reduced the scale of 
 ammunition that day to fifty rounds per man on account of 
 the heat, but even then found the six sets of accoutrements 
 picked up, and hung on to myself and my horse, a most 
 uncomfortable burden. 
 
 Strict orders existed that no Britishers were to be buried 
 near Rustam, because their graves would be desecrated by 
 the enemy. Progressing at a funereal rate at the tail of the 
 rear-guard, with an occasional bullet to keep one awake, the 
 thought came to me of how on earth we could get the corpses 
 of so many soldiers into Mardan. With little experience 
 1 An N,C.O. of Indian cavalry.
 
 224 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 of heat-stroke, I felt that many of the muttering, uncon- 
 scious men, with blue lips and swollen faces, must surely 
 succumb. 
 
 Some way on we came to a large tank about two and a half 
 feet deep. Seated in it I found most of the casualties, 
 presenting a very comical spectacle with their large sun hats, 
 surrounded by huge neck covers, appearing just above the 
 level of the water, making the whole crowd look exactly 
 like a lot of floating mushrooms. And close to the tank, 
 to my relief, was an army of transport carts, ordered out 
 in case of emergency, and which conveyed all the sick back 
 to camp, every one of whom eventually recovered. 
 
 It is difficult to describe in words the extraordinary 
 interest of an independent command like this. An effi- 
 cient and companionable staff, capable and contented 
 troops, successful though arduous operations, isolated and 
 detached situation, all tended to make the few weeks spent 
 at Rustam in spite of the heat the happiest of my life. 
 About a fortnight sufficed to drive the enemy entirely away 
 with considerable casualties, and it is a significant fact that 
 the much dreaded and powerful Bunerwal tribe have never 
 lifted a finger since. Not even in our darkest days, when 
 every inducement to rise was given by seditious emissaries, 
 to each trans-frontier clan. 
 
 It does not appear to me certain that this has been fully 
 recognised. I do not allude to personal recognition. The 
 ultimate rewards of a Companionship of the Bath and pro- 
 motion to Major-General " for distinguished service in the 
 field " were more than sufficient. Nor to the avowal of 
 the Brigade's activity in Sir Beauchamp Duff's despatches. 
 But, to the reality, that the operations of the force relieved 
 the Government of India of much anxiety in this particular 
 quarter for a very long period, i.e. from September, 1915, 
 up to the present date. 
 
 In September, 1915, orders reached me hi Rustam, by 
 cipher wire in the middle of the night, to move my force 
 as quickly as possible to Peshawar. Thence it was to go 
 on towards Shabkadr eighteen miles north of Peshawar 
 to take part as the 3rd brigade, with the ist Division 
 under Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Campbell, in 
 possible action against the Mohmands, a powerful and 
 well-armed tribe of some twenty-two thousand fighting 
 men.
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 225 
 
 Their country lies north of the Kabul river, the south- 
 eastern boundary running close to our outlying forts of 
 Michni, Shabkadr, Matta and Abazai, usually held by 
 the frontier constabulary. In early October the enemy 
 crossed our border in considerable force, and on the 5th 
 a regular battle took place near Shabkadr in which the 
 3rd brigade occupied the left flank of the division. The 
 Mohmands were entirely defeated, and very shortly made 
 submission. 
 
 The country was interesting on account of its broken 
 nature and its numerous ravines, in which the tribesmen 
 operated with a most extraordinary skill for concealment, 
 and from which it was very difficult indeed to dislodge 
 them. It was also of particular advantage to me to get 
 to know this terrain, for some fifteen months later my 
 head-quarters were in Shabkadr Fort while commanding 
 the blockade line running from Abazai on the Swat river 
 to Michni on the Kabul, a distance of sixteen miles. 
 
 Before describing the Mohmand blockade line, it is 
 necessary to say a few words about the condition of India 
 in the early months of 1916. That is, before the desperate 
 situation on the Western Front was fully realised in India, 
 or the ever-increasing necessity of well-trained officers and 
 men, for our numerous other fronts, was thoroughly under- 
 stood. 
 
 The internal situation was better than it had been for 
 a long time. Indian Princes and others had come forward 
 nobly in the matter of men, horses and money, and there 
 was a general feeling amongst Indians that all political 
 and private controversies should be put on one side, and 
 a combined effort directed towards winning the war. But 
 strange to relate, at this very period, an extraordinary 
 apathy seemed suddenly to seize the authorities and the 
 European population, which, though only transitory, was 
 alarming enough at the time, especially from a military 
 point of view. It was just as if someone had voiced the 
 general feeling by saying : 
 
 " What more can we do ? We have denuded India of 
 troops, munitions and equipment, to an almost dangerous 
 extent. We have successfully repelled trouble on the 
 North- West Frontier in several quarters. We have the 
 internal situation quiet and in hand. We have raised 
 and are raising more regiments. Heaps of officers have 
 
 p
 
 226 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 entered the Indian Army Reserve. Drafts are preparing 
 for overseas, and the country is full of Territorials from 
 home. True, a division is invested in Kut, but we can 
 send nothing more there. The future is in the lap of the 
 gods, and in the hands of the War Office in London." 
 
 With that feeling existing, life seemed to settle down 
 in large cantonments as if there was no war on at all. 
 People seemed satisfied to do their daily task and live just 
 as they had lived before, simply hoping for the best. There 
 was no real effort to strain every nerve in preparation for 
 a long titanic struggle. In short, apathy was abroad. 
 
 These are only personal reminiscences, and of course I 
 may be quite wrong, but that is how things struck me at 
 the time. So much so, that I committed a daring act, 
 by writing a highly confidential letter to the Chief of the 
 General Staff pointing out what I have just said and 
 begging for a lead from above. Instancing too the fact 
 that hundreds of new officers of the Indian Army Reserve 
 were getting no adequate instruction ; that frontier war- 
 fare was a forgotten art ; that the Territorials had never 
 heard of it ; that too much listlessness existed, and that 
 above all we needed schools of every description to teach 
 the would-be teachers. 
 
 The letter was very well received. Probably steps 
 were being taken at Simla. Anyhow, a fillip was very 
 shortly given to training, and by the late summer numerous 
 schools of instruction of every kind were initiated, from 
 the mountain warfare school at Abbottabad for Territorials 
 later extended to embrace officers of all services down 
 to large schools at Sabathu, Bangalore, etc., for cadets 
 from the ranks who were about to receive commissions. 
 
 This was the only lapse, as far as India was concerned, 
 and it was not of long duration. Just as before she had 
 given of her best and tried her hardest to answer every 
 call ; so later on, and up to the Armistice, did she put forth 
 her full strength. As regards the military this meant the 
 most intensive training, and every other kind of prepar- 
 ation. As regards others, a memorandum has been issued 
 giving full detail of India's efforts. In addition there was 
 the mighty recruiting campaign in the Punjab of that grand 
 patriot Sir Michael O'Dwyer, and the vigorous war work 
 of nearly every other soul, the most energetic amongst them 
 being Lady O'Dwyer herself.
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 227 
 
 Towards the end of 1916 it became evident that the 
 Mohmands had failed to fulfil their pledges. They were 
 restless again and guilty of frequent raids into British 
 territory ; so much so that the Indian Government decided 
 to establish a blockade line along their border in order to 
 prevent entirely all egress and ingress, until the tribe 
 effectively carried out the demands of the Chief Com- 
 missioner. 
 
 An apron of barbed wire was erected close to their south- 
 eastern boundary from the Kabul River and Fort Michni 
 in the south-west, to the Swat River and Fort Abazai in 
 the north-east. Blockhouses were constructed every eight 
 hundred to four hundred yards. On the enemy side of 
 the obstacle were stretched two strands of " live " wire 
 supplied with electricity from a power-house on the Abazai 
 flank. The current was switched on every evening and 
 withdrawn soon after dawn, while " alarms " were intro- 
 duced at varying intervals to inform the garrisons of the 
 blockhouses, by the explosion of detonators, that the live 
 wire was being interfered with. 
 
 My predecessor (General Sir W. Benyon) had commenced 
 a deep trench running the whole way along our side of the 
 fence, which it was my first object to complete, so as to 
 admit of patrolling under complete cover from blockhouse 
 to blockhouse. In each of these were placed rifle batteries 
 formed of six or seven loaded rifles clamped together 
 in a wooden framework. Trained along the fence with 
 " combined " sights, these could be fired simultaneously 
 by pressing a thin iron rod running through the trigger- 
 guards, and they could be reloaded at once with 
 ease. 
 
 It was a matter of extreme importance that this blockade 
 should be so effective as not to allow a single tribesman to 
 cross the frontier, nor any supplies whatever from India 
 (especially salt, a commodity they must have), to reach the 
 Mohmands, except by arduous detours round the flanks 
 of the line through alien tribal country, which they were 
 well known to be most unwilling to undertake. 
 
 The above preventive measures one would think 
 sufficient, but the Mohmands are so brave, gallant and 
 resourceful that, aided by their own wit and courage, 
 combined with unlimited secretive help from the local 
 inhabitants, there was hardly a single week in Which
 
 228 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 one or two successful attempts were not carried out, and 
 generally without any loss. 
 
 Outside the trench, between it and the barbed wire 
 apron, was constructed a narrow path of loose earth most 
 carefully brushed every evening by each blockhouse so as 
 to show any footprints. From the politicals one would 
 hear that spies, or friendly villagers, reported the advent 
 of one or two of the enemy from between certain block- 
 houses. 
 
 This would be corroborated by both footmarks and 
 alarms, but what beat us was, not only how they had 
 evaded patrols which prowled from piquet to piquet at 
 uncertain intervals during the night, but how they escaped 
 death from the live wire, or the bullets from the block- 
 houses, so soon as the detonators exploded. 
 
 At last a prisoner was caught and, under promise of 
 freedom and reward, he revealed some secrets. It appeared 
 that amongst the enemy was a pre-war pensioned 
 havildar x who, having served in our sappers and miners, 
 had gained a superficial knowledge of explosives and elec- 
 tricity. He it was who taught them that dead wood was 
 a non-conductor. 
 
 Getting a forked stick of dead wood, and tying a stout 
 cord to one prong, the Mohmands very carefully placed 
 the fork on the live wire with the stick end away from 
 them, keeping a keen ear all the time for the movements 
 of any patrol. If any movement was heard they decamped, 
 and lay doggo until danger was over. Their sight and 
 hearing are both quite abnormal, they can a] most see 
 through a brick wall or hear a pin drop on a carpet. 
 
 The man holding the cord, together with his companions, 
 then moved away some thirty yards from the wire, and 
 concealing themselves carefully in the undulations of the 
 ground, gave the cord a sharp pull, with the result that the 
 detonators exploded. Off went the rifle batteries, with 
 the weapons too of the sentries of the adjoining block- 
 houses, and this length of trench and barbed wire received 
 an avalanche of bullets. At the same time the Mohmands, 
 hidden and quite safe, smiled at the success of their 
 ruse ! 
 
 Waiting patiently they possess infinite patience lest 
 some intrepid spirits should stalk along the trench, they 
 1 N.C.O. of Indian infantry, equivalent to a sergeant.
 
 PUNISHING THE BUNERWALS 229 
 
 would afterwards approach the live wire, bend down the 
 upper strand with the forked stick (the detonators being 
 useless for alarm until renewed next day), step carefully 
 over both strands, throw their resais 1 over the barbed 
 wire, manipulate it, jump the trench and, kicking up their 
 heels with delight like lively young cattle, would make off 
 for the nearest village ! 
 
 Talking of barbed wire with some of them later on, they 
 expressed the greatest contempt for it, saying that it only 
 stopped cows and donkeys, for men could always get over 
 without even damage to their clothing, with the aid of a 
 charpoy 2 or a good thick resai. 
 
 I feel that I can corroborate this statement, having 
 occasion one day to go to the enemy's side of the fence, 
 by a gap, to select a better site for a particular piquet. 
 This post had suffered much, the day and night before, 
 from sniping. I was no sooner beyond the wire with two 
 of my staff, and a good way from the gap, than a well- 
 directed fire from a ravine about eleven hundred yards 
 away much disconcerted us. We were the more surprised 
 because we had purposely chosen the middle of the day 
 when the enemy, supposed to be feeding, never fired. 
 
 However, the bullets came fast enough, some over and 
 some short. A Lewis gun opened on to the enemy at once 
 from the piquet, but there was only a slight cessation and 
 the greater number of bullets were falling between us and 
 the gap ! There was nothing for it but to retire through 
 the barbed wire, which we did with remarkable, though 
 ignominious, haste. It was a formidable-looking apron, 
 but appeared quite easy (!) and the only damage was a 
 bad tear in both my sleeves, and ruination to my brigade 
 major's Bedford cords ! 
 
 Feeling, after the disclosures of our prisoner, that the 
 live wire current might not be strong enough, though we 
 had many donkey casualties, I sent to Calcutta and got 
 the voltage doubled. It was then extremely powerful 
 and, after finding an occasional dead Mohmand along the 
 line, the attempts to cross became less and less frequent. 
 
 A sad tale is connected with one of these attempts. A 
 stalwart young Mohmand tried to cross with his mother. 
 Going first and touching the strand he set off the detonators, 
 
 1 A wadded blanket. 
 
 1 A native bed of wooden legs and sides and stringed framework.
 
 230 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 but somehow they escaped the hail of bullets. His mother 
 then tried to dissuade him from any further action, but 
 he refused to listen. Her tale to an informer was that on 
 bending to put his leg over the upper strand, his waistcoat 
 touched the wire, causing a shock, and he called out, " I 
 am hit." Rushing to him, his mother caught hold of him, 
 when his body came into contact with the live wire and 
 he was instantaneously killed. Fearing his body might 
 be captured, this poor woman dragged it for two miles 
 over most difficult country to her village.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY 
 
 IN April, before it had got too hot, we had a visit from 
 the Viceroy and Lady Chelmsford, accompanied 
 by General Campbell, from Peshawar. The latter 
 looked after His Excellency to begin with, while 
 I was told to devote myself to the lady. After getting 
 into the crow's nest above Shabkadr Fort to view the lie 
 of the land all round, the programme was to motor to a 
 blockhouse of regular British infantry, then one of Indian 
 infantry, and finally one of Territorials. Tea was to be 
 taken later with the Frontier Constabulary at Matta Fort, 
 which was situated about one thousand yards in rear of 
 the Territorial section of the outposts. 
 
 At the first blockhouse I had arranged a " stunt " 
 with Major Clifton's armoured cars on the Mohmand 
 side of the live wire. Some trenches were dug about 
 eight hundred yards from the fence, and smaD targets 
 put up to represent an enemy. The bottom of each 
 trench was secretly filled with British soldiers dressed up 
 as tribesmen. 
 
 At a given signal the three cars got going, and did some 
 pretty shooting with Maxims and rifles, on the move. I 
 had the Viceroy and his party just across the wire on the 
 enemy side, and stopped the firing by a " G " on the bugle 
 when we seemed to have had enough. On the cars ceasing 
 to fire at the targets, out jumped wild parties of tribes- 
 men from the trenches, waving standards, shouting, firing 
 (blank !) and brandishing their rifles ! 
 
 The soldiers, entering into the spirit of the affair, acted 
 splendidly, and General Campbell's face for a few seconds 
 was well worth seeing. The look of horror and consterna- 
 tion at what he thought for a moment was a Mohmand 
 
 231
 
 232 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 surprise, and his glance of distress at me for not having 
 taken better precautions, nearly choked me. 
 
 Lord Chelmsford looked rather astonished and somewhat 
 amused, while Her Excellency, putting up her parasol, 
 gasped, and opened her eyes very wide. Meanwhile the 
 armoured cars, getting over the rough undulating ground 
 with their Rolls-Royce chassis at a good pace, manoeuvred 
 to turn the enemy's flanks, coming into action at some 
 rocks and boulders, well over the heads of the imitation 
 tribesmen, who then bolted with yells of scorn. It was 
 quite a good little show, and Clifton managed it very 
 well. 
 
 Meanwhile, I was dying for a smoke, but didn't see how 
 I could get it in such exalted company, until a delay 
 occurring with a motor breakdown, General Campbell 
 took Lady Chelmsford off to look at a pet subterranean 
 cook-house of mine, while the Viceroy, seating himself 
 on a boulder, pulled out an old black pipe, and began to 
 fill it. This enabled me to follow suit. 
 
 Now I had not been too comfortable about the visit 
 to Matta Fort and the adjoining territorial blockhouse. 
 There was some enemy high ground within two thousand 
 yards, from which a good deal of sniping had taken place 
 from time to time. It is true that the Mohmands, with 
 superb insolence, had sent in word to the Chief Com- 
 missioner that they had decided not to interfere with the 
 Viceroy's visit (!), but it did not do to take chances. 
 
 Sending a strong piquet to the high ground, the guns 
 were hidden in the vicinity of this very blockhouse, to be 
 ready in case of emergency, and also to assist the eventual 
 withdrawal of the piquet. On entering the blockhouse a 
 staff officer pressed a piece of paper into my hand. Covertly 
 scanning it, I found it contained the information that a 
 party of fifty Mohmands was approaching this piquet from 
 the further side, and firing on them. 
 
 Whispering the news to General Campbell, I begged him 
 to hurry things up a bit, and myself tried to hustle Lady 
 Chelmsford in her rounds. But not a bit of it. Were 
 these not Territorials ? and hadn't her husband recently 
 belonged to the force ? She wanted to know about every- 
 thing. She would inspect the rifle batteries. She insisted 
 on seeing what kind of view the sentries got, etc., etc. 
 When, however, she mounted into a bastion and began
 
 A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY 233 
 
 a leisurely conversation with a Northumbrian " look-out " 
 on the value of his Zeiss glasses, I lost patience altogether 
 and begged her to hasten. Her reply was that she was 
 enjoying it immensely, and what was the hurry ? I then 
 told her bluntly about the Mohmand party, and that I 
 wanted to get the Viceroy away quickly. At this she 
 turned about like a shot, went down the awkward steps of 
 the bastion at a double, and was soon outside. 
 
 But apparently she never said a word to Lord Chelms- 
 ford, for sitting alone with him at tea, he dawdled over it 
 as if there were no need to get back to Peshawar at all. While 
 I was dying to be rid of them, so as to whip out the guns 
 and withdraw the piquet before it was dark. 
 
 The Viceroy's train left Peshawar at 10 p.m., and long 
 before that I was able to report by telephone to General 
 Campbell the safe withdrawal of the piquet with only one 
 or two casualties. He told the Viceroy all about it at the 
 station, and the whole party were greatly interested. 
 
 Shortly afterwards the line was taken over by other 
 troops and I returned to Abbottabad, where I found the 
 Nepalese contingents much advanced in training and the 
 two mountain artillery and four Gurkha depots (of two 
 battalions of 5th and two of 6th, all overseas) doing splendid 
 work. 
 
 This is no place to discuss the tactics required for success- 
 ful frontier warfare. Ruse and stratagem, however, are 
 valuable at times, but when it is a case of movement you 
 must see that you have the antidote, if things do not pan 
 out exactly as you expected. The great Lumsden, the 
 father of the Guides, was a past master in frontier artifice, 
 but the tribesmen were much simpler then than they are 
 now, and many of his plans for deceiving them have been 
 taken to heart and handed down. 
 
 For years they would never approach a piquet of the 
 Guides isolated on a height, without the most extraordinary 
 precautions. This because of Lumsden's ruse, at first 
 very successful, of teaching the piquet to retire somewhat 
 ostentatiously, only to assemble rapidly in the first dead 
 ground. Approaching the top again the men would lie 
 doggo just short of the crest, until the unsuspecting enemy, 
 taking possession of it, was rushed with the bayonet. 
 
 It will always be a matter of regret to me that I was 
 unable to ascertain with certainty the exact result of a
 
 234 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 ruse at Michni during the Mohmand blockade. The block- 
 house on my extreme left, and some half-mile beyond 
 Michni Fort, was being subjected to continual sniping 
 from vantage posts some eleven hundred to thirteen 
 hundred yards away in tribal country. 
 
 It was held by a platoon of the ist Royal Sussex and 
 was a post I much wanted to move. Indeed it was while 
 examining ground for a new site that I had to beat so 
 ignominious a retreat through the barbed wire ! We 
 knew that the bands of snipers came from an adjoining 
 village, visible from the blockhouse, and distant under 
 three thousand yards from Michni Fort. 
 
 The sniping became so persistent that the men were 
 hit if they moved outside, even to the cook-house along 
 a communicating trench. The village had been partially 
 destroyed by my predecessor some two months before, but 
 re-occupied and repaired. Owing to a reported gathering 
 close to, I was refused permission to go out and effectively 
 raze it to the ground. Knowing that the tribesmen 
 invariably collected all the lead they could find, to make 
 up into bullets, etc., I gave the following orders : 
 
 A mountain artillery battery to move to Michni early 
 next day with two armoured cars ; the battery to 
 " register " the village, but without trying to do damage, 
 plumping the shell on a gentle slope short of the village, 
 and very plainly visible with glasses from this end block- 
 house. I arranged to go out myself to Michni from Shab- 
 kadr (about nine miles) with a larger cavalry escort than 
 usual, after breakfast. 
 
 At 3 p.m. the armoured cars, the battery (including all 
 the mules, but less the six guns and sufficient men to man- 
 handle them), myself and escort, to return to Shabkadr, 
 raising as much dust as possible. The battery commander 
 to take up his post in the end blockhouse to control his 
 fire by telephone when the right moment came ; the guns 
 themselves being then in a position of observation for 
 indirect fire outside the fort, and quite invisible. 
 
 It will be hardly necessary to explain that my idea was 
 to convey to the tribesmen the impression that we had 
 finished our day's work, and, together with the guns, etc., 
 had left Michni. I knew from former experience that all 
 movements would be reported by their wonderfully rapid 
 and efficient method of communicating news, by means
 
 A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY 235 
 
 of spies and look-out men in every tree, and on every 
 height. 
 
 About 6 p.m., as I had anticipated, all the men in the 
 village turned out with blankets and any kind of vessel 
 to collect the precious bullets. When they were really 
 busy at their work, the battery commander let fly, and 
 so rapid was his fire that, even with the old ten-pounder, 
 he had twelve shell in the air before the first one reached 
 its objective. Officers posted in the blockhouse with 
 glasses declared that the firing was wonderfully good and 
 the casualties extremely heavy. The Mohmands, how- 
 ever, would never admit this, though the fact remains 
 that Number 43 Blockhouse the one in question was 
 sniped no more. 
 
 There is nothing more fascinating than trans-border 
 warfare. The wild and difficult country, the manly and 
 hardy tribesman, the uncertainty regarding his movements, 
 the element of surprise, the necessity for ceaseless vigilance, 
 the calls that are made on the stamina of the troops and 
 on one's own endurance, all tend to bewitch and allure. 
 To try and compare it with trench warfare on the Western 
 Front is, of course, ridiculous. One may be aptly termed 
 a hideous nightmare, and the other a very dangerous sport. 
 
 The late summer of 1917 saw me transferred from 
 Abbottabad to Army Headquarters again this time as 
 Inspector of Infantry for the South of India and Burma. 
 As the area included all infantry in the Lucknow, Secunder- 
 abad, Mhow, Poona and Burma Divisions, as well as the 
 Defended Ports of Bombay, Calcutta, Karachi and Madras, 
 there was a considerable amount of travelling to be done 
 by railway, by river and by road. 
 
 Delightful as it was to have the opportunity of visiting 
 the south of India and Burma, which I had never seen, 
 and interesting and instructive as the work would surely 
 be, still, to leave Abbottabad and part with the Nepalese 
 contingent, the six splendid depots, and the two Gurkha 
 battalions camped twenty-four miles away, was a great 
 wrench. Besides, this was the separation from the moun- 
 tain warfare school which it had been such a pleasure to 
 visit occasionally. 
 
 At that time, in India, force of circumstances had 
 greatly increased the number of troops under certain 
 brigadiers until, what with Indian depots of enormous
 
 236 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 strength, British reserve battalions, newly-formed units, 
 and odds and ends of every kind, brigadiers were some- 
 times responsible for as many men as were formerly 
 contained in two or three Divisions. The Bangalore 
 brigade, for instance, under General Iggulden, comprised 
 at one time between sixty and seventy thousand troops, 
 while affiliated to my so-called brigade at Abbottabad, 
 in May, 1917, was the equivalent of five brigades, as below, 
 with units scattered all over the place. 
 
 1. Abbottabad Brigade (three units at or near Abbott- 
 
 abad, one in the Murree Hills). 
 
 2. Third War Brigade (one unit Abbottabad, one 
 
 Murree Hills, one Hoti Mardan, one Cherat, near 
 Peshawar). 
 
 3. First Brigade Nepal Contingent (Kakul, near Abbott- 
 
 abad). 
 
 4. Second Brigade Nepal Contingent (Kakul near 
 
 Abbottabad). 
 
 5. Forty-sixth (Reserve) War Brigade (one unit Dagshai 
 
 in Simla Hills, one Nowshera, one Lahore Can- 
 tonment, one Fort William, Calcutta). 
 
 The last brigade was formed in case it was necessary 
 still further to reinforce General Beynon's Waziristan 
 Force. It was not eventually required and was never 
 concentrated, but I was directed meanwhile to inspect each 
 unit. The staff detailed belonged to other generals who, 
 being themselves overwhelmed with work, did not at all 
 see the point of parting with a single staff officer even for a 
 short period. Eventually I cajoled one brigadier (R. E. H. 
 Dyer, of Amritsar notoriety later on) into sparing the 
 officer warned as brigade major (Major H. E. Weekes, 
 loth Gurkhas), and we got round, with some difficulty, 
 in about the hottest part of the hot weather. 
 
 It had been the abnormal increase in infantry strengths, 
 especially in the south of India, and the enormous number 
 of young soldiers in all stages of preparation, coupled 
 with the difficulty of finding officers and others capable 
 of instructing them, that had necessitated the appoint- 
 ment of two inspectors of infantry. My colleague in the 
 north was Brigadier-General Gerald Christian, late of 
 the Yorkshire Regiment. As inspectors of infantry spent 
 a large portion of their time in the train indeed, I
 
 A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY 237 
 
 had to make journeys sometimes covering four and five 
 consecutive days we were allowed inspection carriages 
 containing kitchen, pantry, servants' compartment, etc., 
 besides accommodation for ourselves and staff. The first 
 allotted to me was much too small altogether. Besides 
 my staff officer, there was my wife as well as her maid 
 and the cook, butler, dressing boy and orderly. 
 
 Old Christian having snaffled the only bigger one avail- 
 able, I threw myself on the benevolence of Sir Lawless 
 Hepper, over whose railway (Great Indian Peninsular) 
 a lot of running had to be made. The result exceeded 
 all expectations, for on my second tour I walked into a 
 tourist car, at the broad-gauge terminus below Simla, over 
 sixty feet long, with all sorts of bogie wheels, a kitchen, 
 pantry, servants' quarters, dining-room to ^old twelve, 
 two four-berthed compartments, one coupe, excellent 
 big bathroom and a smaller one. 
 
 It was one of the cars built for American tourists 
 " doing " India, but who were tabooed during the war. 
 Keeping it during the whole tenure of my appointment, 
 we got quite attached to it. There were two drawbacks, 
 however, one being that its size misled passengers into 
 taking it for a refreshment car, and I was always meeting 
 thirsty individuals in the corridor, at halting stations, 
 looking out for a drink. Secondly, as many as twelve 
 chairs in the dining compartment took up an awful lot 
 of room. 
 
 As there was no intention of giving dinner parties, I got 
 rid of these by handing over a pair to the stationmaster 
 at the next junction, then two more further on and, finally, 
 near the centre of India, a third pair. Thinking, on 
 arrival at Bombay, that it was up to me to call and thank 
 Sir Lawless, I drove to his office to do so, in a Government 
 House car, between two inspections. This apparently 
 amused him immensely, for he said to the military secre- 
 tary : 
 
 " How extraordinarily punctilious General Woodyatt 
 is. I did him a very small service by allotting him a tourist 
 car, for which there is no use at present. He then takes 
 the trouble at Bombay to drive up in the Governor's motor 
 to thank me. Moreover, leaving chairs behind, out of 
 his carriage, at half the stations in India, he sends me a 
 wire each time to say where they are ! "
 
 238 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 This appointment brought us into contact with all sorts 
 of kind and hospitable people, from governors of provinces 
 to depot commanders. We generally lived in the railway 
 carriage, even during lengthy halts, except at big places 
 like Bombay, Madras or Calcutta, where it would have 
 been impossible. At Bombay and Calcutta also Dar- 
 jeeling we enjoyed the hospitality, respectively, of Their 
 Excellencies, Lord and Lady Willingdon, and Lord and 
 Lady Ronaldshay. The Willingdons' popularity was 
 extraordinary, and, loved and respected as was the Governor, 
 this was nothing to the esteem and affection extended to 
 his lady. 
 
 And no wonder, for, added to her charming and attrac- 
 tive personality, was such an energy and such persuasive 
 force as to make her the object of devoted admiration 
 to all her associates. No woman, I am sure, during the 
 whole war, did more for the comfort, and to alleviate the 
 sufferings, of our sick and wounded. Certainly no one 
 had equal success to this end, in persuading people to 
 part with their valuables, their money, and even their 
 personal property. 
 
 We have the pleasantest recollections of our visits to 
 Malabar Hill, Bombay, in spite of an atmosphere of very 
 strenuous exertion in which one was obliged to live. The 
 Bombay climate is not invigorating ; a three hours' inspec- 
 tion in the early morning, followed by a second in the 
 evening, takes it out of one ; reports on units, if not 
 written at once, are apt to accumulate, with consequent 
 confusion. Yet the following actually happened on the 
 night of the first day : 
 
 Lady Willingdon. " Now, what is your programme 
 to-morrow ? " 
 
 Self. " A very early start for Santa Cruz (fourteen 
 miles from Bombay) and back about 10.30 a.m." 
 
 Lady W. " And then ? " 
 
 Self. (Thinking of a cosy chair, in pyjamas, after a 
 bath.) " Well, I've got reports to write and letters to 
 answer." 
 
 Lady W. " How long will they take ? " 
 
 Self. " Oh ! I don't know an hour and a half or so." 
 
 Lady W. "I see." (Then a call to an A.D.C. and I'd 
 
 hear) : " Lord , have a car ready for the general at 12 
 
 noon to-morrow, and take him over the Freeman-Thomas
 
 A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY 239 
 
 Hospital. As this takes some time, better lunch at the 
 Yacht Club." 
 
 Now this hospital, named after their eldest son, killed 
 in the retreat from Mons, occupied some enormous new 
 offices, cajoled out of the owners by this resourceful lady, 
 equipped by her genius, and managed under her personal 
 supervision. It consisted of several storeys, each contain- 
 ing wards about six hundred feet in length, while the 
 basement was a huge Red Cross store all of which would 
 have to be visited. 
 
 Lady W. " And what are you doing in the afternoon ? " 
 
 Self. " Inspection of the Bombay Battalion, Indian 
 Defence Force." 
 
 Lady W. " When will that be over? " 
 
 Self. " About 6.30 p.m." 
 
 Lady W. "I see." (Another call and I'd hear) : 
 
 " Captain You know His Excellency is opening a new 
 
 Y.M.C.A. branch at 6 p.m., and then we go on to that 
 
 Cinema rehearsal. Meet the General at with a car at 
 
 6.30 and bring him on to the Y.M.C.A. hut." 
 
 Knowing I should be dirty, weary and tired, I had in 
 perspective another vista of pyjamas and cosy chairs 
 before changing for dinner. But I no more dared to think 
 of raising any objection, than I would have dared to enter 
 a lion's den. 
 
 To write a chronicle of this wonderful lady's activities 
 in Bombay during the War would take a book by itself, 
 and a very enthralling one, too. Did not the " Queen 
 Mary's Home for Disabled Indian Soldiers " (a most useful 
 and practical institution, and still existing), the beautiful 
 officers' hospital in purple and gold (improvised in the 
 Gaekwar of Baroda's Palace, and commonly known as the 
 "Gilded Cage"), the many women's war societies, and 
 a hundred other establishments in Bombay and Poona, 
 testify to her manifold operations and her amazing energy ? 
 
 It was the third visit only to Calcutta during my Indian 
 service when inspectorship duties took me there en route 
 to Darjeeling, where we were the guests of the Governor. 
 What struck me at once was the earnestness and industry 
 everywhere apparent in the civil government. With the 
 exception of Lord Curzon, I had come across no high official 
 who put in a longer and more methodical day than Lord 
 Ronaldshay. Both at Darjeeling, and later on at Govern-
 
 240 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 ment House, Calcutta, I was astonished at the amount 
 of work he did, at the knowledge he possessed of Bengal 
 and the East generally, and at the grip he appeared to have 
 on all departments of his local government. Served by a 
 military secretary who was a master of his business, every- 
 thing went like clockwork, and they were very fortunate 
 people who had the honour of being invited to be guests 
 in Government House, Bengal. 
 
 Perhaps the most enjoyable of all visits was to the Jhansi 
 brigade as a guest at the house of the brigadier. 1 Enjoy- 
 able not only because of the kind hospitality of my hosts, 
 but because he was the first general I had met, except 
 my late divisional commander, who really understood 
 the necessity of " training the trainer." 
 
 The method of instruction at Jhansi was a revelation, and 
 I saw nothing else to equal it in India. At most places 
 the utter lack of any system was the weak point. Depot 
 and other commanders were left to carry on as they thought 
 best. Given a good man it was all right, for he followed 
 the instructions compiled with such care at Army Head- 
 quarters. But many had no leaning towards training, 
 and little experience. Here it was left to subordinates, 
 while the real leader busied himself with administration 
 and accounts, of which he had more than he could possibly 
 manage. 
 
 General Poore had thoroughly grasped the meaning of 
 " supervision, guidance and control." Every morning he 
 was round somewhere infusing life and spirit into his many 
 units. He had evolved an excellent system of progressive 
 instruction, and being an expert himself with sword, lance, 
 bayonet or rifle (as well as with bat and ball !), the 
 " guidance " was of the greatest value. 
 
 He was the first man I knew to see that we must prevent 
 training getting dull, and must do all possible to increase 
 the interest and intelligence of the Indian recruit. His 
 system included the novel and most successful experiment 
 of " recruit teaching recruit," which at Jhansi reached a 
 high standard of excellence. Whenever it proved a failure 
 elsewhere, the system was at once blamed, whereas it was 
 not the system that was at fault at all, but the method of 
 supervision. 
 
 A very earnest soldier, a deep reader and a strong advocate 
 1 Brigadier-General R. M. Poore, C.I.E., D.S.O.
 
 A STUNT FOR THE VICEROY 241 
 
 for years of the straight sword for cavalry (which by the 
 same token was finally adopted, and in its first " blooding " 
 went through the Germans like brown paper), it passes 
 comprehension why his services were not utilised in the 
 great war. Instead of that he was left to eat his soul 
 out at Jhansi. A good thing for Jhansi, it is true, as it was 
 impossible for such a man to vegetate, but very hard on 
 the keen soldier. 
 
 His name will live long in India amongst trainers of troops, 
 and I dare say he and Lady Flora look back on Jhansi 
 with many happy memories she because of the lives she 
 brightened amongst British hospital patients and married 
 families, and he because of the memory of thousands of 
 well-trained recruits who owe their efficiency to him. 
 
 Burma was a revelation. Nothing that has been written 
 about it, nothing one is told, can in any way convey to the 
 mind the real wonders of the province. The gorgeous 
 beauty of Maymyo, 1 the fairy lakes in Rangoon, the grandeur 
 of the defiles of the Irrawaddy, the splendour of the golden 
 pagodas, the glorious sunsets on the lagoons of Moulmein, 
 together with the gaily-dressed, flower-bedecked, happy, 
 cheery people, combine to make an impression that will 
 last for ever. 
 
 Our stay was all too short, and we wished it could have 
 been four months instead of four weeks. I might, indeed, 
 have gone farther up the river to Myitkyina and also have 
 visited the ruby mines. But, being on duty and not on 
 a pleasure trip, it did not appear justifiable to put Govern- 
 ment to so much extra expense for the little good I could 
 have done at either place. The same nuisance of a conscience 
 stopped a visit to the Assam hill station of Shillong with 
 only a single depot. This was a place, too, reported so 
 charming, that I had long wished to see it, and is the only 
 hill station in the whole of India I have never been to. 
 
 The great disadvantage of my large area was, it contained 
 no places to speak of where troops were quartered at a high 
 altitude, making it feasible to inspect in the hot weather 
 before the rains. From May to July, travelling by rail 
 is very hot, while sojourning in a stationary railway carriage 
 
 1 A high plateau forty miles from Mandalay and the summer 
 head-quarters of the local government. Called after a Colonel May. 
 In Burmese " myo " denotes " place of " and is equivalent to " abad " 
 or " pur " in India. 
 
 Q
 
 242 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 is quite impossible. Pointing this out in March, 1918, 
 with the proposal that my area should include the Fourth 
 (Quetta) Division, I was told that I ought to rest a bit at 
 present, but my suggestion would be favourably considered. 
 Hearing nothing for some weeks, and pressing the C.G.S. 
 for a decision, he asked me to come and see him in three 
 days' time. At my interview he informed me that, as the 
 Derajat 1 independent brigade on the North- West Frontier 
 was to be increased by the addition of the Multan infantry 
 brigade, and as a senior officer was required to command, 
 I had been appointed to it and should join by the ist May, 
 vice General Beynon, transferred to command the i6th 
 Division at Lahore. 
 
 1 Local name of plain between river Indus and Sulaiman range 
 of mountains. Tract includes and derives its name from the three 
 Deras i.e. Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Patch Khan and Dera Ghazi 
 Khan.
 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 
 
 head-quarters of the Derajat independent 1 
 brigade, to which I had been appointed, 
 were at Dera Ismail Khan on the west side of 
 the River Indus. The station is not popular 
 and usually known as " Dera Dismal." The troops were 
 split up a good deal, being located, some at Dera Ismail 
 Khan itself, some in a hutted camp forty miles off at Tank, 
 and the remainder on the outposts beyond. By arrange- 
 ment with the Punjab Government the Multan brigade was 
 taken away from the Lahore division and included in the 
 Derajat command just as I arrived, which considerably 
 increased the work and responsibility. 
 
 To reach Dera Ismail you alight at a station called Darya- 
 khan on the North- Western Railway, with a sixteen miles 
 motor drive to the River Indus ; crossing it and its branches 
 by pontoon bridges from September to April, and at other 
 times by means of a little steamer. Dera Ismail is most 
 pleasant in the winter, but hot from May onwards, until in 
 July it is really bad. A peculiarity of the bungalows is 
 the quaint appearance of little shelters on each roof, where 
 one sleeps in the summer. 
 
 Soon after arrival I felt I must visit Wana, an isolated 
 outpost garrisoned by the South Waziristan Militia and 
 nine marches north-west of Dera Ismail up the celebrated 
 Gomal Valley. Finding the Resident, Sir John Donald, 
 was also going there, we joined forces, and had a very 
 pleasant trip together in June, although it was uncommonly 
 warm. Leaving Sir John at Wana, I returned via Sarwekai 
 and Tank to my head-quarters. This militia corps was 
 
 1 Called " independent " because not allotted to any division. 
 
 243
 
 244 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 not under me except when we were mobilised, but I had to 
 inspect and report on it. 
 
 At Tank I had a hutted camp of all three arms with a 
 flight of planes. It was an appalling spot, with its eternal 
 dust-storms, inadequate shelter, bare surroundings and 
 scanty water supply. One of the units was a battalion 
 of the 2nd Gurkhas, whose men were feeling the heat pretty 
 badly, having a very large number in hospital. However, 
 the good old " 2nd " were not going to grouse, and just 
 making the best of it, were quite cheery. 
 
 But what alarmed me was the isolation of Wana, and the 
 serious problem of its garrison in time of trouble. Moreover, 
 after my inspection of the militia, I did not at all like the 
 situation as regards the British officers, feeling that, without 
 any stiffening of other troops, they would fare very badly 
 should their men fail to remain staunch. This seemed 
 to me extremely probable, for the position was very 
 different to that of the North Waziristan Militia at Miran- 
 shah, in the Tochi Valley beyond Bannu, where a whole 
 brigade of regular troops was camped alongside them at 
 Dardoni. 
 
 Here it is necessary to say a few words about our North- 
 West Frontier policy. For years there have been two schools 
 of thought : (a) the " back to the Indus " party, and (b) 
 the advocates of occupation practically up to the boundaries 
 of Afghanistan. 
 
 Theoretically the latter proposition is of course ideal, 
 but in practice it presents enormous difficulties. This was 
 one of the first problems to face Lord Curzon on his arrival 
 as Viceroy in 1899. He is understood to have been inclined 
 towards the " forward " policy, but not seeing how it was 
 feasible, he decided on a novel experiment. Withdrawing 
 large numbers of regular troops from the advanced posts 
 he replaced them by militia units composed of the tribes- 
 men themselves under British officers. In fact he made 
 the tribesman responsible for his own country. Then 
 there was the important question of material and moral 
 support. Lord Curzon was much too clever to forget that, 
 and provided it by means of regular troops placed within 
 our own administrative area. 
 
 This system worked very well for twenty years. It 
 broke down in 1919, partly owing to excessive and cunning 
 propaganda ; partly to the fact that Afghanistan was the
 
 THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 245 
 
 invader; partly to a weak policy (or lack of any at all), 
 and partly to neglect to provide that very support Lord 
 Curzon had been so insistent on. 
 
 It must be understood that the moral side of this support 
 is even greater than the material. In times of unrest on 
 the frontier great pressure is brought to bear on the militia- 
 man, possibly by his own people, to be untrue to his 
 salt. Many of the militia are lads who do not want to 
 desert, but, when isolated, find it hard to withstand the 
 supplications of their greybeards and mullas. 1 With 
 regulars stationed near, or sent up to stiffen them, they 
 can point to these, and resist the arguments of their 
 seducers. 
 
 Mr. Montagu stated the other day (1921) that Waziristan 
 is " a mountainous district roughly half the size of Switzer- 
 land." Rather an apt simile, for that is just what it is, 
 a little compact mountain country on the North- West 
 Frontier contained by the rivers Tochi and Gomal. The 
 inhabitants used to be called Wazirs, or Waziris, and are 
 split up into many tribes and sections, of which by far the 
 most important, of the main branches, are the Darwesh- 
 Khels and the Mahsuds. As a matter of fact the latter 
 are always called by their own name (Mahsuds), and the 
 people near Wana, Wazirs. 
 
 The country, consisting mainly of steep, precipitous 
 hills and deep, broken valleys, is a most difficult one to 
 operate in ; while numerous " tangis " 2 continually cropping 
 up are very tricky and dangerous to negotiate, with any 
 kind of an enemy in opposition. The remainder of the 
 country, with the exception of a few valleys, is little better 
 than a desert, owing to scanty rainfall and lack of 
 irrigation. 
 
 The inhabitants, especially the Mahsuds, are extremely 
 democratic, and even to their tribal leaders only give a half- 
 hearted allegiance, which can never be depended on. They 
 are a brave, hardy, independent people who live mainly 
 by raiding, simply because the country is too poor to 
 support them otherwise. 
 
 The numerous expeditions and blockades of the last 
 
 1 A religious teacher. 
 
 * A mountain defile, sometimes of considerable length, and often 
 consisting simply of a cleft in the mountains, at the base of which 
 runs a track frequently only a few feet wide.
 
 246 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 fifty or sixty years have met with varying success. The 
 1917 campaign under Major-General Beynon produced more 
 complete submission, and a greater number of rifles sur- 
 rendered, than any before, yet these people could not resist 
 joining in against us when the Afghan trouble arose in 1919. 
 The thought of loot, the influence of the Amir's troops, and 
 the strong feeling that our day was over, was too much for 
 them. It certainly was a bad day for us, as they are still 
 on the war-path. 
 
 The Waziristan trouble being mainly economic, as has 
 been stated time after time, the best plan would appear to 
 be to devise some means by which the country could be 
 made more fertile. Dams, from which water could be 
 conducted to large areas, have been proposed. Here 
 there is the question of silt, but, if this is not in- 
 superable, some measure of extensive irrigation, combined 
 with a system of tribal levies, may prove to be the best 
 solution. 
 
 This matter of Wana seeming to be urgent, I decided 
 to report it at once to Simla personally, although a 
 perusal of the old files showed that the question was 
 no new one. It had been vigorously represented by 
 some of my predecessors, notably General Sir C. 
 Anderson. 
 
 It happened that I had not yet handed over my inspector- 
 ship, the arrangement being that I should go up to Simla 
 to do so, two months after taking over the Derajat indepen- 
 dent brigade. Rather a misnomer by the same token, 
 as the command, with Multan and its brigadier to say 
 nothing of Tank with its commander and various out- 
 posts, had much more the strength and status of a division 
 than a brigade. Doubtless overlooked, however, as I was 
 only paid as an ordinary brigadier. 
 
 Anticipating the date somewhat, I set off for Simla the 
 very night of my return to Dera Ismail from^Wana. There 
 strong representations were made and some kind of settled 
 policy requested. At the same time I fully stated my appre- 
 hensions as to what might happen should trouble occur, 
 but all without any success. Indeed it was said, what was 
 there to fuss about ? Wana was certainly very disadvan- 
 tageously situated everyone knew that but it was a 
 strategic point and must be held, and even if troops could 
 be spared which they could not it was considered inadvis-
 
 THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 247 
 
 able to transfer any to Wana, though it might be, as I 
 stated, a salubrious spot compared with Tank. 
 
 It was also said political reports upheld the belief, that 
 the militia were quite all right where they were. Moreover, 
 had we not just finished the successful 1917 campaign against 
 the Mahsuds and Wazirs ? Had they not submitted com- 
 pletely and handed in more serviceable rifles, stolen, captured 
 or surrendered, than had ever been known in frontier history 
 before ? Finally, there was no likelihood of any trouble 
 in that quarter for a long time, the relations with the tribes 
 never having been in a more satisfactory condition. That 
 was June, 1918. 
 
 There was no more to be said, and yet in less than twelve 
 months' time, when the Afghan trouble came and orders 
 were sent for the evacuation of Wana, out of the nine 
 British officers of the South Waziristan Militia, five were 
 killed by their men and two severely wounded, while 
 only two reached Fort Sandemann unscathed. In addition, 
 the mutineers seized the " keep " with all transport, arms, 
 stores, half a million rounds of ball ammunition, sixty 
 thousand rupees worth of treasure, and various other 
 property. 
 
 It is a well-known principle of frontier warfare to deny, 
 at all costs, any initial success to the enemy, simply because 
 such a catastrophe spreads like wildfire. Also because, 
 having been once top dog, even for ever so short a time, 
 the primitive but egotistical tribesman sees no reason 
 why he should not be so again. Therefore the failure to 
 abandon Wana altogether in time of peace and not while 
 hostilities were going on or else to stiffen its garrison 
 with regulars, would appear to be responsible in a very 
 large degree for all the trouble and enormous expendi- 
 ture that has occurred since, and is still occurring as I 
 write. 
 
 Some thirty miles from Dera Ismail, off the Bannu road, 
 where the low hills on the west bank of the Indus come 
 down to the plain, is the quaint little deserted station of 
 Sheikh Budin, once a favourite summer resort of the Bannu 
 garrison, for the place is full of breezes, and the nights 
 are delightfully cool. Approached by a tortuous thirteen 
 miles of zigzag track from Pezu, it contains about a dozen 
 houses in a shocking state of dilapidation, a church, a racquet 
 court and a large clubhouse with quarters all situated
 
 248 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 in a little basin of two hundred yards diameter on top of a 
 hill over three thousand feet high. 
 
 These houses were built some fifty years ago all round 
 the edge of the basin, and being little used of late are now 
 almost entirely unfit for habitation without very extensive 
 repair. There is no water on the hill at all, with the excep- 
 tion of four large masonry tanks in the middle of the basin 
 containing very suspicious-looking rain-water. A dry 
 well is alongside which tradition says once held a large 
 amount of good water. A zealous sapper officer, however, 
 trying to increase the yield, investigated with dynamite 
 and effectively stopped the supply altogether, for it has 
 been dry ever since ! 
 
 Such was the hot weather head-quarters of the Derajat 
 brigade, and we had to borrow it from the Bannu garrison. 
 They indeed said we might have it for ever so far as they 
 were concerned ! The clubhouse was sufficiently repaired 
 to make it fairly safe to live in, the owners of one or two 
 houses were induced to plaster a little mud on the walls, 
 a hundred mules for daily carriage of water were sent to 
 Pezu, and before I got back from Simla the office had 
 gone up to Sheikh Budin for the remainder of the hot 
 weather. 
 
 Early in 1919 the authorities got out their orders for 
 the demobilisation of INDIAN units with somewhat feverish 
 haste, and without due regard to all the factors that required 
 consideration. Doubtless there was a good excuse, pressed 
 as they were by the Home Government to reduce military 
 expenditure in every way. But the question needed looking 
 at from every point of view, and was a matter for very 
 mature reflection, and not for the hasty issue of dogmatic 
 instructions described, I am told, by one irreverent staff 
 officer, as " undigested froth." 
 
 Especially was this the case as regards the North-West 
 Frontier where, the climate having greatly reduced effectives, 
 the majority of infantry battalions could not put in the field 
 more than some four hundred trained men apiece. Yet, 
 under the hard and fast rules circulated, many hundreds 
 were got rid of who did not in the least want to go, and whose 
 retention with the colours was very desirable. Strong 
 representations were made by me, vigorously supported 
 by fellow, as well as higher, commanders, that, on account 
 of our present reduced units, a minimum strength of one
 
 THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 249 
 
 thousand two hundred and fifty per battalion should be the 
 standard fixed, instead of the figures laid down. This 
 seemed to us absolutely necessary for the time being, so as 
 to deal effectively with any eventualities on the North- 
 West Frontier. My recommendation, however, was not 
 accepted, with the result that when trouble came, a few 
 weeks later, units were woefully below strength.^X' 
 
 On the 2nd May the Afghans crossed our frormer near 
 Landi Kotal, in the Khyber, and on the 6th I was appointed 
 G.O.C. Waziristan Force, which included the Derajat 
 and Bannu Brigades, together with the north and south 
 Waziristan Militia at Miranshah (Tochi Valley) and Wana 
 respectively. 
 
 This is no place, nor would space suffice, to describe in 
 detail the third Afghan campaign, which can be read else- 
 where. It will be sufficient to say that the " plan " con- 
 templated active operations on the Dakka side (beyond 
 the Khyber Pass) only, to meet which all other fronts were 
 denuded of mechanical transport, aeroplanes, etc. On my 
 side even one flight of the latter would have made all the 
 difference. I feel indeed that even one plane would have 
 had an enormous influence on the decision of the various 
 tribes near the Gomal, Tochi and Kurram Valleys to be 
 on our side, or against us. But from the Gomal to the 
 Kurram we had not even a single plane for weeks after 
 hostilities commenced. 
 
 At this time was also formed the Baluchistan Force with 
 head-quarters at Quetta. It consisted of troops of the 4th 
 Division, as well as the Eastern Persian Cordon, with line of 
 communications from Nushki to Meshed. As the permanent 
 commander of the 4th Division moved up to command 
 this force, it was necessary to find a new one for the division. 
 General Sir Harry Brooking, just back from Mesopotamia, 
 was appointed. Being unable to join owing to ill-health, 
 I was promoted to the vacancy in his place, and joined at 
 Chaman 1 at the end of May. Over this there was some 
 extraordinary mishap to a telegram which, instead of reach- 
 
 1 An outlying cantonment on Afghan frontier, about 78 miles 
 by road and 88J by railway, north-west of Quetta, over the 
 Khojak Pass. Consists of two small forts, some bungalows and 
 native infantry lines. Is the terminus of the Quetta-Peshin-Chaman 
 branch of the North- Western Railway, which runs through the Khojak 
 Tunnel.
 
 250 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 ing me about the i6th May, did not arrive until the 
 24th. This prevented me joining in time to conduct the 
 operations against Fort Baldak (an Afghan stronghold 
 some five miles from this border cantonment of Chaman), 
 attacked and captured by the 4th Division about the 
 26th May, without much difficulty, in spite of its formid- 
 able strength. 
 
 This journey to Quetta was about the hottest we ever 
 undertook. At one period my wife suddenly asked me what 
 the first symptoms of heat-stroke were like, as she felt 
 red-hot needles darting through her head. Putting a hand 
 up, she withdrew it quickly, for her hairpins were so hot 
 it had been painful touching them. When all the hairpins 
 were taken out there was no more trouble. 
 
 One fortunate thing was that we managed to keep motor 
 truck, horse box, luggage van, etc., with us. An excellent 
 A.D.C. (Lieut. Salmon, 2nd Gurkhas, one of the best I 
 ever had) looked well after ice for the horses, and they 
 got through the journey very well. 
 
 Chaman, being the advanced base for any forward move- 
 ment on what is termed the southern line (i.e. towards 
 Kandahar, distant only seven marches), has innumerable 
 troop sidings, comprehensive water scheme, some stores, 
 and a supply of rails, etc., for any railway extension neces- 
 sary. I found it in a partially protected state, but with a 
 great deal more work to be done. Arrangements were made 
 at once for an all-round perimeter defence by means of 
 barbed wire and trenches, as suitable for the troops avail- 
 able. In the middle of this, orders were received to com- 
 mence an elaborate scheme of outlying " strong posts," 
 supported by lunettes, connected by deep zigzag communi- 
 cating trenches, and protected from one flank to the other 
 a distance of about twelve miles by an apron of barbed 
 wire. 
 
 Studying this scheme closely it seemed to me unsuited 
 to frontier fighting, and to be carrying trench warfare a 
 bit too far. I infinitely preferred a reliable perimeter 
 defence with full freedom of movement for aggressive 
 action wherever required. I telegraphed this to head- 
 quarters, begging to be allowed to scrap the new scheme. 
 Imagine then my amusement when the answer came that 
 my request could not be acceded to, ending : " It is desired 
 therefore that you carry out as expeditiously as possible
 
 THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 251 
 
 the scheme of defence evolved by you with so much care and 
 forethought ! " The italics are mine. I had no more 
 to do with its evolution than the Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury. 
 
 It is a matter of sincere thankfulness to me that there 
 was never any occasion to hold this line against a serious 
 attack. At the same time the work was most beneficial 
 to the troops in every way, keeping them abnormally fit 
 and strong. The occupation of so many small posts was 
 excellent training too for platoon and other sub-unit 
 leaders, in the exercise of their command, and the conduct 
 of those essentials so indispensable for the health, pro- 
 tection and welfare of their men. 
 
 Reports from other fronts in 1919 indicated heavy mor- 
 tality from sickness, evidently connected with water and 
 unclean surroundings. Sanitation and hygiene being 
 amongst my hobbies, I determined that Chaman should 
 be beyond reproach in these matters. Here it is a pleasure 
 to record I was backed up so wholeheartedly by all my staff 
 and commanders (and especially by the Royal Artillery, 
 who became a model) in the many improvements and 
 changes introduced, that when the travelling Health Com- 
 mittee visited my camp I was told they couldn't find a 
 single fly, and stated in their report that the sanitary 
 conditions were far ahead of any other area they had 
 visited. 
 
 Although the 4th Division was composed of very fine 
 troops we were quite immobile, having nothing but our 
 first and second line transport and a few camels. A wire 
 came one day asking how long I considered it would take 
 me to get to Kandahar, if not seriously opposed. I forget 
 the number of days given in reply, but with the transport 
 at my disposal it was well over twenty. The journey indeed 
 is only seven stages, but lack of transport would have 
 necessitated long halts to send back for, and get forward, 
 supplies. 
 
 Opposed to us at Chaman was a fluctuating force of 
 Afghans bivouacked within a few miles, here one day, 
 there the other, but not out to do us any damage. They 
 were occupied much more in efforts to induce the surround- 
 ing tribesmen to rise, than in plans for the discomfiture of 
 the division. Nor were we allowed, after the capture of 
 Fort Baldak, to take any aggressive action whatever,
 
 252 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 pending the result of negotiations which were in progress, 
 and which ended shortly in an armistice followed by peace 
 terms in August. 
 
 Commanding these Afghan troops was an interesting 
 celebrity in the person of Sardar Abd-ul-Quds. He was 
 appointed Prime Minister of Afghanistan in 1919, when the 
 present Amir Amanulla came to the throne. In April of 
 the same year he was sent to command the Kandahar 
 front. He was recalled to Kabul in October, 1919, and 
 returned to Kandahar as Governor in March, 1920. A 
 whilom wanderer in exile with Abdur Rahman, 1 in the 
 seventies he returned with him when the latter was made 
 Amir of Afghanistan in 1879. 
 
 Flying low over his camp one morning, my airman on 
 duty that day came and reported how he had seen a very 
 fascinating young female, in pink, issue from the Sardar' s 
 tent, and wave her hand to him. So struck was he that he 
 begged permission to return there in the evening and drop 
 her a box of chocolates ; a request I was reluctantly com- 
 pelled to refuse ! 
 
 Although well over seventy (born about 1845), the 
 Sardar had all his wits about him, and being inordinately 
 fond of writing used to send in an envoy bearing a flag of 
 truce and carrying letters for G.O.C. Baluchistan Force, 
 the Political Officer, or myself, two or three times a week. 
 They began with sentence after sentence of effusive com- 
 pliment, and then in a most roundabout way came to the 
 subject-matter. Abd-ul-Quds was really tired of the war, 
 and would gladly have taken his men away, but felt he 
 could not do so until Fort Baldak was restored z to the 
 Afghans. 
 
 He was always referring to this. Used to call it the 
 " purdah of his modesty," which he wanted my help to 
 lift, by restoration of the fort. He said his men would 
 refuse to withdraw until this had been accomplished, and 
 talked of the impossibility otherwise of them meeting 
 
 x The great Abdur Rahman, Amir of Afghanistan for over twenty 
 years, who died 3rd October, 1901. He was succeeded by his son 
 Habibullah, who will always be remembered for his loyalty and 
 staunchness to us during the Great War. Habibullah was murdered 
 on 2oth February, 1919, and followed by his third son, Amanullah, 
 the present ruler. 
 
 1 Eventually restored about September, 1919.
 
 THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 253 
 
 their women folk. He described most graphically how the 
 latter would ask, " In whose care is Fort Baldak ? " 
 
 On one occasion I had to call his attention to a 
 breach of the terms of the negotiations referred to by 
 his men. 
 
 s ^Back came his reply, sheets of it, from which I extract 
 the following. The translation is literal. 
 
 " You have written that a few tribal Ghazis * entered the 
 British territory which will not be so. The places where 
 the Ghazis live are limited and belong to the Afghan 
 Government. Of course it is possible that they might have 
 entered your border to collect firewood with a view of lull 
 owing to armistice. As your men had fired on them, it is 
 just possible that they might have answered, as our tribal 
 Ghazis never expected such unkindness. After that it can 
 be considered against friendship that you bombed. If 
 you and all your officers of your Government possess one- 
 tenth of the good feeling that I possess, there will be no 
 such occurrences. How it can be possible for me to work 
 without senses who have been doing work with wisdom 
 for the long past period and which is an admitted fact by 
 all the wise men. And now owing to the lack of discipline 
 of your subordinates if such act is done by you, it is con- 
 sidered to be my mistake. I would kill myself if such a 
 wrong act had been committed by me during these forty 
 years. In that condition if God please my death will take 
 place in such a way so as to live eternal life as regards 
 religious point of view and that my name be known 
 throughout the world as regards worldly affairs. 
 
 " Walu Mohid Khan my messenger says that Major 
 St. John (Political Officer) stated that who will stand a 
 surety if British vacate the Baldak Fort and hand over the 
 traders' property and see there is no taking up of wrong 
 way against British in future ? I write to you that the 
 way adopted by me during the last forty years will stand 
 as your surety. So far I have not asked anything from 
 your soil. As a corner of our modesty (Baldak Fort) 
 has fallen in your hands, I am desirous that you should 
 vacate so that I may be able to speak to my nation as 
 to enable me to open the entrance of conversation with 
 you." 
 
 Altogether it was a very pleasant time at Chaman. 
 1 Fanatics.
 
 254 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 There were the delightful morning and evening gallops 
 round the camps, looking at protection and sanitation. 
 Then on to the defences with the cheery working parties 
 and vigilant " look out " groups. All this with the good 
 going and the communicating trenches as " leps " will 
 long live in my memory, and I hope in the memory of those 
 who went with me.
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 
 
 OF the Territorials in India I could write chapters, 
 if space permitted. As it does not, I must 
 be content simply to give a brief record of what 
 I saw of them, of what people thought of them, 
 of what they had to do, and how well they did it. 
 
 It is not an easy subject to tackle, nor is it an easy one 
 on which to write so as to engage attention. In the first 
 place, they came to India, these Territorials, at the call of 
 duty, soon after the commencement of a great war, of which 
 no one could foretell the outcome. Therefore a situation 
 so full of anxiety, and pregnant with such grief, precludes 
 light-hearted treatment. Nor do I know many amusing 
 anecdotes concerning the force, with which to enliven the 
 narrative. 
 
 Secondly, the units were scattered over an enormous 
 area. I certainly came into contact with them in a large 
 portion of that area, but not sufficiently so to give full 
 details about all. Where I do go into detail regarding 
 certain regiments, and certain individuals, it must be 
 understood that I mean it to be typical of the whole. They 
 were part of that whole, which was actuated by the same 
 motive, and displayed equal zeal and energy in making 
 itself efficient. Moreover, all were included in a category, 
 embracing thousands, who never thought to see the East, 
 but suddenly found themselves pledged to four or five years' 
 soldiering in various parts of Asia. 
 
 Thirdly, this record, not being a history of the Territorial 
 Force, can have little value except as a statement of facts. 
 It is written more as a tribute to all ranks for their efforts 
 and conduct in India. Indeed, it would seem that, in 
 justice to the " Terriers," a brief account of their doings, 
 trials and good work is really called for. 
 
 255
 
 256 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Lastly, a narrative of the actions of any body of troops 
 is very apt to assume the character of a despatch ; and 
 despatches are dull reading, generally very dull reading. 
 I do not mind confessing that I have already written and 
 re- written this chapter four times. The first attempt was 
 simply a despatch, stupid beyond words, I confess it myself. 
 The second and third efforts were not much better. The 
 fourth I thought an improvement, but my publisher, I 
 know, still looks on it as dull. I am not sure he didn't 
 say so, but with some hesitation lest as he insinuated 
 I slew him with a kukri. 
 
 My fifth and last endeavour I now commit to paper. 
 The number directly interested should be very large, as 
 some 55,000 Territorial troops went out to India. Should 
 others, who know not these men, find it dull, I hope they 
 will skip the chapter altogether. As for my publisher, if 
 he still dislikes it, well, there is always the kukri handy. 
 
 In the early part of the war, i.e. up to January, 1915, 
 thirty-nine field artillery batteries and forty-five infantry 
 battalions of Territorials went to India. Some others 
 arrived later on. My qualifications to write on this force 
 consist of the fact that between 1915 and 1920 no less 
 than ten battalions of infantry and three batteries of 
 artillery were under my command, at one time or another ; 
 while in 1917-18, as inspector of infantry, I visited some 
 fourteen battalions more. Moreover, when command- 
 ing at Abbottabad, I came across hundreds of Territorial 
 officers, and others of all ranks, attending the Mountain 
 Warfare School, established there in 1916 by Army Head- 
 quarters. 
 
 The senior Territorial units had volunteered for service 
 abroad hoping for the Western Front. The thought of 
 India instead was very distasteful, but they were buoyed 
 up by promises at home that it was only a temporary duty, 
 mainly necessary for purposes of training. When this was 
 fully completed they were to be sent back. The exigencies 
 of the service and the aggravated submarine menace 
 made it impossible to fulfil these promises, to the ever- 
 lasting regret of both officers and men. 
 
 If only the Australians and New Zealanders could have 
 been utilised to provide India with white troops, what a 
 saving in shipping, and what a convenience it would have 
 been. As it was, troops from home, going out to India,
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 257 
 
 actually passed, en route, colonials coming to Europe. 
 Again, when one hears at the present time of a shortage 
 of white soldiers in India to meet certain eventualities, 
 thoughts of the use that could be made so rapidly of these 
 colonial troops come into one's head at once. 
 
 Perhaps the people who were most puzzled at the advent 
 of the Territorials were the ordinary natives of India. 
 Led to believe by seditious busybodies that England was 
 at her last gasp, and could never replace the British garrisons 
 sent overseas, they were astonished at these fresh troops 
 pouring into the country. The men, too, were so different 
 from the pre-war regular. Instead of calling them " gora 
 Log," 1 they felt inclined to designate them " sahibs." 
 All the more so, because of the absence of drunkenness or 
 crime, and their greater command of ready money. This 
 was well expressed by a native shopkeeper in Multan 
 enquiring : " Who are these new soldiers who have cheque 
 books ? " 
 
 From the very first a weak point in the Territorials was 
 a want of knowledge of " administration " and of Indian 
 regulations which was natural. This resulted in a good deal 
 of unnecessary discomfort to all ranks . ' ' Conducting parties ' ' 
 from the regular battalions left in India were detailed to meet 
 territorial units, and remain attached for instructional 
 purposes. These afforded them a certain amount of help, 
 but the requirements of the war had already called away 
 the more senior officers and N.C.O.s. 
 
 Another serious handicap of the earlier arrivals was the 
 recall to their own units of the regular adjutants they had 
 always possessed. Some were gathered in before the 
 battalion left England, and others soon after its arrival 
 in India. Indeed the Territorials had many difficulties, 
 disappointments and obstacles to contend with. It is all 
 the more creditable to them that, nothing daunted, they 
 played the game all round, from the moment of their 
 arrival until their final departure. 
 
 With " complete training " as the objective, it is only 
 natural that their main desire was to reach this goal as 
 quickly as possible. Every effort was made to help them 
 by allotting units to stations where they would remain 
 for some time, and where they would receive every facility 
 
 1 Lit. " gora "= white, fair complexioned, and " log " =people. 
 The general term used by Indians to denote the British soldier. 
 
 R
 
 258 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 for training. As regards the infantry, the demands of 
 climate, and the pressing necessities of a world-wide war 
 (combined with an everchanging, and at times somewhat 
 menacing internal situation), made obligatory not only 
 large detachments, when concentration was so necessary, 
 but also frequent moves from station to station, which to 
 them seemed absolutely pointless. 
 
 Army Headquarters called early for returns direct from 
 every unit, giving each man's trade, qualifications and 
 former occupation. Commanding officers therefore found 
 themselves denuded, willy-nilly, of N.C.O.s and men, 
 sometimes their best, for clerks, supervisors, mechanics, 
 chauffeurs, signallers, machine-gunners, artificers, and every 
 other kind of specialist and workman. This naturally brought 
 each C.O. to the depths of despair as regards the improved 
 efficiency of his command. Yet it was evident this con- 
 stant drain was unavoidable, and for the good of the whole. 
 
 In the ranks were a large number of public schoolboys 
 and others very suitable for commissions. As the question 
 of the shortage of officers in both British and Indian ser- 
 vices became more acute, it was necessary to tap this 
 source of supply. In many cases, the boys themselves 
 were anxious for promotion, and their commanding officers 
 did not care to stand in their way. Anyhow, orders were 
 soon received which, after reviewing the situation, directed 
 that all those considered in any way eligible were to be 
 encouraged to apply. Thus hundreds of excellent officers 
 were provided, but it did not tend to make matters easier 
 for the C.O. 
 
 As regards his own officers he fared little better ; for 
 as the demand owing to wastage became more insistent, 
 he was called on to supply them not only for personal, 
 general, technical and administrative staffs, but also at 
 a moment's notice to fill the place of casualties in the 
 field. 
 
 So much has been said to show the difficulties and per- 
 plexities confronting commanding officers, that one may 
 well ask how did they get along at all, and how did they 
 keep up their strength ? They got along by steadfastness 
 and grit, and their strength was maintained by frequent 
 drafts of both officers and men from home. At first poor, 
 the drafts gradually improved, although naturally requiring 
 an immense amount of regimental instruction. Many
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 259 
 
 of the recruits had not even fired a shot from their 
 rifles. 
 
 So much for their earlier troubles. It will for ever 
 remain to the glory of the Territorials in India that they 
 never once looked back in their path of progress. Many 
 battalions became so efficient, after two or three years, 
 that there was little to choose between them and some 
 of the best pre-war regular units. 
 
 A word about their efficiency on arrival and its gradual 
 improvement. As was only to be expected in such a 
 force, the officers were very uneven. In all units there 
 were some good ones, in many the majority were good, 
 while in a few the standard of officer efficiency was very 
 high. Many were born soldiers, who had really mis- 
 taken their profession in remaining civilians. These soon 
 came to the front, and a considerable number were utilised 
 on the staff and elsewhere, where they did most valuable 
 work. 
 
 There was Major H. W. Woodall, of the 4th Dorsets, 
 who acquired particular merit, and was rewarded with 
 a Companionship of the Indian Empire. I had three 
 staff officers with me when Inspector of Infantry, one 
 succeeding the other, 1 and all did me extremely well. 
 They had good military knowledge, and their former 
 business experience made them very reliable staff officers. 
 
 Speaking generally, and especially of the junior officers, 
 there was at first an absence of the true military instinct, 
 forcing one to class such officers as partially trained 
 civilians instead of soldiers. This instinct in many cases 
 had to be acquired, and it came in due course. In the 
 early days, for instance, few officers had been taught how 
 to give a command, with the result that there was too 
 much unnecessary politeness in issuing orders to the men. 
 This wore off in time, but until it did, orders were apt 
 to be perfunctorily carried out, without any " jump " 
 or alacrity in compliance. 
 
 The best officers, and the number was large, had an 
 exceptionally good theoretical knowledge of their pro- 
 fession. It is much to their credit that they had studied 
 their manuals so well, and were able to impart the instruc- 
 
 1 Captain Satterthwaite, i/4th R.W. Rents ; Major Good- 
 man Whiff en, i /5th East Surreys ; Captain Chance, i/4th Border 
 Regiment.
 
 260 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 tion gained. As good a lecture as I ever attended was 
 one given on " protection " x by a company commander 
 to his men. He knew his subject thoroughly, put it to 
 his audience in the simplest language, explained the leading 
 principles very lucidly, and gave apt illustrations from 
 military history. 
 
 The commandant of the Mountain Warfare School 
 at Abbottabad told me he was astounded as much at the 
 knowledge of his books by the Territorial officer, as at 
 the difficulty he found in practical application in the field. 
 Adding that his astonishment was far greater when he 
 saw their progress in this matter with instruction and 
 practice. 
 
 The non-commissioned officers were most zealous and 
 diligent, with good, sometimes very good, knowledge of 
 their duties. Their weak points were want of initiative 
 and power of command, attributable to inexperience and 
 to lack of opportunity. 
 
 The men were most intelligent, fairly well drilled, and 
 very anxious to do well. There was hardly any crime. 
 As an instance, the i/4th Wiltshire Regiment from the 
 time of their landing in India in 1914 to their departure 
 for Palestine in 1917 had not a single court-martial and 
 no case of drunkenness. I think this must be a record. 
 
 Physique and age varied tremendously. The physique 
 in some units was extraordinarily fine, while in others 
 it was not so good. As regards age, one example will 
 suffice. The 2 /6th Hants appeared to be mainly boys, 
 while the 23rd Rifle Brigade at Multan were nearly all old 
 soldiers. 
 
 The latter 2 was one of seven Territorial battalions 
 formed in October, 1915, and attached to the Rifle 
 Brigade. The men came from the " national reserve " 
 who at the outbreak of war offered their services for any 
 duty required of them. They had been employed up 
 to date guarding railways, docks and other vulnerable 
 points, and some 250 of this unit possessed war medals 
 or long service and Volunteer decorations. 
 
 It came under me at Multan, where it had been 
 
 1 A lecture on outpost duties by Major the Honourable E. Strachey, 
 I /4th Somersets. 
 
 1 23rd Battalion (North Western) (Territorials), raised by Colonel 
 T. E. Turnbull, O.B.E., V.D.
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 261 
 
 stationed nearly two and a half years. On marching 
 into barracks on arrival the natives had been heard to 
 remark, " These are pukka soldiers and not to be played 
 with ! " Multan is a hot place and in the summer of 
 1918 it struck me the men were feeling the effects of the 
 heat. Getting them moved, they went to Bareilly, looked 
 upon as a very healthy place. Results proved that 
 Multan, though hot, is not unhealthy. 
 
 This battalion did some really excellent, though by 
 no means exhilarating, work at Multan. Besides heavy 
 garrison duties, it had to furnish detachments innumerable, 
 including a company at Amritsar. The garrison gunners 
 having left Multan, the guns and machine-guns in the 
 fort had to be manned by the 23rd Rifle Brigade. 
 Fortunately their cosmopolitan composition enabled them 
 to provide teams without difficulty. 
 
 One summer the environs of Multan were not only 
 infected with cholera and malaria, but also with a very 
 virulent outbreak of plague. This necessitated a strict 
 cordon round cantonments, towards the city, and involved 
 heavy piquet duty admirably performed. For the Marri 
 expedition the battalion furnished many N.C.O.s and 
 men for various services, while the adjutant was taken 
 as a base commandant. One N.C.O. left at Amritsar 
 as electrician, after the company was withdrawn, was 
 brutally murdered by the natives in the rebellion of April, 
 1919. 
 
 This is not a tale of woe, but simply a partial record 
 of one Territorial battalion's sojourn in India, with an 
 account of all it was expected to do, and how well it did 
 it. There was none of the exhilarating excitement of 
 hard-fought actions in the field. Only difficult and 
 uninteresting garrison duty with the thermometer reaching 
 124 in the shade. Such an achievement, cheerfully 
 performed, by a Territorial battalion of old soldiers speaks 
 well for the force, deserves much of the State, and merits 
 the approbation of soldiers and civilians alike. 
 
 With such grand material to work on, it is not surprising 
 that its further training was a source of much interest 
 to the brigadiers concerned. What pleased me so much, 
 just the same as with the Nepalese contingents, was the 
 wonderful responsiveness of the territorials, their eager 
 desire for efficiency, and their keenness to make good.
 
 262 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Advance in proficiency of course varied, and it varied 
 much more in proportion to the help and understanding 
 given by higher leaders on the spot, than to the original 
 standard of preparedness. No troops were more sus- 
 ceptible to sympathy. Given sympathy, combined with a 
 thorough understanding of their characteristics, idiosyn- 
 crasies and needs, then you were able to get at these people, 
 when there was nothing they could not do. These pages 
 teem with references to sympathy, simply because personal 
 experience is always revealing the fact that it is the most 
 valuable attribute a leader can possess. 
 
 As a general rule, and especially with the older units, 
 the Territorial force was to be congratulated on its com- 
 manding officers. The first to come under my command 
 was Colonel the Earl of Radnor, commanding the i/4th 
 Wiltshire Regiment. He had been commanding for some 
 years, knew every man in the battalion, kept a strict 
 discipline, and, looking carefully after the welfare of his 
 unit, had his finger on its pulse in every way. Blessed 
 with a good second-in-command and an excellent body 
 of officers, it is not surprising that the unit was in very 
 good order. To illustrate the fine spirit imbued in the 
 mind of this officer, the following is worthy of mention : 
 
 The battalion was quartered at Delhi, and half of it 
 was to remain there for the hot weather, while the remainder 
 went up to Chakrata, a hill station in the Himalayas above 
 Dehra Dun. Lord Radnor was not a young man and 
 had not sojourned in India before. Giving him the option 
 of taking his head-quarters up to the hills, so that he him- 
 self would have the advantage of a delightful climate 
 all the summer, he asked me for a little time for consider- 
 ation. Next morning he told me that feeling responsible 
 for his men, who came from his own country, he could 
 not think of leaving them to swelter below, while he him- 
 self enjoyed the cool breezes of Chakrata. 
 
 Soortly afterwards Lord Radnor was promoted to succeed 
 me in command of the Delhi brigade, with the rank of 
 brigadier-general, which appointment he retained until 
 his return to England. From there he was deputed to 
 France as director of agriculture at general head-quarters. 
 
 He was succeeded in the command of the i/4th Wilt- 
 shires by his second-in-command, Lieut .-Colonel Armstrong, 
 who was an excellent officer much liked and respected
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 263 
 
 by all ranks. After being severely wounded in Palestine, 
 this officer died of his wounds at the advanced aid post 
 the day his battalion gallantly captured Miskeh (igth 
 September, 1918). 
 
 I came across many other C.O.s far above the average. 
 Play fair of the 2 /6th Hants was an old regular, and just 
 the man to raise and train a young battalion of Hampshire 
 lads. Harvey of the i/5th East Surreys had an excellent 
 unit, he looked well after his officers, knew the men 
 individually, and took the greatest interest in their wel- 
 fare. He afterwards held commands in S. India and 
 Hong-Kong, not getting home until something like 
 1920. Waterlow commanded a very thoroughly trained 
 battalion in the i/4th Border Regiment, which acquired 
 wonderfully good reports, both in Burma and in 
 India. 
 
 Then there was Colonel Frank Johnson, D.S.O., i/6th Royal 
 Sussex, who achieved undying fame as the administrator 
 of martial law in the Lahore area during the disturbances 
 of 1919. His many proclamations, all commencing 
 "Whereas," are admirable models of how such official 
 notices should be framed. The firm, just and unflinching 
 rule he established at a most critical period, not only earned 
 for him the admiration and gratitude of Europeans and 
 law-abiding Indians alike, but the honour of having his 
 portrait hung in the hall of the Punjab Club at Lahore. 
 Beneath is no name and no inscription, simply, in gold 
 letters, the one word " Whereas." A fitting tribute in- 
 deed, for all time, to a Territorial officer of exceptional 
 merit. 
 
 These few names are given not only as typical of the 
 Territorial battalion commander, but also to bear witness 
 to the valuable services rendered to the State by Territorial 
 officers in a higher and more extended sphere. 
 
 The county of Hampshire was very largely represented 
 in India. Besides seven batteries of field artillery, four 
 battalions went out with the 1st Wessex Division on I2th 
 October, and three more followed on the I2th December, 
 1914. In addition the gth battalion arrived in 1916 and 
 remained until October, 1918, when it proceeded to Siberia 
 via Vladivostock. No units had a better record in India 
 than the Hampshires, or were more genuinely liked. As 
 regards the gth battalion, it is interesting to add that it
 
 264 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 was the only British unit to go to Siberia (except Colonel 
 Ward's l battalion) and that it did very well there. 
 
 As related before, anent the Delhi brigade, an order 
 was issued early in 1915 that all Territorial infantry bat- 
 talions were to undergo a modified form of the " Kitchener 
 test " 2 at the hands of the brigadier concerned. This was 
 somewhat premature as regards many units. However, 
 remarks about putting the cart before the horse were ignored. 
 Army Headquarters gave their decision, that all those in 
 India must be tested at once. Their idea was to get the 
 relative value of the various battalions. Any modification 
 in the test considered necessary was to be made by the 
 local general concerned. For the Territorials of course 
 the " test " went no farther than the brigade. 
 
 At this time there were three Territorial infantry units 
 under my command, namely one senior, i/4th Wilts, and the 
 others, 2/6th Hants and 2/4th D. C.L.I., much more recently 
 formed. I took the i/4th Wilts before the others and sub- 
 jected it to a test of about thirty- three consecutive hours, in 
 which it did exceedingly well, and had not a single casualty 
 from first to last. This was so gratifying that on addressing 
 them for a few minutes after it was over, I gave them the 
 highest praise I could by telling the Colonel that I envied 
 him his command. 
 
 Never once did the officers or men get rattled, and yet 
 my system of giving each order on a slip of paper for the 
 next action, as the current one was nearing completion, 
 combined with the unrevealed nature of the whole pro- 
 gramme, must have been disconcerting in its novelty alone. 
 Coming back, after delivering the fourth order, as the 
 sun was setting at the end of the first day, I asked my 
 staff officer if the C.O. seemed at all disturbed, and he 
 told me his only remark was : " What, another ? " 
 
 It was now the end of March with two more battalions 
 to test, one at Agra and the other at Bareilly. Well- 
 knowing Agra's capability for heat at this season, it was 
 necessary to hasten there at once. Colonel Playfair's 
 battalion, the 2/6th Hants, was newly raised, the men only 
 partially trained, and until a short time before split up 
 into detachments since arrival in India. I thoroughly 
 agreed with him that the " test " came before the unit was 
 
 1 Colonel John Ward, C.B., C.M.G., M.P. 
 1 See Chapter x. (Lord Kitchener).
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 265 
 
 ready for it, but as a matter of fact it did very well. The 
 " covering " and " overhead " fire in an attack with ball 
 was so bold and so realistic that I marvelled at its temerity 
 and said so. Playfair, with a laugh, muttered something 
 in the sense of, " Where ignorance is bliss, etc." ! 
 
 There still remained the unit at Bareilly (2/4th Duke of 
 Cornwall's Light Infantry), also a very young one and with 
 little help or guidance given it to date. The material, 
 however, of sturdy Cornishmen, was about the best I had 
 seen. Solid vigorous boys with plenty of life, full of spirits 
 and much interested in their new surroundings. 
 
 The heat was pretty bad in any case for a fifteen-mile 
 march followed by an attack with ball, but the intensity 
 of the " test " was much enhanced by a misunderstanding 
 of orders. This resulted in the men having to lie down 
 in the sun for an unconscionable period, and then advance 
 over heavy sand. By the evening they were quite cooked 
 and I was so anxious about their prostration that all night 
 work was cancelled, though the officers and senior N.C.O.s 
 were taken on by themselves. 
 
 It was reassuring to find the C.O. quite tranquil about 
 his men. He told me they were very tough customers, 
 and would be all right in a few hours, which confidence 
 was fully justified. It speaks well for the grit and 
 stamina of the men of Cornwall that they were able to 
 come successfully through so severe an ordeal. They 
 were all just as cheery and happy next morning as if 
 they had only attended a picture palace entertainment the 
 day before. 
 
 About March, 1916, it was evident that, on account of the 
 aggravated submarine menace and other considerations, 
 it would be impossible to transfer any battalions to the 
 Western Front from India. At the same time possibility 
 of their employment on the North- West Frontier opened 
 up the question of training in mountain warfare, of which 
 neither officers nor men had any experience. The Abbott- 
 abad School referred to before was primarily intended 
 for officers and N.C.O.s of Territorial units only, but was 
 later on extended, mainly at my instigation, to instruct 
 officers of all services in this important subject. 
 
 A word about this school. From remarks in the public 
 Press after the third Afghan War in 1919 it is evident an 
 opinion prevailed that instruction in this branch of warfare
 
 266 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 had been entirely neglected. Nothing could be further 
 from the facts. 
 
 The school was first established in the summer of 1916 
 for forty-eight territorial officers and N.C.O.s at one time 
 for a course of about six weeks' duration. The combination 
 of officer and N.C.O. was found to be a mistake, so separate 
 courses were assembled. Later on the school was enlarged 
 so as to accommodate a hundred senior officers of all services, 
 for a course of about one month. Bar a short period in 
 each winter it has been running almost continually up 
 to date, and only the other day (October, 1921) I heard 
 from General Birdwood that he had been inspecting it. 
 
 The course is very practical and most useful to the 
 thousands of officers who have now completed it. The 
 commandant J is a man of ripe knowledge and experience 
 with the happy knack of being able to impart his know- 
 ledge. You can generally gauge the success and utility 
 of a school by consulting men who have attended it, and 
 whose opinions count. Without any exception those 
 opinions were very flattering, and all were loud in praise 
 of the instruction given. 
 
 Speaking of the social side, the advent of the Territorials 
 was a great event to the European population of India. 
 People, especially civilians, were particularly struck with 
 their patriotism and example. All were anxious to show 
 their appreciation of the splendid way these citizens had 
 abandoned homes, relatives, professions and trades, often 
 at great personal sacrifice and loss, to volunteer for service 
 abroad. 
 
 On the arrival of the first Territorial Division in Bom- 
 bay, Lord Willingdon's warm welcome, and the noble 
 hospitality of the Yacht Club in entertaining ninety-seven 
 of its officers at dinner the first night, aptly voiced the 
 feelings of the whole European community. 
 
 Later on people vied with one another in feting the 
 men, asking them out in batches to tennis, musical parties, 
 concerts, expeditions, motor drives, etc. All this came 
 under my own knowledge in places so widely apart as 
 Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Lucknow, Bombay, Calcutta 
 and Madras. 
 
 The Y.M.C.A., as usual, came to the front and did much 
 for the amusement and welfare of the men. Especially 
 
 1 Lieut.-Colonel W. Villiers-Stuart, C.B.E., 5th Royal Gurkhas.
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 267 
 
 useful and greatly appreciated were their lectures on the 
 country, and the tours they organised all over India. With- 
 out these a great number of Territorials would have had 
 no opportunity of visiting in comfort such historic and 
 interesting places as Agra, Delhi, Jeypur, etc. 
 
 One wealthy jute merchant in Calcutta invited batch 
 after batch of eight Territorial N.C.O.s and privates, at a 
 time, to his beautiful house there. Entertained them 
 royally on the fat of the land, and sent them out daily 
 in his motor-cars to the zoo, cinema, races, etc., etc. 
 
 Nor were native princes and Indian gentlemen behind- 
 hand in offering hospitality and welcome. The Maharajah 
 of Mysore himself received and entertained the 2/6th Royal 
 Sussex Regiment at Mysore, and had them shown over 
 his palace with its priceless treasures. This was a privilege 
 never granted before, or since, to British troops. Enter- 
 tainments and refreshments were provided at many railway 
 stations and cantonments by Indian gentlemen of various 
 classes. 
 
 The Territorials were both touched and gratified at 
 their reception from the social point of view. They 
 reciprocated on their side by forming troupes of players 
 and musicians out of the undoubted talent at their com- 
 mand. Also by getting up " sports," boxing tournaments 
 and musical evenings, not only in the larger stations, 
 but in all sorts of out-of-the-way places. 
 
 To bring my British units up to strength when command- 
 ing the 4th Division at Chaman in the third Afghan War, 
 the authorities sent me some hundreds of demobilised 
 territorial officers and men from Deolali and Bombay. 
 Men who were actually about to sail home, and men who 
 gulped down their disappointment in the most splendid 
 way, when told their services were absolutely essential. 
 Splitting them up amongst various corps an early oppor- 
 tunity was taken to visit and address each party, to tell them 
 how much we sympathised with their disappointment, 
 and how greatly we admired their stoicism and spirit. I 
 was most sorry for these good fellows almost pulled off the 
 ship to come up to the North- West Frontier. Pulled off too 
 just as they had said " Good-bye " to India, and were looking 
 forward so eagerly to meeting their wives, children and 
 relatives once more. 
 
 Little opportunity was given me of testing Territorials
 
 268 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 in the field. I had indeed the 2/4th Border Regiment. 1 
 with me in the Mohmand blockade line, but there was little 
 serious fighting. The men of this unit were of very fine 
 physique, well disciplined and keen as mustard. It was a 
 great pleasure to deal with them, and have a chat with 
 individual N.C.O.s and men in the blockhouses. 
 
 On one occasion a temporary piquet was heavily sniped, 
 and on being withdrawn, when the duty was completed, 
 was followed up by the enemy. I happened to be present 
 as the piquet was nearing camp, and noted the extreme 
 reluctance with which the men withdrew, under orders. 
 As they approached close to me I saw that their eyes were 
 blazing, and they were full of suppressed excitement. 
 Quite a right fighting spirit. 
 
 About a month before this, a hundred men of this unit 2 
 joined a column of mine to destroy villages. They had to 
 start soon after 4 a.m., and didn't get back until about 
 7 p.m., having marched twenty-six miles and helped to 
 destroy two villages. It is not exactly child's play pushing 
 over mud walls, and burning houses. This was a very good 
 test of endurance, and they were most cheery over it at the 
 finish. 
 
 Did space permit I should like to follow up the subse- 
 quent happenings to the battalions I knew when fully 
 trained, and despatched to various fronts. This, however, 
 would take a volume of itself. Some small detail, of two 
 units only, I do append as an illustration of the fact that the 
 battalions from India bore their full share of casualties in 
 the field. 
 
 Somerset L.I., to Mesopotamia from India, 1916. 
 Casualties in f^d ' officers 3, O.K. 105 
 
 the field. W ded I0 ' *3 
 
 vDied on service 3, 68 
 
 Wiltshire Regiment, to Palestine from India, 1917. 
 
 Served with the 233rd, and, after capture of Jerusalem, 
 232nd brigade of 75th Division. Continually in action 
 in November, 1917, and from March to September, 
 1918. Lost several officers killed and wounded (in- 
 cluding the C.O., Colonel Armstrong), and about 35 per 
 cent other ranks. 
 
 1 C.O., Colonel J. F. Haswell, C.I.E., V.D. 
 
 Under Lieutenant R. T. Bruckman with two other officers.
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 269 
 
 But it is not only the units fortunate enough to get on 
 service in Mesopotamia, Palestine, North-West Frontier, 
 etc., who are to be congratulated on their prowess, but 
 also those left behind to the bitter end to deal with revolu- 
 tionary movements in India itself. As an example, the 
 case of the 2/4th Buffs at Multan under Colonel G. Gosling 
 comes to mind. 
 
 Besides keeping that area quiet during the risings of 1919 
 the men were utilised in the district beyond to travel about 
 in the hottest part of the hot weather, upholding the prestige 
 of the British Raj. Their capable brigadier 1 sent me daily 
 reports of the excellent work they were doing. Amongst 
 other things, he described how they had improvised an 
 armoured van out of railway trucks and sheet iron, which 
 they named " The Multan Lamb." In this the men dashed 
 up and down the line to any threatened point immediately 
 information of pending trouble was received. These services 
 were most valuable, and the mere knowledge that parties 
 of British soldiers could arrive in an incredibly short space 
 of time at any seat of disturbance had a very salutary 
 effect. 
 
 In conclusion let me say I shall always regard it as a 
 privilege that I was enabled to watch and in some cases do 
 a little to help the progress towards proficiency of a large 
 portion of this fine body of Territorials. My connection, 
 with some units or other, remained unbroken from soon 
 after they landed in India in 1914, to the year 1920, long 
 before which latter date they may be said to have become 
 the " finished article." By that time they had officers 
 and N.C.O.s possessing power of command and certificated 
 at the various schools, signallers complete and well trained, 
 Lewis gunners and bombers handy with their weapons, 
 while the men, confident, hardy and acclimatised were fit 
 to go anywhere and do anything. 
 
 It is a record of which any body of troops may well be 
 proud. 
 
 But in addition to the Territorials there were other 
 " War winners " in India from 1914-20, for whom a meed 
 of praise is due. 
 
 First come the " Boys of the Old Brigade," that force of 
 veterans formed into " Garrison Battalions " of which 
 no less than eighteen came out to India between November, 
 * General P. J. Miles, C.B., C.M.G.
 
 270 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 1915, and March, 1917. They came out to " do their bit," 
 with their plucky, but aged, officers to whom years were 
 nothing if they could but serve their country. 
 
 I came personally into contact with four pre-war officers 
 well over seventy, who were the admiration of all who 
 met them. Poor old Colonel Shepherd, late of the Norfolks, 
 died in harness at Calcutta to everyone's deep regret, 
 for his was the most happy and cheery personality. 
 Colonel Martin, late of the 2ist Lancers, and who 
 commanded them in their famous charge at Omdurman, 
 died at Karachi while O.C. troops there. 
 
 Colonel Marriott-Smith of the Royal Artillery, and 
 Colonel Wood, late of the Connaught Rangers, I am glad 
 to think, got safely home after a long period of duty in 
 India. 
 
 Homage is also due to the civilians of the Indian Army 
 Officers' Reserve and members of the Indian Defence 
 Force, who came forward in their thousands at the moment 
 of their Emperor's need. Some idea of the growth of 
 the former may be gathered when it is stated that in April, 
 1914, the strength of this reserve was forty-one and in 
 April, 1920, five thousand seven hundred and sixty- 
 seven. 
 
 Nor must one forget the Volunteers in India who tried so 
 hard, and for so long, to be taken seriously, and at last to 
 their great content became a Defence Force. Not that 
 their troubles were then ended, for they had only just 
 begun ! Mistakes were made and needless hardships were 
 incurred, but to one who like myself in 1917 inspected 
 thousands, there could be but one opinion regarding their 
 earnestness and zeal. Day after day the Calcutta maidan l 
 (to mention only one area) was a veritable champs de mars 
 with light horse, machine guns, infantry squads, companies 
 and battalions, training away for all they were worth. 
 
 The best of the " Indian civil service," and of other State 
 departments, who could be spared to go, set an example 
 by taking on some form of military duty. Many joined 
 the Reserve already referred to, and numbers were killed in 
 action. The more senior ones, even those of the highest 
 standing, who were not already commissioned officers 
 in the old Volunteers, joined the defence force as privates. 
 It was nothing uncommon to find in the ranks high court 
 1 Big open plain surrounding Fort William.
 
 THE TERRITORIALS IN INDIA 271 
 
 judges, commissioners, collectors, private secretaries to 
 the governor of a province, and the like. 
 
 Many men, and boys too, for various reasons came from 
 England to India, individually, to " do their bit." The 
 Cadet Colleges of Quetta and Wellington were filled with 
 an excellent type of lad keen on entering the Indian Army. 
 An old friend J of mine at home (who retired before he was 
 a major) thinking his knowledge of hill men and hill fighting 
 might be useful, volunteered. His services being accepted 
 he came out at once and was given the ist battalion 50th 
 Kumaonis to raise. This he did so well that the unit 
 gained much kudos in Palestine, proving itself so efficient 
 that it is to be kept on and not disbanded. An immense 
 gratification to one who left his civil work to take up arms 
 again, and took them up with such splendid zeal and energy. 
 
 It has been whispered that India might have done more 
 than she did in the Great War. A complete refutation 
 of this will be found in a pamphlet printed in August, 
 1919, and now lying in the archives of the India Office in 
 Whitehall. It is entitled : 
 
 " Memorandum on India's contribution to the war, in 
 men, material and money." 
 
 A truly astounding record, which must be read to be 
 appreciated. 
 
 As a true lover of India I shall be happy if any words of 
 mine in this chapter convey to my readers the patriotic 
 and helpful spirit that existed, from 1914 to 1920, throughout 
 our great dependency. 
 
 1 Lt.-Col. E. M. Lang, late of the ist Gurkhas, and now a partner 
 in Messrs. Lea & Perrin, of Worcester.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER 
 
 A OUT the time of the Afghan armistice I was 
 transferred to the officiating command of the 
 Poona Division, and soon found myself engaged 
 in dealing with a very unpleasant situation 
 connected with discontent amongst British troops regarding 
 their demobilisation. It is necessary to explain that on 
 the Great War ending, a very heavy task was thrown on 
 the military accounts department in settling up the field 
 accounts of the thousands of soldiers killed, invalided, 
 demobilised, to be demobilised, and still serving. 
 
 To meet this in India large drafts of N.C.O.s and men, 
 likely to be of use as clerks and accountants, were demanded 
 from every British unit, and concentrated in spare barracks, 
 camps, etc., at Poona, where the work was to be completed. 
 At one time the number was over four thousand, though 
 considerably reduced by weeding out and demobilisation, 
 at the time we are speaking of. Alongside them was the 
 head-quarters of the signal service with a varying British 
 strength of from one to three thousand, and a few miles 
 away the remnants of a British reserve battalion, whose 
 numbers fluctuated according to circumstances. 
 
 The trouble starting with the military accounts clerks 
 was backed up by the signal corps, and spreading to the 
 Reserve Depot, soon threatened to be most serious. I 
 had, moreover, no British troops whatever with which to 
 coerce the malcontents, and the use of Indian troops was 
 of course impossible. 
 
 Dissatisfied with the tales they heard of abnormal delay 
 at Deolali (the embarkation base). Discontented with the 
 earlier release of what were called " pivotal men," i.e. 
 those required at home to revive special trades and pro- 
 
 272
 
 SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER 273 
 
 fessions. Disgusted at the ruling that men from Mesopo- 
 tamia, with whatever service, should go first, and displeased 
 at the communiques issued from Simla, which they con- 
 sidered contradictory and vague, their attitude became very 
 threatening, while " direct action " was openly discussed. 
 
 One morning at office, my brigadier-general, administra- 
 tion, entered my room in some perturbation to say that 
 several hundred men were marching to the divisional 
 offices in " fours." That one of the senior colonels of the 
 military accounts department had tried to stop them, but 
 they had simply walked quietly past his car. A few minutes 
 later they appeared near the buildings, and formed up in a 
 crowd on one side. 
 
 I first sent out the camp commandant, who after being 
 received with hooting and hisses, returned in a few minutes, 
 very pale, to say he couldn't get a hearing. The infantry 
 brigadier having turned up was sent next, and with a voice 
 like a bull of Basan, managed to get them to listen, and to 
 agree to disperse while a deputation of leaders remained 
 behind to be received by me. 
 
 A very unpleasant task it was, especially when the principal 
 spokesman, stepping out of the ranks and tapping his side 
 of my broad writing-table with his knuckles, said he 
 wished to speak to me as " man to man " ! His argument 
 was that a period of six months from the Armistice having 
 now expired, he was, by law, no longer a soldier. This 
 was quite a unique experience for me, not having before 
 found myself, as a general, practically in the dock with 
 my rank and file as judges ! He presented an ultimatum 
 on a dirty piece of paper containing four demands. To 
 these he said he was instructed to require an answer by 
 6 p.m., or the men would take steps to prove they were 
 very much in earnest, as they were thoroughly disgusted 
 with their disgraceful treatment by Simla. 
 
 The man a sergeant was a very good speaker, and 
 although his action was unusual not to say ill-disciplined 
 he was by no means aggressively disrespectful. He 
 very evidently meant all he said, and there was a good 
 deal on the men's side of the question, which fact I felt 
 very strongly. Listening patiently, and promising an 
 immediate investigation, the deputation withdrew. 
 
 After communication with Simla and more negotiations (!) 
 with the men, lasting some days, it was suggested by the 
 
 s
 
 274 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Southern Command and finally arranged, that a deputa- 
 tion should proceed to Simla to state their own case per- 
 sonally. This resulted in the men getting rather more 
 than the four demands in their ultimatum, and the trouble 
 was over. 
 
 The suggestion to send up these men was an inspiration, 
 and required much firmness on the part of the Southern 
 Command, for " Simla " was extremely reluctant to receive 
 the deputation. Indeed, had it not been for the active 
 assistance given by the Governor of Bombay Sir George 
 Lloyd I don't think Head-quarters would ever have con- 
 sented at all. 
 
 It was a great pleasure to be brought in contact with a 
 real " live wire " like Sir George Lloyd. The hold he 
 acquired so quickly over the people of the Bombay Presi- 
 dency, Europeans and Indians alike, was most marked, 
 while his keen energy, driving force and business instincts 
 have been of inestimable benefit to a city like Bombay. 
 
 It is no exaggeration to say that when he lays down his 
 office, the record of progress in housing and sanitation, of 
 difficulties overcome and of improvements carried through, 
 has seldom been approached before. His kindness to me 
 is ineffaceable, as is the memory of the interest he took 
 not only in the welfare of the troops, but in little personal 
 matters coming under his notice. 
 
 Lady Lloyd soon endeared herself to the people of Bombay, 
 Poona and Karachi. To hear her speak in public is a 
 revelation, and a matter of much envy to anyone called 
 upon to do likewise. Absolutely at her ease, confident, 
 fluent and never at a loss for the right word, she is indeed a 
 valuable coadjutor to a public man occupying so high a 
 position. 
 
 The permanent encumbent of the Poona Division, having 
 been passed fit by the India Office medical board, returned 
 to India, and I was moved on to the command of the 
 1 6th Division at Lahore. This I was to hold until anno 
 domini, and a fresh distribution of the Indian Commands 
 (which made Lahore a British service vacancy) came into 
 force. 
 
 Except for parting with our kind friends at Government 
 House, I do not know that we were sorry to leave Poona. 
 To those who have continually resided in the Punjab, 
 United Provinces, or Quetta, the climate is not congenial.
 
 SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER 275 
 
 The Poona season proper is July, August and part of Septem- 
 ber, when the monsoon breezes up the ghats make the 
 plateau very pleasant. It is then a real good station, but 
 at other times somewhat depressing. 
 
 The hunting is not bad, and I had many good gallops 
 there, but the great feature, during the season, is the succes- 
 sion of race meetings held under the auspices of the W.I.T.C. 1 
 These are really well run with experienced stewards and 
 secretary, comfortable grand stands, a beautiful course, 
 and, last but not least, abundant entries. A great attrac- 
 tion is the totalisator, 2 which does a tremendously big 
 business, taking the place of bookmakers abolished in the 
 days of Lord Sydenham. 
 
 This totalisator is a source of much profit, as five to 
 ten per cent, of the takings go to the fund. By this means 
 the W.I.T.C. has become extremely wealthy, but they spend 
 their surplus money wisely and well, in general improve- 
 ments for the benefit of the racing public. Also in very 
 handsome donations to deserving institutions and charities. 
 Indeed, so great is their benevolence that I doubt if there 
 is a single worthy object in the Bombay Presidency of late 
 years that has not received assistance from their hands, 
 especially during the Great War. 
 
 The officer accommodation question at Poona is perhaps 
 more acute than anywhere else, though it is bad enough 
 everywhere. At Poona it may be attributed to the large 
 increase in the garrison's strength of officers, and to the 
 fact that many wealthy Parsees and Indians have now 
 elected to take up their residence there, especially during 
 the season. 
 
 > West India Turf Club. 
 
 A method of gambling in horse-racing introduced into India 
 from Australia some twenty years ago. It consists of a building, 
 or booth, with windows like a railway ticket office. You go to a 
 window before a race and take as many tickets as you like on the 
 horse or horses you have selected. The price varies, but in Cal- 
 cutta and Bombay it is usually ten rupees (at present rate of ex- 
 change, say, 125. 6d.) a ticket. As soon as the start is declared the 
 windows are shut. Winners are paid directly the numbers go up 
 and you get your share of all the money invested on the particular 
 race, less five or ten per cent, for the Race Fund. By a mechanical 
 contrivance the number of tickets taken on each horse is indicated, 
 one by one, on a large disc above the ticket windows. By this 
 means you can judge the odds before making your investment.
 
 276 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Houses in cantonments are very limited in number, and 
 those outside of a high rental and often very inconvenient. 
 As my predecessor, having no wife in India, lived in the 
 club quarters, there was no house whatever for us when 
 we arrived in the middle of the season. Strange as it may 
 seem, still it is true that as the divisional commander I 
 had to wait weeks before I could get one. 
 
 I am not at all sure that it was not through the good 
 offices of the Governor that one was eventually procured. 
 Anyhow he asked me one day if it were really true that 
 I couldn't get a house, and when I said " Yes," he remarked, 
 " Well, I'll see you do get one." Shortly afterwards one 
 of his high officials, whose wife had just gone home, went 
 to live in the club and, offering us his house temporarily, 
 at the usual rental, we gladly accepted it. 
 
 At this time we were receiving from home the post-war 
 regulars for the garrison of India, preceded by advance 
 parties of two or three officers of each unit with some fifty 
 N.C.O.s and men. As these parties were primarily located 
 at Poona for some time, while their destinations were being 
 decided, and as many battalions, drafts, married families, 
 etc., also made a brief sojourn there, I had every opportunity 
 of getting to know them. 
 
 The advance parties consisting, as they mainly did, of 
 selected officers and trained soldiers who had been out in 
 India before, were delightful to deal with. Later came the 
 new units themselves, of surprisingly good material, but 
 extremely raw and untrained. 
 
 The officering of these units varied in a very marked 
 degree. In one you would find hardly any officers who had 
 been in the ranks, and in another quite the reverse, until 
 the climax was reached in a battalion which had only half 
 a dozen officers who were not " rankers," including the 
 C.O. in the latter category. 
 
 Many of these "rankers," being married, complained 
 bitterly of the impossibility of living in India on their pay, 
 whether they had their wives with them or not, saying it 
 was much more difficult to do so than in England, with the 
 good allowances existing there. The Indian Government 
 at once sanctioned an increase of pay to subaltern officers 
 from the ranks, and many too were transferred home at 
 their own request. 
 
 It was most gratifying to note how quickly these new
 
 SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER 277 
 
 troops settled down, how easily they got accustomed to 
 Indian conditions and how rapidly they picked up the tradi- 
 tions of their corps. Both in the Poona and Lahore Divi- 
 sions I was extremely pleased with the work done, the 
 progress made and the keenness shown by all ranks to reach 
 the pre-war standard. 
 
 It was with the married families we had the most difficult 
 task, owing to want of knowledge of their probable date of 
 arrival. For example, getting official intimation that those 
 of the battalion which had recently arrived to form part of 
 the Poona garrison would leave England in a month's time, 
 all their quarters were colour-washed and got ready. 
 
 It all took time, however, for a great deal of alteration 
 was required owing to a much enhanced establishment 
 to that existing before the war. This was probably due 
 to the extraordinary number of war marriages, and the 
 fact that the War Office did not wish these women and their 
 families to remain behind, if willing to come out. Almost 
 as soon as the above intimation was received, the infantry 
 brigadier called at the office to tell me the battalion com- 
 mander had just informed him that his women and children 
 were actually on the sea, and would arrive shortly. 
 
 " Quite impossible," we all said, and the official document 
 was produced, at which the C.O., who had come in, shook 
 his head, but was unconvinced, his private information 
 being entirely different. 
 
 The next day was Sunday, and at about 4 p.m. I was 
 informed that a wire had just been received from Bombay 
 saying these married families fifty-two wives and many 
 children would reach Kirkee railway station (a suburb 
 of Poona) at 5 a.m. next morning ! 
 
 Now Sunday evening is not a favourable time to catch 
 people, nor are twelve hours sufficient in which to allot 
 furniture, arrange transport, prepare food, procure good 
 milk, engage servants and have everything conducive to 
 their comfort ready, for a lot of women and children 
 who have never seen India before. 
 
 My staff were pretty busy that night and so were 
 others and they told me next day how much they owed 
 to the officers and N.C.O.s of the artillery at Kirkee, who 
 had worked like Trojans, and were meeting these people 
 and feeding them for four days. This they did so well 
 that all declared they had never eaten such good food in
 
 278 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 their lives before. I have always said : "If you want a 
 thing done quickly in an emergency and want it done well, 
 ask a gunner." They've never let me down. 
 
 It was fortunate the families were given a good break- 
 fast, for on reaching their quarters afterwards, and seeing 
 how small they were, what little furniture there was, and 
 how much they had to do, many of them sat down on the 
 steps and cried bitterly. Thus my wife found them on 
 going round to see if she could give any help. 
 
 This influx of batches of married people all over India, 
 with no knowledge whatever of the country and no nucleus 
 of pre-war families to show them the way about (moreover 
 women of a superior class to former days and accustomed 
 to a higher standard of living) , was a very difficult situation 
 to deal with. What made it still more difficult was the 
 fact that the War Office were unable to say, straight off, 
 what the fixed establishment should be. 
 
 I am afraid there was a good deal of discomfort at first. 
 The husbands had certainly to put their hands in then- 
 pockets to a very considerable extent, in addition to 
 grants from regimental funds, to provide what in the old 
 days might have been called luxuries, but are now requisites. 
 So far as I could ascertain the average came to about 
 Rs. 200 (say 13) per man. 
 
 The matter was of course immediately represented by 
 me, and doubtless by others, and the Government of India 
 took action as soon as possible. There was unavoidable 
 delay in completion, but before the question was repre- 
 sented by the Esher Committee, a much more liberal 
 household outfit was sanctioned. In addition, the con- 
 struction of a large number of extra quarters, of a far 
 superior type, was put in hand. 
 
 It is interesting to note that attention is now concen- 
 trated on good hill accommodation, while the winter 
 months will be spent on the plains under canvas. Some 
 of the old stagers, of whom there are a few left, will not 
 care about this for, like the pre-war British soldier, they 
 much prefer the ease, comfort, big bazaars and facility 
 for getting servants in the plains. They think nothing of 
 the heat, even putting aside any consideration for their 
 children. 
 
 Later, at Lahore, I was to experience an instance of this 
 where the wife of an old artillery sergeant, who had been
 
 SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER 279 
 
 in India before, influenced the women of several new units 
 to refuse to move to the hills. She pictured them as bleak, 
 horrible mountains full of wild animals, with no bazaars, 
 no comfort and every movement done on foot. She had 
 no children, but others had. 
 
 Hearing of this I suggested a circular should be sent 
 round giving a true account of the horrors of the plains 
 in the hot weather. The beauty and advantages of the hills 
 were to be dwelt on, and a point made of the benefit de- 
 rived by the children. At the same time my staff pro- 
 posed to all brigadiers that the regimental ladies should 
 further the matter by personal visits and explanation. 
 This had very good results except in the very battery to 
 which this obstructionist belonged, where a bombardier's 
 wife with two children absolutely refused to budge. 
 
 Meeting the major's wife and asking how her propa- 
 ganda was progressing she mentioned this case, adding 
 she had tried every kind of persuasion in vain. She added 
 she had even gone so far as to say that the major-general 
 commanding the division was interesting himself very 
 much in the matter and thought no woman should stay 
 down in the plains. To this the bombardier's lady had 
 replied : " Major-general or no major-general, I am not 
 going to them 'orrid 'ills full of snakes and wild animals, 
 and nothing but working and walking from morning till 
 night ! " Eventually she was left below, but the children 
 were sent up with another family. 
 
 To arrive in Lahore as G.O.C. Division, but a perfect 
 stranger, at the very beginning of the 1919 Christmas week, 
 with its hunt meets, races, polo tournament, dances and 
 horse show, was something of an ordeal, but perhaps not 
 a bad preliminary introduction to all grades of society. 
 
 This was the first year since 1913 that any serious attempt 
 had been made to revive the pre-war glories of the Lahore 
 Christmas festivities, and what with hunting twice a week, 
 two full days at the horse show, and some kind of tourney 
 every afternoon, one was kept pretty busy. I had brought 
 with me, from Poona, my Australian hunter " Warrior," 
 and at Lahore he repeated his Poona successes by taking 
 first prize in both " Hunter " and " English and Colonial " 
 classes, as he did again two months later at Rawalpindi. 
 
 The hunting was very good, and indeed all through 
 the season the M.F.H. (Lieut. -Colonel W F. S. Casson)
 
 280 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 showed excellent sport to large fields. I took a bad toss 
 on the 29th February owing to my horse putting his 
 foot in a hole when going fast. But I always look back 
 on it as really a piece of good luck, because it happened 
 on the very last day of the season. 
 
 For the benefit of those who do not know, it may be 
 said that the Lahore Cantonments are situated six miles 
 from the capital itself, a distance which is just far enough 
 to make the journey a nuisance, and yet not far enough 
 to cause the visit to be a real change or novelty. 
 
 Tradition has it that in 1851-2 it was decided to 
 transfer troops from Anarkali (suburb of Lahore), on 
 account of its unhealthiness, to a new cantonment out- 
 side. This the Lahore general was instructed to select. 
 Seeing no object in placing troops anywhere except in 
 Lahore itself, he protested, but was overruled. 
 
 Time went on until, no plans or proposals being sub- 
 mitted, Simla sent very urgent orders for the selection 
 and report to be carried out immediately. Calling for 
 his staff and his horse, the general galloped hard across 
 country until his mount was clean cooked, when dis- 
 mounting, he said : " This will do for the site of their 
 damned cantonment ! " A stone opposite the present 
 church marks this spot, but the inscription on it fails 
 to do justice to the above legend. The name given was 
 Mian Mir. 
 
 In face of the question asked in the House of Commons, 
 during the war, as to whether it was true that certain 
 Territorials had been moved to the unhealthy climate 
 of Mian Mir, and the reply : " No, sir, but to the salu- 
 brious station of Lahore Cantonments," it may be as well 
 to explain that the two places are identical, except in 
 name ! 
 
 As a matter of fact Mian Mir got such a bad reputation 
 for malaria that, after General Walter Kitchener's cam- 
 paign against this disease, when he closed all irrigation 
 aqueducts in the place, it was thought as well, in 1906, 
 to change the name to Lahore Cantonments. This com- 
 pulsory stoppage of innumerable little channels of water, 
 running in excavated ditches, certainly made a difference 
 from the health point of view, but the lack of irrigation 
 also made the station extremely dusty and barren. So 
 much so, that as funds became available, brick channels
 
 SOME TRIALS OF A COMMANDER 281 
 
 were substituted for the old excavations and the water 
 was reintroduced. The place is not particularly un- 
 healthy now, but the decrease in malaria may be as 
 much due to the present habitual use of mosquito curtains 
 and to other health precautions, as to the change in the 
 methods of irrigation. 
 
 I arrived in Lahore too late to have any connection 
 with that prince of lieutenant-governors, Sir Michael 
 O'Dwyer, but in his successor, Sir Edward Maclagan, 
 the new ruler of the Punjab, I was to find a very charming 
 gentleman.
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 
 
 
 HO throw light on happenings in India since 
 1914 necessitates reference to the Amritsar 
 Affair as well as to the political situation 
 in India, comments on both of which I had 
 hoped to avoid. 
 
 I write as a soldier, and look at things from a soldier's 
 point of view. It is true I was on the spot, but the 
 political situation can, and probably will, be described 
 much better by someone with a greater inside knowledge 
 and a far abler pen. In a very able, clear and moderate 
 speech, Lord Sydenham called the attention of the House 
 of Lords to the situation in India. 1 His remarks had 
 evidently been prepared with great care. His statements 
 were concise and logical, while his deductions were un- 
 answered, because many of them were probably unanswer- 
 able. Is it any wonder therefore that I desired to omit 
 all reference to this subject ? 
 
 But as I wrote and my words were nearly all penned 
 three months before Lord Sydenham' s speech I realised 
 two facts. Firstly, that people have very short memories, 
 especially on subjects that do not interest them. Secondly, 
 that they labour under the disadvantage of obtaining 
 their information in serial form from the newspapers, and 
 so lose all sense of perspective. 
 
 Therefore it seemed to me essential that I should de- 
 scribe the conditions prevailing in India during and after 
 the war, especially as regards the Punjab. Further, that 
 I should lead up to the Dyer Case, and give a brief outline 
 of what took place at Amritsar. Finally, that I should 
 
 1 October 25, 1921. 
 282
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 283 
 
 present a bird's-eye view of the situation to-day from a 
 soldier's standpoint. 
 
 In 1907-8 there were seditious movements, but I need 
 scarcely refer to these, except to note that they did occur. 
 In 1914-16 there were risings in the South- West Punjab, 
 hardly anti-Government, for no Government officers were 
 attacked, nor was any Government property looted. They 
 were dealt with and suppressed, mainly by the armed 
 Police. In 1916 Mrs. Besant hoisted her Home Rule 
 flag in Madras. 
 
 During the same period there was the Ghadr conspiracy. 
 This was in existence before the War, and composed chiefly 
 of Sikhs in the United States of America, who were in 
 touch with disaffected Sikhs in the Punjab. After the 
 outbreak of war it was financed by German money. A 
 party of Sikhs left India for Canada in the early autumn 
 of 1914. Being refused admission into Canada, they had 
 to return to India, and landed in Calcutta, October, 1914. 
 Failure to search them for arms on disembarkation, and 
 some other mismanagement, led to serious rioting at the 
 railway station of Budge-Budge, near Calcutta, which 
 spread and had to be put down by the military. The aim 
 of the Ghadr party was the overthrow of British rule in 
 India. 
 
 In the winter of 1918 political agitators were extremely 
 active everywhere, especially at Amritsar, in the Punjab. 
 Every measure of Government, such as attempts to control 
 prices and commandeer stocks for the needs of the Army, 
 or people, at reasonable prices, was seized on for mis- 
 representation. Then came the publication of the Rowlatt 
 Bill in January, 1919. This was a measure, advised by 
 the Rowlatt Committee, to enable Government to deal 
 with seditious movements more speedily than by ordinary 
 law, and was rendered necessary owing to the Armistice 
 and the approaching lapse of the Defence of India Act 
 (the D.O.R.A. of India). Its introduction gave the ex- 
 tremists the very opportunity they were looking for, 
 namely, an excuse to combine, and to focus their anti- 
 Government agitation on a particular measure. 
 
 The Bill was passed in March, 1919, and was a signal 
 for that violent and unprecedented agitation all over India 
 with which Government had been threatened in the native 
 Press and on many a platform. It also led to Gandhi's
 
 284 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 passive resistance movement, i.e. non-co-operation with 
 any Government work whatever. This was accompanied 
 by hartals (lit. a strike, i.e. passive resistance as evinced by 
 the closing of all shops, etc.), as decreed by Gandhi, upon 
 dates and in places fixed by him. 
 
 The result of all this was the outbreak at Delhi on the 
 30th March. This, had it been firmly dealt with, might 
 have ended the matter, but the leniency then showed 
 encouraged the party of violence, and it was followed by 
 the April disturbances in Lahore and insurrection and 
 open rebellion at Amritsar and elsewhere. 
 
 Seditionists had everything in their favour, for there 
 was a general restlessness during 1919-20. This was 
 mainly the aftermath of the Great War, for unrest was 
 abroad, and India could little expect to be immune. It 
 became a kind of mental disorder, which got on the nerves 
 of the people, making them discontented as well as restless. 
 Nor were their grievances entirely unreasonable, for a great 
 deal of serious economic distress actually existed. Food 
 was very much dearer, the luxuries the better class had 
 become accustomed to were often unprocurable, and the 
 price of clothes was prohibitive. 
 
 The people did not understand the reason for all this, 
 and, blaming the Government, as they do in all periods of 
 distress, became most fruitful soil for the seeds of sedition, 
 which agitators of all classes were not slow to take 
 advantage of. Any stick was good enough to beat Govern- 
 ment with, and bring it into discredit. 
 
 Amongst the more successful movements was their 
 emigration scheme * in connection with the Khilafat 2 
 
 1 The emigrants were also called " Muhajirin " (see footnote, 
 page 219). By this term Indians meant to imply that these 
 people were abandoning their country from religious conviction, 
 i.e. " making a flight " from India under a Christian Government 
 to Afghanistan under a Mahomedan power. Probably connected 
 with Mahomet's flight from Mecca, known as the " Hegira." 
 
 2 The Khilafat movement was organised by the Mahomedans in 
 India as a protest against the dismemberment of the Turkish Empire. 
 The Mahomedan looks to Turkey and the Sultan of Turkey as the 
 " Khalif," or head of the Mahomedan world, and protector of the 
 Holy Places of Islam, which include Adrianople, Constantinople, 
 Jerusalem, Mecca, Nejf and Bagdad. All of these, prior to 1914, 
 were under the suzerainty, if not under the actual control, of Turkey. 
 Mahomedan Holy Places being now in the hands of the, to them, 
 infidel (Greek or British) is, so they declare, contrary to the tenets
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 285 
 
 agitation which, engineered with much skill and ingenuity 
 by extremists of all creeds, caused me a great deal of 
 anxiety in the Lahore Division as likely to seriously affect 
 our Mahomedan soldiery. 
 
 Speaking briefly, it may be explained, that seizing on 
 the proposed Turkish peace terms as likely ground to afford 
 proof of England's desire to debase a Mahomedan Power, 
 these agitators made deceptive and misleading statements 
 regarding the transfer of the Khilafat or custody of the Holy 
 Places from the Sultan of Turkey, and persuaded many 
 thousands of Mahomedans, as a protest, to migrate from 
 India to Afghanistan. 
 
 They were told that the Amir and the Afghans would 
 receive them with open arms; that the country was one 
 flowing with milk and honey ; that they would be given 
 land rent free, and even cottages, cattle and fodder. 
 Backed up, as all these statements were, by doles of money 
 and railway expenses, raised by subscription, many thou- 
 sands of poor, misguided followers of the Prophet, dis- 
 posing of their holdings and selling their stock and cattle 
 at a great loss, embarked on this disastrous adventure 
 by special trains to the frontier. 
 
 As is well known, they were very soon disillusioned, and 
 finding their welcome in Afghanistan, and the conditions 
 existing there, the very opposite from what they had been 
 led to expect, the majority of those who did not succumb 
 and many did hastened to get back to India alive. On 
 return, in a miserable plight, they had immediate and 
 undoubted proof of the paternity and generosity of the 
 Government they had been foolish enough to dishonour 
 and abuse. They were received, like the prodigal son, 
 with feasting and gifts in the shape of restored holdings, 
 fresh cattle, and some money with which to start again. 
 In fact over large areas the counsel of the political agitator 
 was at a discount, while the prestige of and belief in 
 Government became higher than ever before on the 
 North-West Frontier. 
 
 My forebodings regarding the danger of this movement, 
 as regards our Mahomedan troops, were no illusion. In 
 September, as the Khilafat emigration was progressing, I 
 
 of their religion. As a matter of fact Indian Mahomedans had never 
 looked to Turkey before. This protest was, therefore, simply a 
 move in the political game,
 
 286 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 was called to Multan in connection with uneasiness in 
 the I27th Baluchistan Infantry on this very question, and 
 for which the men were in no way to blame. The bat- 
 talion had lately returned from service overseas, and 
 about half the men had proceeded on leave to their homes 
 on the North- West Frontier. A large number, however, 
 immediately returned, to report that they could find neither 
 wives, homes, nor relatives, as all had disappeared and 
 emigrated into Afghanistan. Such a state of affairs natu- 
 rally caused the greatest disquietude. 
 
 In the interim, the exigencies of the times necessitated 
 the move of this unit for active service on the frontier, 
 as soon as the leave men had all returned. It was at 
 this juncture that Major Kennedy-Craufurd-Stuart, the 
 O.C., reported the matter, begging for guidance and help. 
 On reaching the regimental lines I noticed large groups 
 of men standing about, and a good many talking excitedly 
 to someone in a car. They would have stopped mine, 
 but, by a piece of good fortune, this someone happened to 
 be an inspecting brigadier from Simla, who was just ahead 
 of me. Thinking he was the divisional commander, 
 the men formed up across the road and, while speaking 
 to him, as his car pulled up, I slipped quietly by. 
 
 I was soon closeted with the O.C. and his Subadar Major 
 (senior Indian officer) in the orderly room. I had not 
 met Major Stuart before, but was struck at once with 
 his capacity, and level-headed grasp of the whole situation. 
 His S.M. appeared to me about the best type of a manly, 
 honest, straightforward frontier soldier I had ever come 
 across. 
 
 The result of the investigation was a " clear line " wire 
 to Army Headquarters, explaining the facts of the case, 
 with a strong recommendation that the projected move 
 of the unit to the frontier be cancelled and the men given 
 very liberal leave to their homes. [I had information that 
 a great number of the emigrants were returning by batches.] 
 Both were sanctioned and, as this was just what the O.C. 
 wanted, and what the Subadar Major said would make 
 matters quite all right, confidence was restored. 
 
 Harking back to the unprecedented agitation on the 
 passing of the Rowlatt Bill (March, 1919), followed by the 
 outbreak at Delhi, it must be noted that the situation 
 everywhere was soon one of extreme tension. The heads
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 287 
 
 of all local Governments were full of anxiety, for distur- 
 bances in various other provinces pointed to a common 
 organisation. 
 
 Every revolutionary eruption in India endeavours to 
 establish itself in the Punjab for the following reasons : 
 
 (a) It is the province which is the mainstay of the army. 
 
 (b) Its proximity to the frontier and Afghanistan assists 
 the movement in becoming much more dangerous, and 
 in developing more rapidly than elsewhere. 
 
 (c) The martial and excitable character of the people 
 lends itself more readily to the designs of the political 
 agitator. 
 
 The Punjab all along had been effectively dealing with 
 the situation in its midst. Sir Michael O'Dwyer realised 
 long before what was likely to occur. By advice and 
 exhortation he tried to bring home to both Hindu and 
 Mahomedan extremists the vast danger of the path they 
 were treading. At the same time, he encouraged all the 
 loyal elements (the vast majority and including the fighting 
 races who had done so splendidly in the War) to help in 
 maintaining peace and order. 
 
 Away from the towns these efforts were entirely success- 
 ful, but they failed with that section of the urban popula- 
 tion which had held back during the War and was directly 
 influenced by the extremist platform and the virulent 
 native Press. Even here, however, there were results, for 
 the disturbances were confined to certain towns and areas 
 adjoining them or along the railway influenced by such 
 towns. 
 
 It was only the prompt repression of the rebellion by 
 the Punjab Government, and its effects on the military 
 and political situation on the frontier and with Afghanistan, 
 which prevented much more serious outbreaks in other 
 provinces, and averted what might easily have become a 
 regular revolution. Indeed, it is an undoubted fact that 
 the measures taken prevented other serious risings, not 
 only within the province, but outside it. Moreover they 
 restored the internal situation before Government had to 
 meet the more serious crisis, namely, the Afghan War. 
 This came, as I have related elsewhere, early in May, 
 and was precipitated by the Amir's belief that the whole 
 Punjab was in a state of revolt against Government. 
 
 When I arrived in Lahore the Punjab was still smoulder-
 
 288 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 ing under the supposition that the retribution enacted 
 at Amritsar for cold-blooded murder and arson, followed 
 by unlawful assemblage, was quite unmerited, and that 
 the questions of the Khilafat l and Turkish peace terms 
 were being treated by the British Government in such 
 a way as to insult the feelings of all Mahomedans. When 
 I say, " The Punjab was still smouldering," I should be 
 more correct in saying, " seditionists and evil disposed 
 people in the Punjab." The mass of the population knew 
 little about these matters, and cared less, until worked 
 up by the visits, speeches and propaganda of these 
 ubiquitous undesirables. 
 
 Here it is as well to relate, that undoubtedly fostered 
 by the machinations of these people, a new development 
 appeared, one which I had seldom seen a sign of before, 
 and one which gradually increased as the disinclination 
 of Government to take adequate action against such 
 political agitators was more and more evident. 
 
 What was in the mind of the authorities we never knew. 
 Lord Chelmsford told the House of Lords, when speaking 
 on Lord Sydenham's debate on 25th October last, that the 
 policy of the Government of India had been to let the 
 non-co-operation movement kill itself. Exactly what Lord 
 Sinha said in 1920, when Under Secretary of State for 
 India, and speaking of Gandhi's agitation. 
 
 To us on the spot, both then and later, when Gandhi's 
 policy of non-co-operation 2 progressed, it looked as if 
 they were gambling on the chance of excitement over the 
 elections to the new reform councils 3 absorbing all the 
 attention and activities of these demagogues, to the exclu- 
 sion of everything else. Be that as it may, the unbridled 
 licence allowed, both on the platform and in the native 
 press, to vilify Government and defame British rule made 
 things very unpleasant. 
 
 The Government's plan, if plan it was, was entirely 
 frustrated by the extremists boycotting the elections 
 altogether ! It may be permitted perhaps to enquire, 
 en passant, what will be the condition of affairs, if these 
 men elect to stand at the next elections, and are returned, 
 as they certainly may be ? 
 
 The development I refer to was racial hatred, quite 
 foreign indeed to the men of the Indian Army, and to the 
 
 1 See footnote 2, page 284. * See page 284. 3 See page 295.
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 289 
 
 humble ryot, 1 but very noticeable elsewhere. It arose 
 from the cunning appeals of the agitator to racial feeling, 
 which is perhaps the strongest sentiment in human nature. 
 Such reference undoubtedly caused a loss of respect for a, 
 so-called, ruling race, which he pictured as paralysed with 
 fear, and afraid to govern. He instanced, as proof, the 
 immunity of the leading members of this band of extremists 
 in their open defiance of all authority. It was a crafty 
 argument, and likely to bear weight even amongst much 
 more intellectual and intelligent audiences than those to 
 which it was presented in the Punjab. 
 
 People in England seem quite incapable of understand- 
 ing that the dumb millions of India were more than content 
 with the British Raj, and that it was only a proportion of 
 the ridiculously small majority of natives educated by us, 
 on Western lines, who were " agin the Government." 
 The " moderates," amongst those educated in this way, 
 are to have their chance, and from what I saw before leaving 
 India they are getting that chance. Moreover the way 
 they have, in some cases, taken it makes the future, with 
 certain provisos, more full of hope than pessimists would 
 have one believe. But I must paint the picture as I found 
 it in December, 1919, and January, 1920, after the gaieties 
 were over, and I was able to move about. 
 
 Taking the earliest opportunity of visiting Amritsar 
 before Christmas, I was a good deal struck by the sullen 
 demeanour of the inhabitants, and the distinct indication 
 of that racial hatred I have already referred to. As the 
 extremist congress was just about to assemble there for 
 a huge conference, this was not perhaps a matter of wonder. 
 However, with tactful handling of the situation by the 
 civil authorities, and firm action by the military in certain 
 cases of insubordination amongst various classes of followers, 
 there was much less evidence of this feeling later on. At 
 least I thought so, but casual visits, assisted only by reports 
 of junior officers, are not conducive to a very clear per- 
 spective. 
 
 As regards the Dyer case, I cannot commence better 
 than by quoting from a report I have been privileged to 
 read : 
 
 " Briefly the situation was this. On the I3th April, 
 1919, Amritsar, a city of 160,000 people (with a strong 
 1 Indian peasant of the rural population. 
 
 T
 
 2go UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 leaven of the lawless and desperate element), had been 
 in a state of open rebellion for four days (since the loth). 
 Five Europeans had been murdered. European ladies 
 had been savagely assaulted, and in one case left for dead 
 (Miss Sherwood). The church and other missionary build- 
 ings had been burnt. Two English banks, whose managers 
 had been murdered, had been looted. The railway goods 
 station had been set on fire. The railway passenger station 
 had been attacked and only saved by the timely arrival of 
 a troop train with Gurkhas. 
 
 " The Central Telegraph office in the city had been assaulted 
 and damaged, the European telegraph master being only 
 saved by the arrival of Indian troops. The railway stations 
 adjoining Amritsar had been wrecked and looted. A 
 goods train had also been looted. An attempt had been 
 made on the Calcutta mail proceeding to Lahore, but this 
 was repulsed by fire from the railway police guard. The 
 Town Hall had been set on fire, and various post offices 
 in the city plundered." 
 
 I am told the Civil Commissioner of the division was 
 specially sent down to Amritsar by the Lieutenant-Governor 
 on the loth April. Assured that the civil power could 
 do nothing, he made over charge of the situation to the 
 Officer Commanding troops, to re-establish, by military 
 power, the authority of Government. The next day 
 (nth April), Brigadier-General Dyer arrived at Amritsar 
 with reinforcements, and taking over command, issued 
 a proclamation on the I2th in all the main thoroughfares, 
 forbidding any public meetings, and warning the people 
 that such would be dispersed by force. He was an officer 
 of long and varied experience with a great knowledge of 
 the country also. 
 
 On the same day he issued a further proclamation and, 
 marching troops through the city, got control of the exits. 
 The city was still in a state of tumult and revolt, the atti- 
 tude of the mob on this day being so hostile that the 
 question of opening fire had to be seriously considered. 
 General Dyer, however, decided to issue a still further pro- 
 clamation first. 
 
 Meanwhile, emissaries from the rebels had taken an 
 active part in stirring up an outbreak at the adjoining 
 railway station of Kasur on the I2th. Here a furious 
 mob attempted to kill every European in the train, and
 
 To face page 290 Photo : London Daily Mail Copyright 
 
 BRIGADIER-GENERAL R. E. H. DYER, C.B., INDIAN ARMY.
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 291 
 
 actually did murder two warrant officers. On the same 
 date they had also attacked the Government treasury of 
 Taran-Taran. 
 
 These facts were known to General Dyer when, soon 
 after issuing his final proclamation on the I3th, he dis- 
 covered that a large gathering had assembled at the 
 Jalianwala Bagh (Garden), in open defiance of his order, of 
 which few, if any, in the circumstances, could have been 
 ignorant. 
 
 It seemed to him, therefore, that there was no alternative 
 but dispersion by force, and on this afternoon of the I3th 
 April, he proceeded with an armoured car and ninety 
 Indian troops, all he could spare, to the Jalianwala Bagh 
 gathering for this purpose. 
 
 The meeting had been convened by the rebel who led 
 the attack on the National Bank on the loth, when the 
 two European employes were murdered. Before Dyer's 
 arrival it had been addressed by eight speakers, all of 
 whom had taken a leading part in the rebellion, and five 
 of whom were subsequently sentenced to transportation 
 for life. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the object 
 of the meeting was to stimulate sedition and rebellion, 
 as well as to defy the proclamations of the military 
 authorities. 
 
 As General Dyer was clearly dealing with a rebellion 
 the Lieutenant-Governor, that same day, sent a wireless 
 message to Simla (all other means of communication having 
 been cut) proposing the application of martial law to 
 Lahore and Amritsar. This was sanctioned the same 
 night, and proclaimed on the I5th April. 
 
 Now the approach to Jalianwala Bagh was by a small 
 alley too narrow for the armoured car, which was left in 
 the main city street, and not utilised. On arrival with 
 his men at the end of the alley, overlooking the garden, 
 General Dyer saw that an excited mob of some thousands 
 was being harangued by political agitators. He ordered 
 fire to be opened at once in order to disperse the hostile 
 gathering. The death-roll was 397. I have heard it said 
 that women and children were shot. This is incorrect, 
 for there were none there. Moreover, of the 397 killed, 
 300 were lawless and desperate characters belonging to 
 Amritsar city. 
 
 A visit to this Bagh and reflections on the incidents
 
 292 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 that had occurred on the I3th April, and before, brought 
 home to me the very difficult situation in which General 
 Dyer was placed. It appeared to me to be his mission to 
 disperse that mob by force, and prevent further acts of 
 rebellion in Amritsar. His action not only effectively 
 stopped them there, but, as the news spread, in many 
 other places. I knew this to be a fact myself, months 
 afterwards, and in a locality so remote as Poona, near 
 Bombay. 
 
 Very high authority does not hesitate to affirm that 
 Dyer's action that day was the decisive factor in crushing 
 what was a very serious rebellion. Further, this same 
 authority is convinced that if he had not dispersed the 
 gathering by force, the rebellion would have assumed 
 such dimensions that its suppression would have involved 
 infinitely greater loss of life and suffering than was caused 
 at Amritsar on the I3th April, 1919. 
 
 There has been much controversy over General Dyer's 
 action that day, not only as to whether he used too much 
 force, but also as to whether he was justified in using 
 greater force than the actual situation required, in order 
 to create an impression elsewhere. I do not wish to revive 
 that controversy. The decision was against him, and it 
 is useless flogging a dead horse. 
 
 I understand the highest military authority in India 
 asked for an immediate Government enquiry. This was 
 not sanctioned ; but, later on, the Hunter Committee 
 was appointed from home, and began its enquiry seven 
 months after the events had happened, and when hostile 
 propaganda had made it most difficult to ascertain the 
 true facts. Meanwhile General Dyer was given a better 
 appointment on the frontier, and remained uncensured 
 during this period. 
 
 He was called as a witness before this court of enquiry 
 and cross-examined by the three expert Indian lawyers, 
 who had been appointed to the committee, much as if 
 he had been a criminal in the dock. Whether he was 
 offered legal assistance or not, I do not know. Anyhow 
 he had none, and, being a simple, frank soldier, suffered 
 badly in that examination, which was distinctly adverse 
 in tone. Asking me, just before he left India, what I 
 thought of his action on the I3th April, and of his evidence, 
 etc., I told him plainly, that I considered he was bound
 
 'loja.L. pave 2V2 
 
 THE STREET IN AMRITSAR CITY, PUNJAB, WHERE Miss SHERWOOD WAS 
 
 LEFT FOR DEAD BY THE REBELS IN APRIL, 1919.
 
 GENERAL DYER AND AMRITSAR 293 
 
 to get the worst of it ; not so much for what he had done, 
 but for what he had said. 
 
 As regards what he did, we have now before us the case 
 of two young officers in the Leinsters operating recently 
 with a platoon in the Moplah country. They are said 
 to have been cut to pieces and horribly mutilated because 
 they hesitated to fire, and therefore gave the rebels the 
 chance of rushing them. The inference is obvious, but 
 I have wished to tread in this delicate matter with all 
 caution, and it will be quite sufficient if I conclude by 
 giving my own feelings on the Dyer Case, which are shared 
 by the majority of my brother soldiers. 
 
 We feel, that whatever excesses or errors of judgment 
 it may be thought he committed, his actions effected the 
 immediate object in view, i.e. the suppression of the 
 rebellion at its very centre, and were primarily approved 
 by the highest authorities. This being so, no political 
 or other influences should have induced the same author- 
 ities, later on, to reverse their judgment and let him down. 
 True, the findings of the Hunter Commission were adverse, 
 and this was really the final verdict. True also is it, that 
 his own evidence before it was self-condemnatory. Yet, 
 it seems to us, that, the just line to have taken would 
 have been to clearly and emphatically disavow his acts 
 or rather his subsequent explanation of them where 
 necessary, while at the same time refusing to be a party 
 to his professional ruin. The reason being, as I say, that 
 his action had already been tacitly confirmed, and because 
 it was agreed, on all sides, that he had acted in good faith, 
 in a way which, to his lights, seemed absolutely necessary 
 and quite unavoidable. 
 
 On my visit to Amritsar in December, 1919, were still 
 standing, in the fort, the tents and other shelters in which 
 the British, Indian and American missionaries had been 
 accommodated when fleeing for their lives the April 
 before. Here and about the adjacent railway, a busy 
 day was spent settling the new scheme of defence to deal 
 with any future eventualities. Later on, I camped in 
 the public gardens a strong company of Gurkhas as an 
 addition to the ordinary garrison, which, except for 
 garrison gunners and a platoon of British infantry in the 
 fort, was located some distance away in cantonments, on 
 the farther side of the civil lines.
 
 294 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 The Gurkhas enjoyed these gardens immensely and 
 were very happy there. The company belonged to a 
 battalion to which I had been adjutant, when it was raised, 
 some twenty years before, and it knew me well. The men 
 told me that on first arrival it had been unpleasant, and 
 almost dangerous, for less than a group of half a dozen 
 or so to walk into the city. If they did so, they were met 
 with scowling looks and an offensive remark about shoot- 
 ing down the speaker's brothers, an accusation which 
 was most unfair, as I believe no Gurkhas were employed 
 to fire on that I3th April, 1919. However, in a month or 
 two such is the fascination and attractiveness of the 
 Gurkha they could go in singly, and make what 
 purchases they liked without any disagreeable comment 
 whatever.
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND " BIRDIE " 
 
 WE now come to the present time, i.e. the end 
 of 1921, when the Reform Act has 
 revolutionised the system of government 
 in India by placing the control in the hands 
 of a combination of Britishers and Indians, with the 
 Viceroy in chief command. As even members of the new 
 Government themselves would emphatically refuse to 
 express any opinion on the probable success of the scheme, 
 I am certainly not going to be so foolish as to pretend to 
 pronounce judgment. 
 
 It may suffice to say that the new councils, both imperial 
 and provincial, have, in some cases, begun fairly well, 
 and shown more moderation, statesmanship and sense 
 of responsibility than we expected. At the same time 
 it is a great experiment, not unfraught with danger, and 
 will require much firmness in the handling. More than 
 that, it will require far greater courage on the part of 
 Governors and the Viceroy than they have ever been 
 called upon to display before. With the eyes, in many 
 places sceptical eyes, of the whole world looking on, their 
 task is uncommonly difficult. 
 
 For the benefit of those who know nothing about India 
 and, I am afraid I must add, care less, let me try to make 
 myself a little clearer. Successful government in India 
 has always depended on the prestige of the British Raj 
 (Rule) being preserved. We do not yet know how this 
 transfer of authority to a combination will be viewed by 
 the masses, who have always looked upon the authority 
 of Government as paramount. The question is whether 
 they are sufficiently advanced, and the educated moderates 
 sagacious enough, to understand the change ; also whether 
 
 295
 
 296 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 the latter are brave enough to have the courage of their 
 convictions. 
 
 Let me give an illustration. The new Viceroy (Lord 
 Reading) granted five interviews this last summer to 
 Gandhi, who is at present the one great outstanding 
 personality on his country's political stage, and whose 
 dangerous policy of " non-co-operation " I have already 
 alluded to. He had, until lately, the Ali brothers as 
 his most zealous supporters, but they have now been 
 tried, convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment 
 for attempting to seduce the Indian soldier from his allegi- 
 ance. 
 
 The interviews were of course given with the best inten- 
 tions, and perhaps we should not, at this distance, criticise. 
 But there have been occasions, before Lord Reading's 
 time, when the treatment of this misguided person has 
 been very weak, and has been misunderstood. No good 
 appears to have resulted from these meetings, therefore 
 the belief that Government (in the person of the Viceroy) 
 is paramount is in great danger of vanishing, while 
 the credit for supremacy will be transferred elsewhere. 
 Political agitators have already fastened on this by preach- 
 ing that Gandhi is superhuman, and most cleverly paint 
 a picture of his immunity from arrest, and his power over 
 the highest authorities. 
 
 Indeed their ingenuity does not end here. That is the 
 ingenuity of Gandhi and Co. His last, almost despairing, 
 promise to the people regarding Svaraj (Home Rule) was, 
 that he would attain it before the end of this year (1921). 
 As this promise is unlikely to be redeemed something 
 must be published to the dupes by way of explanation. 
 In some districts, I am credibly informed, the villagers 
 have been actually told that India is no longer in pos- 
 session of the British. The worst of it is the majority 
 believe it ! 
 
 In one district, at least, a fable has been circulated 
 to captivate the villagers and to meet the case of those 
 who disbelieve the other fabrication that before Svaraj 
 can come a child, with only one eye, is to be born of a 
 virgin, and a colt, with one eye, foaled by a mare. 
 Delightfully vague of course as to when and where, but 
 very clever. Doubtless when Gandhi and Co. consider 
 the time is ripe, the child and colt will be duly born !
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 297 
 
 As a matter of fact these men, who direct sedition and 
 undermine the Government, are past masters in gulling 
 the Indian public. They know too well, not only how to 
 play on this most touching frailty of the masses (of being 
 so easily gulled), but also on the excitable and unformed 
 persuasions of the partially educated student. 
 
 The main object at present of these malcontents, inspired 
 by Gandhi, is to upset every attempt to introduce success- 
 ful reform leading to the government and administration 
 of India by any combination of British and Indian. In 
 spite of arrests to date (October, 1921) and in spite of the 
 fact that Gandhi's influence may be somewhat on the 
 wane, this intrigue will continue, unless the very firmest 
 steps are taken to stop it entirely. 
 
 Hence my meaning that courage and firmness are now 
 so essential. That is to say, prompt and resolute action 
 must be taken immediately events tend to show there 
 is some doubt as to whose authority is paramount. For 
 various reasons a loophole has sometimes been given. 
 There must be no loopholes and no sign of weakness. 
 
 Some people may think it is absurd to suppose that 
 even simple villagers in India could possibly credit such 
 tales as I have quoted. I can assure them it is so. My 
 " shikar " experiences alone have taught me the absolutely 
 incredible stories these peasants will believe. Indeed, 
 although it sounds ridiculous to say so, it is a fact, that 
 the more incredible, the more impossible and the vaguer 
 the fable, the more likely is it to be accepted as true. To 
 give only one instance a natural history one thousands 
 of forest villagers are convinced that a bird which sleeps 
 on his back, does so because he is a nervous bird and fears 
 the sky may fall on him ! 
 
 During the war the natives in the United Provinces 
 District were taught, and firmly believed, that the Germans 
 had captured Calcutta and the German fleet had sailed 
 up the Ganges. Further, that they, the Germans, eventu- 
 ally were defeated by the civil police at Mirzapore (near 
 Benares) under the collector ! 
 
 In one conspiracy against us, the Arya Samaj, two 
 points were often raised by agitators with much success, 
 and to which we always had much difficulty in giving 
 an effective reply. The natives entirely believed them 
 both. The first was that we have introduced plague to
 
 298 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 reduce their numbers, as no European dies of plague, 
 while millions of poor native martyrs die every day of it. 
 If any of the audience express incredulity, the spouter 
 a trained as well as a born orator (as most natives are) 
 rounds on them at once : 
 
 " How many people died this cold weather of plague 
 in Narain Das' household ? " he demands. 
 
 " Seventeen," is the answer. 
 
 " O ho," says the speaker, " and how many left this 
 transitory world of the family of Baldeo ? " 
 
 " Twenty- three." 
 
 " So ho," he goes on, " in two houses in this tinpot 
 hamlet of yours, nearly half a hundred have been destroyed 
 by the ' demons ' (the word usually applied to Europeans 
 by these demagogues) in a few weeks, and you dare to 
 doubt me when I tell you that these ' demons ' introduced 
 this disease of which they never die to kill you off in 
 droves." 
 
 The second point made is that the " demons " kill 
 hundreds of thousands of lovely cows and calves every 
 day in every slaughter-house in India to give beef to them- 
 selves and their soldiers ; and that if they did not the 
 agriculturists' plough cattle would be half the price they 
 are!" 
 
 All very clever and most convincing to the audiences 
 to which addressed, because of the knowledge that plague 
 was amongst them, and that slaughter-houses for cattle 
 do exist in every cantonment where British troops are 
 quartered. 
 
 Prisoners on the North- West Frontier have often con- 
 fessed that they boldly advanced, without fear, because 
 their spiritual leaders had told them they (the priests) 
 had rendered our bullets futile, and the tribesmen them- 
 selves immune. When fighting the Bunerwals, those 
 intrepid warriors at first rushed headlong to death against 
 my quick-firing field-guns. The survivors explained, 
 with touching simplicity, how they had been assured by 
 their " mullas " that all our shells had been rendered 
 entirely innocuous. 
 
 Therefore the story of the one-eyed child and colt is 
 so clever, because it is just the tale to appeal to, and is 
 so admirably suited to the capacities of, the Indian 
 democracy !
 
 To ace page 298 Photo : London Daily Mail Copyright 
 
 " MAHATMA" GANDHI, THE INSTIGATOR OF NON-CO-OPERATION.
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 299 
 
 A word about the personality of " Mahatma " l Gandhi, 
 as he is commonly called by his followers, who, from a 
 commander's point of view, is a very dangerous man. 
 He is himself supposed to be actuated by quite disin- 
 terested and honest motives, but he has now overstepped 
 all limits by openly tampering with the loyalty of the 
 Indian soldier, and openly inviting arrest. He and his 
 associates are stated to be at the bottom of the present 
 Moplah trouble, a rising which it will be difficult to sup- 
 press, even with the intervention of troops not only shooting, 
 but shooting hard. Yet as I write he is at large, and 
 even if now arrested he has collected his crore of rupees 
 (say 700,000) and perfected his organisation. 
 
 It should scarcely be necessary to say that there is no 
 duty so distasteful to the soldier as firing upon civilians. 
 But, when to this is added the fact that many of the 
 troops employed may, unavoidably, be fellow countrymen 
 of the rioters, it will be easily understood what grave 
 anxiety jthe activities of this fanatic causes to us soldiers. 
 Up to the date of writing, his policy of non-co-operation 
 has, in my opinion, made no headway at all in the Indian 
 Army. But one never knows what may happen in a 
 country where feelings are so easily excited, and where 
 any trivial action is often misconstrued so as to beget 
 doubt and mistrust. That is why it is evident Gandhi 
 is so dangerous a man, and his plan for non-co-operation 
 so dangerous a movement. 
 
 The influence he has gained over the masses is enormous, 
 both on account of the purity and asceticism of his personal 
 life, and the conviction abroad of his honesty of purpose 
 and devotion to what he considers duty. Again, his appeal 
 to the glories of an imaginary past, before India came 
 under foreign influences, flatters the vanity of the crowd 
 and stimulates hatred of the foreigner. Personally I have 
 never believed in his honesty of purpose. He is certainly 
 no self-seeker, nor does he wish for comfort, luxuries or 
 wealth, but when his " non-co-operation without violence " 
 has utterly failed, he may stick at nothing. 
 
 Another cloud in the political sky is the position of 
 the Native States under the new reforms. These rulers 
 are getting nervous, foreseeing, as they do, that the 
 
 1 Lit. great souled : also possessing preternatural powers and 
 versed in occult mysteries.
 
 300 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 extremists will continue their efforts to stir up trouble 
 by instigating the populations of Native States to press 
 for a greater share in the conduct of their own affairs 
 than, in such different circumstances, it is possible to 
 allow them. These rulers will require more help and 
 backing than it has heretofore been the custom to give 
 them. 
 
 Then we come to Afghanistan and its Amir. Without 
 going into details, I may explain that a mission has been 
 in Kabul since January, 1921, in the hopes of putting through 
 some kind of treaty or agreement between the British 
 and Afghan Governments. The Amir formed a treaty 
 with the Soviet Government in March, whereby, in return 
 for their support and additional territory, he is to establish 
 Soviet Consulate posts in his country. He was also in 
 league with the Kemalists, with the result that Turkish 
 instructors were to be lent to train the Afghan army. 
 Further comment on this is needless. 
 
 Besides the reasonable request, with limitations, that 
 any treaty should recognise the right of Afghanistan 
 to maintain direct relations with other countries it is 
 common knowledge (as reported by The Daily Telegraph 
 correspondent's cable from India on yth June, 1921) that 
 the Amir's demands include : a free Afghan port at or 
 near Karachi, importation and exportation of arms into 
 and out of Afghanistan without let or hindrance, free 
 intercourse by Afghanistan of every kind with the frontier 
 tribes, and the establishment of so-called " Consulates " 
 of Soviet Russia at Ghazni, Jelalabad and Kandahar, 
 all close to our borders. Demands * so preposterous, 
 
 1 Since writing this (October, 1921) a notification has been issued by 
 the India Office, dated 23rd November, 1921 , that a treaty of friendship 
 with Afghanistan was signed in Kabul the day before, as satis- 
 factory written assurances had been given that no Soviet Consulates 
 will be permitted in these three areas. 
 
 Under the treaty, which, though subject to ratification, is 
 immediately operative 
 
 (1) Great Britain reaffirms her recognition of Afghanistan's 
 complete independence, and there is to be an interchange of Ministers 
 in London and Kabul and of Consuls in India and Afghanistan. 
 
 (2) Afghanistan reaffirms her acceptance of the existing Anglo - 
 Afghan frontier, with a slight re-alinement of boundary demarcated 
 by the British Commission in the autumn of 1919. 
 
 (3) Misunderstanding between the two Governments over the 
 tribes on either side of the border having been removed, each
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 301 
 
 that if the Mission remains in Kabul until they are con- 
 ceded, Sir Henry Dobbs may resign himself to a sojourn 
 there until he becomes superannuated. 
 
 From all I have said it is easy to understand the dangers 
 and difficulties civilians and soldiers alike have had re- 
 cently to face in India, but it is my last intention that 
 too pessimistic a view of the situation should be taken. 
 
 The Reforms have been launched, and they must be 
 persevered with. In this connection it is interesting to 
 note that, some thirty years ago, in the account of his 
 father's life, Sir Auckland Colvin wrote : 
 
 " The art of British government in India has hitherto 
 been not to destroy but to correct Eastern methods of 
 administration by applying to them the discipline of the 
 Western mind. Now it is the undisciplined Eastern mind 
 which is to introduce into India Western methods of admin- 
 istration. The experiment will prove of interest and, 
 it is earnestly hoped, of value. But the lesson of 1857 
 must not be forgotten. Whatever may be hazarded with 
 the educated minority, the real India is to be found only in 
 the masses of her ignorant millions. To govern this real 
 India authority and justice should be in full view, but in 
 reserve must be ample force. These are the only methods 
 which under their own rulers the masses of that country 
 have ever respected ; nor even at the desire of the British 
 Government will they readily adopt any other." Life of 
 John Russell Colvin. 
 
 It can hardly yet be too late for the Government of India 
 to show clearly that they mean their authority to be para- 
 mount. With a firm rule the mental disorder of unrest, 
 already referred to as being by no means common to 
 India, will surely work itself out and pass away. What 
 
 Government engages to apprise the other beforehand of any major 
 operation it may find necessary to institute for the maintenance 
 of order near the frontier. 
 
 (4) Subject to the continuance of friendliness and the provisions 
 of any general Arms Traffic Convention that may hereafter come 
 into force, the privilege formerly enjoyed by the Afghan Govern- 
 ment of importing munitions of war through India is restored, 
 and the Customs duty is remitted, under the usual conditions in 
 regard to goods in transit, on goods that pass through India from 
 ports into Afghanistan. 
 
 (5) Provision is made in the treaty for the conclusion of separate 
 trade and postal conventions.
 
 302 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 is needed is sympathy between all classes and all races, 
 combined with the very strictest adherence to the principle 
 that the maintenance of law and order must at all times 
 be upheld. 
 
 There are already some hopeful signs, such as service- 
 able beginnings made by the new councils under the 
 Reforms Act ; the arrest and imprisonment of the AH 
 brothers ; the decision of the Viceroy to agree to no further 
 reduction of British troops ; and the acceptance, for the 
 welfare of the army in India, of so many of the recom- 
 mendations of the Esher Committee. 
 
 This last is an enormous gain, for India must have a 
 contented soldiery at all costs. We soldiers look upon 
 that report as the most human and far-reaching document 
 that has seen the light for many a long day. To mention 
 only one item, the generous enhancement of the Indian 
 soldier's family pension, which the Committee so strongly 
 advocated, has caused the utmost satisfaction already. 
 In short, although some of the clauses of the report will 
 have to remain a dead letter until the present financial 
 stringency is relaxed, still, its revelations have opened 
 the eyes of British and Indian alike to the real needs 
 of the officer, the married soldier, and the men generally, 
 in an up-to-date army of the present day. 
 
 In case the opinion of an old soldier may be of any 
 interest, let me say at once that I am not one of those 
 who are despondent regarding the future of the Indian 
 Civil Service, or the British officers of the Indian Army. 
 Nor shall I, it is my fervent hope, ever join the present 
 multitude who are continually inveighing against the entry 
 of our boys into either service. 
 
 As regards the first (Indian Civil Service) let us trust 
 that our lads are still made of the same good stuff to 
 enable them, as of old, to rise to every occasion, and remain 
 leaders, even in the role of guide, philosopher and friend. 
 Things may not be quite the same, especially socially. 
 They might even be most distasteful to those of us 
 who have lived in India under different conditions. To 
 assert, however, that there is now no career in these 
 services, no good and useful work to be done, no oppor- 
 tunity to come to the front, are fallacies I can never be a 
 party to. 
 
 It seems to me, that under the new reforms, whereby
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 303 
 
 the Indian becomes a partner of the Britisher, there is 
 more opportunity for the man of character than ever 
 before. When once the situation is fully understood, 
 I shall be vastly surprised if the mere fact of being 
 continually on his mettle does not develop the young 
 Indian Civil officer even more than the glorious tradi- 
 tions of his service have proved to be the case in days 
 gone by. 
 
 As for the young British officers of the Indian Army, 
 much the same equally applies. I have talked to many. 
 Few have any original ideas on the subject, only opinions 
 picked up from their seniors. Those who had taken up 
 sport, as a relaxation from their duties, had to confess 
 there was no reason why, in this respect, there should 
 be any diminution. India is, and will still remain, the 
 happy hunting ground of the true sportsman, and those 
 who have not been fortunate enough to gain this grand 
 experience are lucky if they are unable to realise how 
 much they have missed. 
 
 Some young officers, influenced by idle talk, dilated 
 on the disadvantageous emoluments in India compared 
 with the new pay and allowances of their confreres at 
 home. This has been touched on by the Esher Com- 
 mittee, suitable recommendations have been made, and 
 many concessions already granted or are in process of con- 
 summation. 
 
 I would like to add one piece of advice, namely, not 
 to heed vituperative letters in the press, nor the ill-advised 
 vapourings of idle, discontented grumblers. Let young 
 officers weigh for themselves, without prejudice, the many 
 advantages of an Indian career. Further, may I tell 
 them, with the experience of over thirty-seven years' 
 service behind me, that, personally, I have always found 
 the India Office and the Indian Government both fair 
 and honourable in dealings with their servants. 
 
 The only other matter of importance, also referred to 
 by the Esher Committee, brought forward by young 
 officers, was their position in the future, with so many 
 commissions given, and to be given, to Indians. It may 
 comfort them somewhat to consider attentively the 
 fact that the ordeals of Sandhurst and its examinations, 
 professional examinations later on, confidential reports, 
 and the amount of time and study to be devoted to his
 
 304 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 duties by the officer of the present day, will most certainly 
 eliminate all those Indians but the very best. With 
 these it should be nothing but a pleasure to serve. More- 
 over, with the Indian Territorial force an accomplished 
 fact, employment is available for those commissioned 
 Indians considered unsuitable to officer units of the regular 
 army. 
 
 With the exception of shooting experiences l which 
 will be the easiest of all to write my reminiscences are 
 now drawing to a close. They read to me more like the 
 memoirs of other people, so much am I indebted to events 
 in the lives of my friends for interesting and unusual 
 incidents. I feel I cannot conclude, more fitly and more 
 happily, than by a reference to the Indian Army, to which 
 I owe everything, and whose members I love so well. (By 
 the " Indian Army " I refer of course to Indian units, 
 as opposed to the " Army in India," which comprises 
 both British and Indian.) 
 
 Now the backbone of the Indian Army is the Indian 
 officer, than whom no finer class of man exists. He is our 
 great asset and, treated with sympathy, justice, liberality 
 and respect, as I feel is now the case, it is difficult to 
 imagine how things can possibly go wrong. In every 
 good regiment, battery and battalion he wields an enormous 
 influence, and is the link between the British officer and 
 the Indian ranks. The senior one, the risaldar-major 
 of cavalry, or the subadar-major of infantry, in a good 
 corps, has his finger on the pulse of the whole unit, knows 
 and reports every happening in the regimental lines and 
 every feeling that exists amongst all ranks. So loyal, 
 upright and straightforward have our Indian officers 
 proved themselves, as a rule, that it is interesting to relate 
 an episode which occurred to my knowledge in the early 
 part of 1915, when the mutinous Ghadr 2 party were so 
 active. 
 
 The Criminal Investigation Department having re- 
 ceived information of the place and time of a secret 
 meeting of Ghadr leaders, deputed one of their most trusted 
 Indian subordinates to endeavour to hear what they 
 had to say. With infinite bravery and resource, this 
 
 1 These are too lengthy to appear in this volume, and my pub- 
 lisher has decreed that they shall have a separate identity. 
 * See page 283.
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 305 
 
 man concealed himself below the flooring of the room 
 where the conspirators were to meet, well knowing, besides 
 suffering extreme discomfort for hours, that his discovery 
 meant instant death,. 
 
 In addition to other useful knowledge gained, he heard 
 a resolution, passed unanimously, to discontinue any 
 further attempt to tamper with the Indian officer. This 
 was stated by the rebels to be not only useless and a 
 waste of time, but very injurious to their own cause, 
 owing to the probability of the matter being immediately 
 reported. 
 
 To one devoted to military training, like myself, it 
 was a great privilege, both as a commander and as an 
 inspector, to move amongst, and have intercourse with, 
 the grand soldiers of our Indian Army. Their keenness, 
 their desire to please, as well as their anxiety to excel, 
 is prodigious, and makes service with them a veritable 
 delight. Well trained, well led and well treated, they 
 are very hard to beat, as we have proved on many a 
 field. To look on them as super-men is ridiculous and 
 extremely hard on the soldiers themselves. For this 
 reason my readers can imagine our disgust at the fulsome 
 flattery and absurd eulogy poured out regarding them, 
 in the Press, in September, 1914, on their first arrival in 
 France. 
 
 For some time during the War I had under me no less 
 than eight depots, or units, of the old " Punjab Frontier 
 Force." * It was such a real pleasure inspecting them, 
 that it was difficult to keep away. Taking them, however, 
 exactly as they were, that is seeing them at their ordinary 
 work, I knew that they liked my visits, just as much as 
 I myself did the time spent over them. To see their 
 faces lighten up at a word of praise, to hear their mirth- 
 ful laughter at a well-timed joke, to note their appreciation 
 of a useful bit of training advice, and to converse and 
 chaff with their manly Indian officers, all are joyous 
 memories I shall carry with me to the grave. 
 
 Knowing the Indian Army as I do, I can only view 
 with great apprehension shared by many of my con- 
 temporaries the recent reduction in the cavalry by 
 eighteen regiments. It is easy to disband, but it is not 
 so easy to build up again. Putting aside the extinction 
 1 Commonly called " Piffers." 
 
 U
 
 3 o6 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 of honoured names, glorious tradition and esprit de corps, 
 India and the countries adjoining it are so eminently 
 suited to the employment of mounted men. Again, the 
 Indian cavalry soldier combines the role of mounted 
 infantryman, par excellence, with his activity, endurance 
 and good shooting. Extremely mobile infantry is not to 
 be despised. 
 
 There is also another aspect to the case, that is, whether 
 the moment for disbandment is well chosen ? All reduc- 
 tions must fill the villages with discontented men, and 
 reductions in the cavalry hit a class whose loyalty and 
 goodwill are specially valuable assets at the present 
 moment. A class whose forbears have been cavalrymen 
 and whose sons look forward to joining a risdla (regiment 
 of Indian cavalry). 
 
 In these days anything which causes discontent amongst 
 that small percentage of the millions of India who 
 furnish the army with soldiers must be a dangerous 
 move. Without a loyal and contented army with a 
 loyal and contented people to recruit it from all govern- 
 ment is very difficult in a country like India. 
 
 The reason for this reduction is, of course, financial. 
 With only a limited sum available for the army one under- 
 stands it must be spent on what the authorities consider 
 essential. What is desirable goes to the wall. It is 
 devoutly to be hoped that the great value of this cavalry 
 has been duly weighed, and that a great mistake has not 
 been committed. 
 
 No reference to the Indian Army would be complete 
 without an allusion to its brightest ornament, its finest 
 soldier and its most senior serving general. I mean, of 
 course, Sir William Birdwood, so often referred to in these 
 pages, and affectionately known as "Birdie " of the Indian 
 Army, though also " Birdie " of the Anzacs. 
 
 I have known him for a great number of years, soon 
 after the time when as a very smart young officer of the 
 nth Bengal Lancers he was the best man-at-arms at a 
 big assemblage in Calcutta. I think our first meeting 
 was when he was commandant of the Viceroy's bodyguard 
 at Dehra Dun, where he was as good an administrator 
 and farmer of the bodyguard acres as he proved himself 
 a valuable staff officer and matchless leader in the days 
 to come.
 
 To face page 306 Photo : Ellirt and Fry, Ltd. 
 
 GENERAL SIR WTLLIAM BIRDWOOD, BT., G.C.M.G., K.C.B., K.C.S.I., C.I.E., D.S.O.
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 307 
 
 He is a man of many parts, and has never failed, while 
 his experiences have been unique. What knowledge 
 must be possessed by, and what secrets must lie buried 
 in, the bosom of one who, besides holding many appoint- 
 ments in the field, was for over seven consecutive years 
 closely connected with Lord Kitchener, mainly as his 
 military secretary; then for three years a brigade com- 
 mander, followed by Q.M.G. ; and finishing, before the 
 War, as secretary to the Government of India in the Army 
 Department. 
 
 It was as a military secretary that his kindly, helpful 
 nature first became manifest to the enormous number 
 of officers with whom he had to deal. He was always 
 ready to do a good turn to a competent man, always 
 thinking of the welfare of the Indian Army, and always 
 most jealous of its reputation and good name. Wishing 
 to know where the shoe pinched, and what officers 
 really felt, he never discouraged letters, and his daily corre- 
 spondence must have been immense. Yet he was never 
 known to leave a letter unanswered, however trivial the 
 subject. 
 
 His value to Lord Kitchener was very great, for 
 not only was he impervious to fatigue and possessed of 
 unbounded tact, but he had a very wide inside knowledge 
 of India and India's soldiers. Moreover, if he did not 
 know a thing he would go and ask the best man who did, 
 and everyone was always ready to help " Birdie." 
 
 As a brigade commander he was also a great success. 
 With his usual energy he soon learnt all there was to know, 
 which his troops were not slow to discover. His firmness, 
 justice and sympathy endeared him to all ranks, and 
 when he left Kohat to become Q.M.G. the ovation he 
 received at the railway station was quite unprecedented. 
 
 But what pleased him most, I think, was the fact that, 
 when touring in later years, crowds of Indian officers 
 trooped to his saloon (when his train stopped at various 
 cantonments for a few hours), because they wanted to see, 
 and shake hands with the beloved general they had known 
 at Kohat. 
 
 Sir William Birdwood's name is best known to the 
 public as the successful commander of the Australian 
 New Zealand Army Corps (A.N.Z.A.C.), first in Gallipoli 
 and then in France. Everyone has heard of " Birdie's "
 
 3 o8 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 fame and popularity, and many know how Ian Hamilton 
 in his picturesque despatches so truly called him "the 
 soul of Anzac." 
 
 I have before me a letter from one of Sir William's 
 divisional commanders, 1 extracts from which I cannot 
 resist quoting : 
 
 " It was the luck of my career to accompany General 
 Bird wood from India to Egypt to join the Australians, 
 in November, 1914. From that time till July, 1918, when 
 I left the Australians, I had daily experience of his kindness 
 and consideration. During the whole of that time I may 
 truthfully say I never saw him lose his temper and never 
 heard an acrimonious expression, while his capability 
 of keeping in touch with everything that was going on 
 was prodigious. His eye missed nothing, and no good 
 deed passed his notice. All ranks knew this, and no 
 commander was ever more adored than was " Birdie " 
 by the Australians. His energy was unbounded, and 
 he had the knack of remembering everybody. 
 
 " He was early ashore at Anzac on the memorable 25th 
 April, and though we had experienced a trying time, with 
 many casualties, ' Birdie ' was unperturbed, and inspired 
 confidence on all sides. It was a debatable matter whether 
 we could hold on at Anzac, but the decision to dig in was 
 made, and, after some four or five days' strenuous fighting, 
 we established ourselves on the line which we held up to 
 the evacuation. 
 
 " From the date of landing ' Birdie ' commenced to 
 make the acquaintance of nearly every individual man 
 in the Australian and New Zealand forces. His average 
 daily tour of the trenches was eight hours. Armed only 
 with a periscope, he moved along, speaking and talking 
 to this man and that, varying the programme by periodical 
 inspections of the Turkish trenches. 
 
 " In one of these he had a narrow escape, a sniper's 
 bullet ploughing the parting of his hair ; a fraction lower, 
 and the wound would have been fatal. 
 
 " He was generally to be seen bathing off the beach 
 in spite of ' Beachy Bill/ a Turkish gun, which took daily 
 toll of those whose duty (or pleasure) took them to the 
 beach. 
 
 " The necessity to evacuate Gallipoli must have caused 
 
 1 Major-General Sir H. B. Walker, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O.
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 309 
 
 him great pain, where so many Australians had fallen. 
 He left many intimate friends and admirers behind there, 
 and it is no exaggeration to say that many of the deeds 
 of valour performed were inspired by the personality of 
 ' Birdie.' 
 
 " In France he showed the same fearless energy. Eight 
 hours in the trenches, and then office work, was his daily 
 routine. He knew his trenches as well as any divisional 
 or brigade commander, and always had a kind word for 
 those who manned them, thus leaving behind him a much 
 more cheerful frame of mind. 
 
 " Divisional commanders actually used to look forward 
 to being sent for to Corps Head-quarters for conferences, 
 etc. There one always found praise for good work and 
 encouragement to again rise to the occasion." 
 
 A mighty tribute indeed from a distinguished officer 
 who served directly under Sir William for nearly four 
 most strenuous years. Later on, when commanding the 
 Fifth Army in France, one heard very much the same 
 tale regarding Birdie's wisdom and popularity. 
 
 Mentioning the word tale reminds me that there are 
 many stories about Birdie and his Anzacs. So numerous 
 indeed that, during his recent triumphant tour in Aus- 
 tralia, The Sydney Mail offered a prize for the best one 
 produced. The response was enormous, but unfortunately 
 the subject of these efforts had to acknowledge, later, 
 that he could only recognise an infinitesimal number of 
 them all. 
 
 I have never been able to get quite right the one with 
 a play on his name, but it was something like this : 
 Birdie was starting off one day for his usual tour in the 
 trenches, with his helmet in one hand, periscope in the 
 other, and his hair cut with clippers very close to his head. 
 One of his staff, noticing that a certain sentry did not 
 salute or stand to attention as the corps commander 
 passed, fell behind to ask the reason. The man replied 
 that he didn't know who it was. The staff officer, walking 
 away, heard the sentry say sotto voce to himself : " How 
 can I tell, with his head like that ; why doesn't he wear 
 feathers like any other bird would ! " 
 
 That periscope was in constant use. " Birdie " was 
 once telling a friend about a " look peep " he was taking 
 from what seemed a very quiet corner. Though he did
 
 310 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 not know it, the spot was a favourite mark for the enemy's 
 snipers, and many casualties had lately occurred there. 
 A sentry, close at hand, spotting a sniper's rifle, and 
 being nervous at the imminent danger to his general, called 
 out in his excitement : 
 
 " Duck your b . . . . y head, Birdie." " Great Scott," said 
 the friend, "that was a ' let off/ and what did you do ? " 
 Looking at him, Birdie replied, very quietly : "I ducked 
 my b . . . . y head ! " 
 
 A very amusing tale is one regarding one Australian 
 officer who happened to know the King fairly well, and 
 had been granted an interview at Buckingham Palace. 
 The King said to him : " You really must not allow 
 General Birdwood to continue these daily visits of his to 
 the front-line trenches." Thinking for awhile, this officer 
 said : " Look here, sir, it can't be done " ; adding after 
 a pause : " unless your Majesty will give me a collar and 
 chain, and the requisite authority to chain him up. There 
 is no other way of doing it ! " 
 
 General Birdwood 's welcome in Australia was extra- 
 ordinary ; quite embarrassingly so, especially when every 
 old comrade wished to be personally recognised. " Don't 
 you remember the last time you saw me ? " said one man. 
 The general expressing regret, he retorted : " Well, you 
 ought to, because you were going through the trenches at 
 Lone Pine one night, and put your foot in the middle of my 
 stomach. ' ' Contact (!) with Australians having taught Birdie 
 great power of repartee, he answered at once : " Well, 
 the incident evidently made a much deeper impression on 
 you than it did on me ! " That sort of good-humoured 
 " give and take " was what the Australians loved so. 
 
 One day in the West Australian goldfields, an old com- 
 rade jumped on to the step of his car and said in a very 
 confidential manner : "I tell you what, Mr. Birdwood, 
 don't you go for to write a book like some of those other 
 fellows are doing." Appalling visions of ! ! ! flashed 
 across Birdie. He told the man it was as good a piece 
 of advice as he had ever given, but he needn't bother 
 about it, as though the possession of a small Australian 
 grandson might grade him as an old man, yet he hoped 
 he had not quite reached the period of " anecdotage " ! 
 
 Such is " Birdie " of the Anzacs, now once again in 
 situ as " Birdie " of the Indian Army. Is it any wonder
 
 INDIAN UNREST AND "BIRDIE" 311 
 
 we are proud of him, and proud to think of all he has done 
 to uphold our good name ? 
 
 At the present moment he is General Officer Command- 
 ing in Chief of the Northern Command, perhaps the most 
 responsible post in India. Before I left the country, 
 besides other inspections, he had already visited every 
 single Indian unit under his command, diffusing con- 
 tentment, satisfaction and good feeling wherever he 
 appeared. 
 
 As I have said before, he possesses in a marked degree 
 that wonderful gift of sympathy, and that magnetic person- 
 ality, so like Lord Roberts, which at the present time in 
 India is worth untold gold. 
 
 THE END
 
 INDEX 
 
 Abbottabad, 159, 167, 168, 256, 
 
 260 
 
 Brigade, 216-7, 236 
 Ceremonial Parade at, 58 
 Mountain Warfare School, 256, 
 
 260, 265-6 
 
 Abdur Rahman, 60, 61, 252 
 and Grand Review at Rawal- 
 pindi, 60, 6 1 
 and Lord DufEerin, 60 
 Afghanistan, Amir of (Abdur 
 
 Rahman), 60-1, 252 
 (Amanullah), 252 
 (Habibullah and Kitchener), 
 
 154-5 
 
 Afghan War (2nd), Incidents in, 
 
 32, 179-80 
 
 (3rd), 243, 249-53, 267, 287 
 Bannu Brigade, 247, 249 
 Fort Baldak, 250, 251-2, 253 
 Kabul Mission and Treaty, 
 
 300-1 
 
 Sardar Abd-ul-Quds, 252 
 Waziristan, 245 
 
 Militia, 243, 247, 249 
 
 Ailsa, Lady, 84 
 
 Aldershot, ist Dorsets at, 31 
 Review by Duke of Cambridge 
 at, 34 
 
 Almora, 80-1, 181 
 
 Kitchener at, 133-5, J 35~6 
 Queen Alexandra's Own, 115 
 
 Ambala, March to, 39, 40, 41-3 
 
 Ambela Campaign, 220 
 
 Amritsar, 261, 282-4, 289-91, 
 
 293-4 
 
 Open rebellion at, 284, 290 
 Anderson, Gen. Sir C., 246 
 Armstrong, Lt.-Col., 262 
 Arthur, Sir George, Life of Lord 
 
 Kitchener, 115 
 Arya Samaj, 297 
 
 Asquith, Mr., and Kitchener, 209 
 Aylmer, Gen. Sir F. J., 162 
 
 Bahadur, Sir Jung, 161 
 Baluchistan Force, 249 
 Bannu Brigade, 247, 249 
 Baring, 112 
 
 Barrow, Sir Edmund, 114, 205-7 
 Basil Mission, 212 
 Beatty, F. M., 119, 120 
 Bedford, Duchess of (Miss Tribe), 
 
 and jackals, 76 
 Bennett, Mr. Hugh, 127 
 
 Rev. J., and Kitchener, 127 
 Beresford, Lord William, 45, 46, 
 
 50, 51, 88 
 Besant, Mrs., 283 
 Beynon, Gen. Sir W., 227, 236,246 
 Bhim Sen Thapa, 161 
 Bird, Lt.-Col. W. D., 122 
 Birdwood, Gen. Sir William, 72- 
 3, 117, 142, 151, 306-11 
 
 and Anzacs, 307-9 
 
 in Australia, 310 
 
 and sniper, 310 
 
 his sympathy, 311 
 Birkett, J., 19 
 Bishop, Barry, 74, 85-7 
 Blackwood, Lady Helen, 52 
 Blood, Sir Bindon, 98-9, 100-3, 
 104 
 
 on Gladstone and Beaconsfield, 
 
 101 
 
 Boileau, Lt.-Col. Ridley, 122 
 Bond, C.R.A., 66, 68-9, 79 
 Brassey, Lady, and Kitchener, 
 
 137 
 
 Brodrick, St. John, 113 
 Brooking, Gen. Sir Harry, 249 
 Browne, Brig. -Gen. A. G. F., 
 
 140 
 Sir Sam, 32 
 
 313
 
 314 
 
 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Bruce, Brig.-Gen. the Hon., and 
 
 Gurkhas, 160, 172, 173, 
 
 179, 180 
 
 Bruckman, Lt. R. T., 268 
 Brunker, Major, 67, 69, 79 
 Buckle, Lt.-Col. (of W. Kents), 
 
 203-4 
 
 Bulkely, Rivers, 18 
 Bunerwal Campaign, 217-25, 
 
 298 
 
 Heat stroke, 223 
 Bushman, Sir Henry, 44 
 
 Callan, Mr., 200-1 
 Cambridge, Duke of, 103 
 
 Aldershot Review, 34 
 
 at Malta, 33 
 
 Inspection at Wimbledon, 33- 
 
 4 
 Campbell, Mrs. Colin, 99 
 
 Sir Frederick, 216, 221, 224, 
 
 231-2 
 
 Capper, Maj.-Gen. T., 120-26 
 on commissions to native offi- 
 cers, 123 
 
 on industrial unrest, 124 
 on political crisis between 
 France and Germany, 124 
 Sir J. E., 67 
 William, 133 
 Carmichael, Lord, 202 
 Casson, Lt.-Col. W. F. S., 279 
 Cecil, Lord Edward, 209 
 Chaman, 249-50 
 Chamberlain, Neville, 72 
 Chance, Capt., 259 
 Channer, Gen., and Gurkha 
 
 sentry, 91 
 Cheape, Leslie, 196 
 Chelmsford, Lord, 231-2, 288 
 
 Lady, 231, 232 
 Cheshire Militia, 16, 29 
 Cheshires (2nd), joined at Pesha- 
 war, 32, 40 
 
 Chisholm, " Jabber," 45-7 
 Chitral Campaign, 90 
 Cholmondeley, Tom, 19, 29 
 Christian, Brig.-Gen. G., 236 
 Churchill, Winston, 99-101 
 Clements, Gen., and " K.'s " 
 appointment to Gurkhas, 
 117 
 
 Clifton, Major, 231 
 Collett, Col., 57 
 
 Collins, Maj.-Gen. Stratford, 133 
 Colvin, Sir Auckland, 83, 301 
 in camp, 84-5 
 
 Bassett, 84 
 Connaught, Duke of (and 
 
 Duchess), no, 112 
 Cookson, Gen., 206 
 Corbet, Reginald, 17, 1 8 
 Cornwallis, Mabel, 107 
 
 " At Home," 106 
 Cornwallis West, Mrs., 18 
 Coronation Durbar (George V), 
 
 189 
 
 Court, Willie, 19 
 Crauford, Brig.-Gen., 209 
 Creagh, Gen. Sir O'Moore, 175 
 Crewe, Lord, at Durbar, 195 
 Curzon, Lady, 99 
 
 Lord, 129 
 
 Camp in Garhwal Hills, 112- 
 
 3 
 
 Curzon-Kitchener contro- 
 versy, 114 
 
 Durbar, 110-2 
 
 his North-West Frontier 
 policy, 244-5 
 
 his resignation, 114, 150 
 
 Dacca, 200, 201 
 
 Military diversions at, 201-2 
 Dalbiac, Major, 54 
 Dalhousie, Lord, 81 
 Davies, Newnham, 115 
 Davis, Col. C., 68 
 
 Mr. J. S. C., 112-3 
 Dehra Dun, 94-5, 136, 159, 168, 
 
 215 
 
 Delhi Brigade, 214, 262, 264 
 Demobilisation of Indian units, 
 
 248 
 
 of British troops, 272 
 their discontent, 272-3 
 an ultimatum, 273 
 Dera Ismail Khan, 243, 247 
 Derajat Independent Brigade, 
 
 242-3, 249 
 Hot weather headquarters of, 
 
 247-8 
 
 Dillon, Gen., 67 
 Donald, Sir John, 243
 
 INDEX 
 
 315 
 
 Dongola, S.S., 207, 210 
 Drake, Col. H. D., 122 
 Duff, Col. Sir Beauchamp, 133, 
 139, 150-1, 212, 216, 224 
 and Kitchener, 150-1 
 Dufferin, Lady, 51-2 
 
 and " The Begum," 52 
 Lord, 50-2, 58, 64 
 
 and Amir of Afghanistan, 
 
 60, 61 
 
 at Rawalpindi Review, 58-60 
 Durbar, 1903, no, 112, 136 
 1911 (King George V Coron- 
 ation), 189-96 
 Ceremony, 192-3 
 Cholera in camp, 196-7 
 Fire in camp, 194-5 
 Homage at the fort, 193-4 
 Visitors' camps, 189-90 
 Dyer, Gen. R. E. H., 236, 282- 
 
 86, 290 
 Dyson, Miss Ada, 84 
 
 Eardley-Wilmot, Col. Revel, 63 
 Earthquake in India, 137 
 Egerton-Warburton, Rowland 
 
 E., 19 
 
 Elephants swimming, 43 
 Elgin, Lord, 98 
 Enemy subjects, internment of, 
 
 211, 212 
 
 Erskine, Col., 84 
 Esher Committee, 278, 301, 302-4 
 Evatt, Brig.-Gen. J. T., 86 
 
 Faithful, Capt., 106 
 FitzGerald, 93, 129, 147, 151, 207 
 
 his influence with " K.," 151 
 " Flying sentries," 213 
 Football, 17 
 
 and Gurkhas, 87, 183 
 
 Gandhi, 283-4, 288, 296-7, 299 
 and Home Rule, 296 
 Interviews with Viceroy, 296 
 and Moplahs, 299 
 Outbreak at Delhi, 284 
 Passive resistance movement, 
 
 283-4 
 
 his policy, 288, 299 
 Racial hatred, 288 
 
 Gannon, Maj. J. C. R., 118 
 
 Garhwalis, 86, 88 
 
 and Gurkhas, 85 
 
 Lord Roberts' opinion of, 86 
 Gartside-Tipping, 66, 67 
 Gaselee, Gen. Sir A., 148 
 
 Lady, and " K.," 149 
 Ghadr Party, 213, 283, 304 
 Gillespie, Gen., 160 
 Gosling, Col. G., 269 
 Gough, Maj. -Gen. Sir Hugh, 
 
 V.C., 67, 70, 78 
 Greaves, Sir George, 93-6 
 Greece, Prince George of, 208 
 Green, Col., and bagmen, 76 
 Grey, Sir Edward, 204 
 Gurkhas, 79-87, 95, 159, 171-88 
 
 Ancient customs, 163 
 
 Annual festival, Dasehra, 186 
 
 at Almora, 80 
 
 at Amritsar, 293-4 
 
 at Dharmsala, 79-80 
 
 Attachment to officers, 184 
 
 Chief's Cup, 133-4 
 
 Football and, 87, 183 
 
 Garhwalis and, 85-6 
 
 Height of British officers with, 
 
 175 
 
 Highlanders and, 179 
 Kalinga Fort, 160 
 Khud racing, 171-3 
 King of (Prithwi Narain) and 
 
 Nepal, 158 
 New battalions raised, 88, 116, 
 
 159, 185 
 
 Pani pathya, 165 
 Popularity of, 178-9 
 Prisoners of war, 180 
 Sense of duty, 163 
 Temperament of, 177 
 " The Little Man," 135, 171 
 i /3rd, 88 
 4th, at Rawalpindi (1884-5), 
 
 62 
 7th, date of raising, 116, 162 
 
 Hamilton, Hubert, 133, 138, 141, 
 
 147 
 
 Ian, 80, 308 
 
 Vereker, 180 
 
 Mrs. W. G., 70 
 Hamlet, Mr., of Winsford, 17 
 Hardinge, Lord, 130, 194, 215
 
 3*6 
 
 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Harris, Col., 80 
 
 Hastings, Lord, and Nepal, 159 
 Haswell, Col. J. F., 268 
 Hay, Col., 62 
 Hayes, Horace, 51 
 Henry, Col., 102 
 Hepper, Sir Lawless, 237 
 Hewett, Sir John, 189, 192, 194 
 Higson, Will, 19 
 
 Hill, Maj.-Gen. William, 89, 92- 
 6, 112, 127, 176 
 
 and Gurkhas, 176-7 
 
 and Volunteers, 97-8 
 
 Illness and death, 98 
 Hoare, Reggie, 100 
 Hornby, " Monkey," 19, 29-30 
 Horse racing, 45, 46-7 
 Hudson, Paddy, 55 
 Hume, Charlie, 66 
 Hunter Committee, 292 
 Hunting in Cheshire, 17-9 
 
 at Delhi, 56 
 
 Empress of Austria, 18 
 
 " green collars," 19 
 
 and jackals, 68, 76-7 
 
 at Lahore, 279-80 
 
 Peshawar Vale Hunt, 67-8 
 
 at Peshawar, 75, 77 
 
 at Poona, 275 
 
 at Quetta, 118 
 
 and Sir Hugh Gough, 78 
 
 Tarporley Hunt, 18-9 
 Hutchinson, Maj. H. D., 80, 88, 
 90, 91-2, 184 
 
 Ilbert, Sir Courtney, 49 
 
 Ilbert Bill, The, 49-50 
 
 India in early 1916, 225 
 
 Indian Army, Future of, 303 
 Native Officers, 304 
 Reductions in Cavalry of, 
 
 305-6 
 
 Civil Service, Future of, 302 
 Staff College established, 120 
 Staff Corps, Application for, 
 
 53.57 
 Irvine, Lt.-Col., M.F.H., 68 
 
 Jhansi Brigade, 240 
 
 Johnson, Col. Frank, 45, 47, 263 
 
 Jones, John, 19 
 
 Ma.j., and Lord Roberts, 72 
 
 Rhys, 30 
 
 Khilafat movement, 284-5, 2 8 
 
 Emigration scheme, 284-5 
 Kennedy-Crauf urd-Stuart , Maj . , 
 
 286 
 
 Keyser, Lt.-Col. F. C., 36 
 Khud racing (Gurkhas), 171 
 King-Harman, Col., 74 
 Kinloch, 66 
 Kitchener, Lord, 45, 88, 106-57, 
 
 307 
 appointed Colonel of 7th 
 
 Gurkhas, 117 
 arrival in India, 127 
 at Almora, 133-6 
 and Mr. Asquith, 209 
 and his personal staff, 151 
 at Meerut Rifle Meeting, 93, 
 
 149 
 
 at Quetta, 116 
 behaviour to ladies, 137 
 a " big man," 150-1 
 and Bird wood, 307 
 and cholera cases, 140 
 Curzon-Kitchener contro- 
 versy, 114 
 
 Durbar (1903), no, 128, 136 
 his chivalry, 154 
 his early life, 127 
 his 1909 farewell speech, 153 
 his hobbies, 153 
 his humour, 137-8, 153 
 his introduction to Gurkhas, 
 
 175-6 
 his journey to Naini Tal, 
 
 148-9 
 
 his opinion of Nepal, 185 
 his peculiarities, 153-4 
 his powers of persuasion, 154 
 his re-organisation of army 
 
 in India, 129 
 his schemes, 130-1, 141-4 
 Indian Army, pay regula- 
 tions, 141-4 
 
 Quetta Staff College, 142 
 Secretary of State for War, 
 
 209 
 Views on esprit de corps in 
 
 army, 143 
 
 Views on the German men- 
 ace, 139 
 
 Views on localised units, 
 138
 
 INDEX 
 
 Kitchener, Lord (contd.} 
 
 Views on the Russian bogey, 
 
 139 
 
 Visit to Quetta, 116 
 " Kitchener Test," the, 133, 
 
 214, 264 
 General Walter, his malaria 
 
 campaign, 280-1 
 
 Lahore, Bishop of, 62 
 
 Cantonments, 280-1 
 
 Command, 274, 279 
 
 Serai, 44 
 Landour, 94-5 
 Lang, Lt.-Col. E. M., 271 
 Lansdowne, 89 
 
 Lord, 88 
 
 Lefroy, Bishop, 62 
 " Leg-pulling," 68-70, 73-4, 79 
 Leigh, Mosley, 19 
 Leiter, Mrs., no 
 Littledale, Bo., 19 
 Lloyd, Sir George, 274 
 
 Lady, 274 
 
 Locke-Elliott, Gen., 128 
 Lockhart, Sir W., 108 
 
 at Meerut Rifle Meeting, 93 
 Lomax, Lt.-Col., 100 
 Long, Miss, 103 
 " Long P.," 44 
 Lotteries, Indian, 45, 55 
 Lovett, and The Malabar, 36 
 Lucas, 173 
 Lucknow, 210 
 
 Bishop of, 84 
 Lumsden and his " Guides," 221, 
 
 233 
 Lyttleton, Alfred, 113 
 
 McCall, " Jackal," 67 
 Mackenzie's hoax, 104 
 Maclagan, Sir Edward, 281 
 Maclaren, " Boy," 100 
 McMahon, Sir H., 119, 204 
 Macmaster, Hugh, 84 
 " Maharaj Adhiraj," King of 
 
 Nepal, 1 60, 163 
 Malabar, H.M.S., On board of, 
 
 35-8 
 
 Malabar, The (newspaper), 36 
 Markham, Brig.-Gen., 67 
 Marshall, Tom, 29 
 
 Marri Expedition, 261 
 Marriott-Smith, Col., 270 
 Martin, Gen. Sir Alfred, 171, 270 
 Maxwell, Frankie, 147, 214 
 
 Lady, 152 
 
 Meerut Rifle Meeting, 93 
 Meyer, Sir Wm., and " K.," 153 
 Middleton, Bay, 18 
 Midleton, Lord, 114 
 Miles, Brig.-Gen. P. J., 269 
 Minto, Lord, 151 
 Mohmands, Fighting the, 227- 
 35. 268 
 
 " Live wire," 227-30 
 
 Visit of Lord Chelmsford, 231- 
 
 3 
 
 Montagu, Mr., on Waziristan, 
 
 245 
 
 Morley, Lord, 117 
 Mountain Warfare School, 256 
 Muhajirin, 219, 284 
 Multan, S.S., 207-10 
 Multan, 1 2 7th Baluchistan In- 
 fantry, 286 
 
 The Buffs, 269 
 
 " Multan Lamb, The," 269 
 
 Plague at, 261 
 
 23rd Rifle Brigade, 260-1 
 Mussoorie, Sham fight, 95-6 
 Mysore, Maharajah of, 267 
 
 Nepal, the Army, 161, 165-6, 
 
 168-70 
 
 and the Gurkha, 158 
 Hostilities with, 159 
 King of (" Maharaj Adhiraj "), 
 
 1 60 
 
 Star, 169 
 
 Treaty of Segowli, 159 
 Various tribes of, 162-3 
 Nicholson, Field-Marshal Lord, 
 
 87, 108, 197-9 
 Nightingale, Maj., 173 
 North- West Frontier policy, 244 
 Nugent, Oliver, 67 
 
 Ochterlony, Gen., 159 
 O'Dwyer, Sir Michael, 226, 281, 
 
 287 
 
 Lady, 226 
 Orman, Capt., and his cat, 75
 
 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Ormsby, Brig. -Gen. Vincent, 86 
 Outbreak of Wax, 1914, 203 
 
 Pani pathya, 165 
 
 Parks, Col., 133 
 
 Patiala, Maharajah of, 99 
 
 Patterson, A. B., 84, 85 
 
 Patton, Col. H. C., 39-40, 67 
 
 Peshawar, Arrival at, 39 
 
 to Ambala by road, 39, 40, 
 
 4i-3 
 
 Joined 2nd Cheshires at, 32 
 Transferred to 3oth Punjabis 
 
 at, 66 
 
 Vale Hunt, 67-8 
 Valley of Death, 32 
 Philipps, Ivor, 175 
 Phipps, Charlie, 15, 16, 19 
 
 & Co., 15-6 
 Playfair, Col., 263, 264 
 Pole-Carew, Col., 63, 80 
 Poona, Arrival of new troops at, 
 
 276-7 
 Accommodation for families, 
 
 277-8 
 
 My departure from, 274 
 Hunting at, 275 
 Officer accommodation at, 
 
 275-6 
 
 W.I.T.C., 275 
 
 Poore, Brig. -Gen. R. M., 240-1 
 Lady Flora, 152-3, 155, 241 
 Porteous, Maj. (gth Gurkhas), 
 
 176 
 Power Palmer, Col. (" Long 
 
 P-"), 44 
 Powis, Lady, and Kitchener, 
 
 136-7 
 
 Prinsep, Arthur, 82 
 Punjab Frontier Force, 305 
 
 Quds, Sardar Abd-ul, 252 
 
 Letter from, 253 
 Quetta, 117-8, 189-90 
 
 Journey to, 250 
 
 Kitchener at, 116 
 
 Staff College, 142, 151 
 
 Racial hatred, 288-9 
 
 Racing (Horse), 45, 46-7, 279-80 
 
 W.I.T.C., 275 
 Radnor, Earl of, 168, 216, 262 
 
 Rahman, Abdur, 60-1, 252 
 Ramsay, Maj .-Gen. the Hon. Sir 
 
 Henry, 81-3 
 Sir John, 39, 81 
 Rawalpindi Review, 58-9 
 Rawlinson, Lord, 118 
 Rawson, Harry, 19-20 
 Reading, Lord, 296, 302 
 Reform Act, 295-6 
 Reid, Sir C., 183 
 Rhys Jones, 30 
 Ripon, Lord, 49 
 
 Lady, 50 
 
 Roberts, Lady, at Almora, 73 
 a supper incident, 64 
 Fancy dress ball, 65 
 Lord, 63-4, 70-5, 80, 88, 175 
 Admiration for Gurkhas, 
 
 162 
 
 Antipathy to cats, 74-5 
 at Almora, 73, 85, 86 
 at Meerut Garden Party, 72 
 at Meerut Rifle Meeting, 93 
 Cold weather touring, 71, 93 
 Silver wedding ball, 65 
 his sympathy, 72-3, 311 
 Robertson, Jimmy, 84 
 Ronaldshay, Lord, 238, 239 
 
 Lady, 238 
 
 Roos-Keppel, Sir G., 220 
 Rose, Hugh, 174, 175 
 Ross, Herky, 84 
 Rossetti, Signor, and Bagpipes, 
 
 1 86 
 
 Rowlatt Bill, The, 283, 286 
 Running and Racing, 20-8 
 at Chester, 29 
 
 Shrewsbury Steeplechase, 20-2 
 Russell, Sir Baker, 99-100, 101- 
 
 3, 108 
 Lady, 103 
 
 St. John, Maj., and Fort Bal- 
 
 dak, 253 
 
 Sandford, Ffolliott, 21 
 Sanford, Maj. -Gen. G. E., 33, 
 
 98 
 
 Satterthwaite, Capt., 259 
 Scott, Sir C., 114 
 Sedition in India, 212-3, 2 57 
 
 284, 288, 291, 297 
 Ghadr Party, 213
 
 INDEX 
 
 319 
 
 Segowli, Treaty of, 159 
 Seymour, Lord Edward, inter- 
 view with, 31 
 Shea, Lt.-Col., 122 
 Sheikh Budin, 247 
 Shepherd, Col., 270 
 Sheringham, Maj., 49, 61 
 Short, Bertie, 45, 48, 55 
 " Shorts," 174 
 Shum Shere, Sir Baber, 166-8 
 
 Sir Bir, 161 
 
 Sir Chandra, 164-5, 167-8 
 
 Gen. Padma, 58-9, 166, 169 
 his gallantry, 58 
 
 Gen. Sir Tej, 166 
 Simla, Ball and Levee, 50 
 
 Rides to and from by night, 
 
 53-4 
 
 Ordered to leave, 55 
 
 Tabooed, 53 
 Sinha, Lord, 288 
 Smith-Dorrien, Gen. Sir Horace, 
 
 9i, 175 
 
 Smith, Col. L. A., and decanter, 
 
 103-4, 214 
 Solon, 44, 49 
 Staff College, Quetta, 120 
 Stewart, Sir Donald, 54, 65 
 
 his daughters, 54 
 Strachey, Maj. the Hon. E., 260 
 
 Capt. (Col.) Jack, 83-4, 179, 
 189-90 
 
 Sir John, 81 
 Suffolk, Lady, 99, 214 
 
 Lord, 214 
 Svaraj, 296 
 Sydenham, Lord, 282, 288 
 
 Tank, 244 
 
 Teck, Duke of, at Durbar, 195 
 
 Territorials, 255-71 
 
 Arrival in Bombay, 266 
 Astonishment of Indians at, 
 
 257 
 
 Casualties, 268 
 
 Conducting parties, 257 
 
 Constant withdrawals from, 
 258 
 
 Difficulties and disappoint- 
 ments, 256, 257-9, 260, 
 265, 267 
 
 Disparity in age, 260 
 
 Territorials (contd.) 
 
 Efficiency, 259, 261-2, 268 
 Indian Defence Force, 270 
 " Kitchener Test," 264-5 
 Marri Expedition, 261 
 N.C.O.s, 260 
 Numbers in India, 256 
 Numbers under my command, 
 
 256 
 Officers of, 259, 262-3, 264-5, 
 
 267-70 
 Regiments employed, 259-60, 
 
 262-3, 264-5, 267-70 
 Reserve of Officers, 270 
 Responsiveness of, 261 
 Right fighting spirit, 268 
 Stations of, 260-1, 262, 264-5, 
 
 266, 270, 280 
 Tough customers, 265 
 Weak points of, 257 
 Welcome to, 267 
 
 Thompson, 69 
 
 Thorburn, 98 
 
 Thynne, Miss, 52 
 
 Tillard, " Eliza," 62, 173 
 
 Tirah Campaign, The, 108, 174 
 
 Tomkinson, Jamie, 19 
 
 " Torrie," Maj., 206-7 
 
 Totalisator, 275 
 
 Training, 23-5 
 
 Tribe, Archdeacon, 76 
 
 Troopships, 34 
 
 Turnbull, Col. T. E., 260 
 
 Vansittart, Col. Eden, 159 
 Villiers-Stuart, Lt.-Col. W., 266 
 Voyage to India (1914), 207 
 S.S. Multan, 207, 210 
 
 Walker, Maj .-Gen. Sir H. B., 308 
 Wana, 243 
 
 Isolation of, 244, 246 
 Ward, Col. John, 264 
 " Warrior," hunter-charger, 279 
 Waterfield, Lt.-Col., 122 
 Watson, Sir John, and his son, 
 
 80 
 Waziristan, 245 
 
 3rd Afghan War, 243, 249, 
 250, 253 
 
 Militia, 243, 247, 249 
 Webb- Ware, Lt.-Col., 178-9
 
 320 
 
 UNDER TEN VICEROYS 
 
 Weekes, Maj. H. E., 236 
 
 West India Turf Club, 275 
 
 " Whereas," 263 
 
 Whifien, Maj. Goodman, 259 
 
 White, Sir George, 71, 90, 93, 104 
 
 Wilbraham, Squire, 19 
 
 Willcocks, Gen. Sir James, 128, 
 210 
 
 Williams, Maj. -Gen. Sir God- 
 frey, 210 
 
 Willingdon, Lady, 238-9 
 Lord, 238, 266 
 
 Wilson, Field-Marshal Sir H., 89 
 
 Wingate, Sir Reginald, 209 
 Wood, Col., 270 
 WoodaU, Maj. H. W., 259 
 Woodhouse, Isobel, 106, 107 
 " Wood-Smith," Mrs., 208 
 Woodyatt, Rev. Edward, 13-4, 
 30 
 
 Mrs., 13, 14-5, 32 
 
 H. C., 27 
 Wombell, George, 43 
 
 Y.M.C.A., 200-1, 266 
 at Dacca, 200
 
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