HLI Chronicle 1910 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

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82 ltWIlLAND LlGIl'l' lNFANTRY CIlRONICLE. second C.O. we have to do. Had he a true heart Ay, as big as himself and his old horse, " Dobin," included. He was the centre, the living centre, of the old 7lst Highland Light Infantry. Permit me to touch the harpstrings of old memory regarding a fine old soldier who was in "the valley of the shadow." Hearing of his weakness, he said "Poor old fellow, I remember him well. You see that he wants for nothing. I will be pay-master. If I was only able I would like to go and see him; tell him that from me." And we did: and as long as Willie R. was able to speak, on every visit there was a crack about our good old C.O. Poor old "Pinder" was just a wash-out. "Give me his address; I'll send him some warm clothes." A kindly note and a big bundle gladdened" Pinder." It was said that he knew every man in the regiment by name. Colin was an old handa good fiddler, but unable to work-hence he sought his bread on fiddle tramps. One day he landed just outside of Inveresk Lodge. Tuning up his old strings, he struck up the regimental quick-step. At once it caught the ear of our old C.O. He came out and said "Where did you learn that march" Colin drew himself up to attention, gave his old salute, and said" While serving in the good old 7lst Highland Light Infantry, sit." Aftel looking Colin all over, he said "Oh, yes. I remember you; you were a Volunteer, and joined us in Sealkote in ]861." "That's lust so, sir," said Colin. Needless to say that Colin was supplied-well supplied-with the needfuL He left Inveresk Lodge sky-high; clothes, money, and a feed in the kitchen, before he took the trot. These are just a few out of memory's sample-bag. I was our C.O.'s almoner, and for several years scattered his bounty amongst widows and needy cases, and the old almoner-on his frequent visits-had grand old cracks, and tea, with his good old C.O. I don'tknow about other Highland Regiments. It may have been, or it may not have been, that nick-names were the order of the day. In our day in "OID'S" it was so. Take this for a fact-there was not one shred of disrespect in any, but quite the opposite. Some were marks of ability, such as being able to see through a thing at a glance. There was, for instance, "The Youth." Then there was "Charley." In that was a big smack of true manifestation of kindness towards those he commanded. "Here comes James," and so on-all such was quite a sort of regimental family relationship. That was in our day, or, if you like it better, "the good old days." For our C.O., it was just" Pinkie," and with some it even went beyond that. In the old retired days, when annually he had all the old fogies gathered at his beautiful home-"Pinkie House"-enjoying to the full a happy picnic, one and another would say "Just look at gude auld Willie, an' a' the auld Crimean hands lOund him." Ay, that was a fact that clinched home; and that true comradeship and friendship still lives and flourishes, even to the present day. It was about our last picnio at Pinkie House that one of our venerables asked that his photo might be taken, and at once he consented. That photo stands number one among many old military warriors in a military album. Now then, who is He seeing you have had patience to wade through a' my rigmarole. You certainly have a right to know. That" He " is t1-e late General Sir WiIliam Hope, Bart., K.C.B. Now, why should that" He " be made so prominent The only answer to that question is that £wnt rank always remains front rank. Now, with your permission, we will return to the lanks of the old corps. Those of the regiment who were at headquarters at Fermoya nice clean town in the EmeraldIsle-and those who had the misfortune to be on detachment, were to suffer a great loss. After long selvice "Our Colonel" was about to retire. Those were '~he days when the four years limit had yet to be born. Our Colonel had commanded the regiment in India, Scotland, England, and Ireland; was with the Regiment in the Crimea, Indian Mutiny, and North· West Frontier; and now the time had' come when he had to say farewell to the old corps in which he had so long lived and loved so well. The weal of the regiment had a large place in his heart, and now the time had come when the link had to be snapped. "Farewell" is a very human word. Sometimes it is said lightly, at other times it is passed through a fountain of sad tears. The hour arrived; the carriage was in waiting; all the officers were gathered outside, and the men-those who had been with him in three campaigns, those who had been with him in less, but who had learned and knew his goodness. Among these-and they included every man at head-quartels-there was no pIe-arrangement. Every man was moved by one common impulse. "He's just going." No name, no rank, was needed to be named. The single word "He" was by all known to mean " Our Colonel." Then William Hope,
HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE. 83 C.B., and Mrs. Hope were seated ,in the 'carriage. In a moment i·t was sU1rounded Jby the men of the regiment-his men. The horses);were removed. The band and pipes were in front, and all the way to the station one tune was played - the regimental quick-step, "The Ba.tle of Vittoria." At the station the platform was crowded with tartan-clad men, and -as the train moved away-with the pipes on i>ne part of the platform, and the band on another part-the band played "Auld Lang Syne," and the air WitS lent with cheers-every note of whioh came from true loyal hearts. Thus the link was severed-that is, as far as it was regimentally concerned-but to the day he passed over the border-line the strong, abiding, unseverable link of true respect and esteem lived, and will sbill live in the heart of every member who served in the regiment under the command of the late General. And so-just like ships on the wild ocean ,we have only time to hail each other-then pass away. GEORGE P. MILLAR, lace Sergeant, 71st H.L.I. Pen Sketches in Ceylon. No. IV. projects four hundred feet above the sea. Various ceremonies are performed, one of which is to dash a ripe cocoanut to pieces against the cliff; the procet'dings terminate by the priests singing a weird chant and waving buming torches over their heads, which at a given signal they hurl over the cliff into the waves below. On the rock is also a monument of later date, with which a story of touching interest is associated. The daughter of a gentleman of high rank in the civil service of Holland was betrothed to an officer, who repudiated the engagement, and, his first period of foreign service having expired, he embarked for Europe. But as the ship passed the precipice the forsaken girl, calling her lover's name, flung herself from the sacred rock into the sea. A pillar, the inscription on which is now almost obliterated, reralIs the sad fate of this beautiful but ill-fated Eastem Sappho, and records the date of the catastrophe. J. S. C. FADE, Sergt., A.P.C., late H.I • .!. TRADITIONS OF TRINCOMALIE. TRINOOMALIE is defended at the narrow en- , trance of the inner harbour by the batteries of Fort Ostenburg, rising one above the other for the defence of the port and arsenal. A huge rock to seaward has been surmounted by the works of Fort Frederick. The Portuguese, who built these forts, ruthlessly destroyed the "Temple of a Thousand Columns" in order to use the materials in fortifying the heights on which it stood. Fragments of the carved stonework, and slabs bearing inscriptions in ancient characters, are still to be discerned in the walls of the f01 t, and on the platforms for the guns. The site of the Temple is held in great ventnation by the Hindus. Every year there is a procession, attended by crowds of pilgrims bearing offerings of fruits and flowers. They proceed at sunset to a spot where the rock s. BERKOVITCH & SONS, IMPORTERS AND BONDERS OF FINEST TURKISH TOBACCO AND OIGJlBBlTTB 'MJlNVPJlOTDBBBS, 89 GLASSHOUSE STREET, REGENT STREET,
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HLI Chronicle 1910 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

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