14 DECEMBER 1929, Page 3

Sir Charles Monro and Mr. C. I. Thornton We mourn

this week a great soldier and a great cricketer. General Sir Charles Monro was an extremely efficient, very modest, very hard-fighting soldier. As Commander of the First Army Corps in succession to Sir Douglas Haig and then as Commander of the Third Army he had already made such a reputation in France that there was no doubt about the wisdom of the choice when he was asked to go out to Gallipoli to report upon the puzzling situation there. He advised withdrawal and, taking over command from Sir Ian Hamilton, he con- ducted the operation himself. There was deep appre- hension about the possible results, but General Monro lost hardly any men and very little material. The move- ment is likely to become a model for the military student. Mr. C. I. Thornton, who died in his eightieth year, was only a name to the present generation of cricketers. Still, a name does not survive except for a very good reason. Mr. Thornton was one of the mightiest hitters in the history of cricket. It was said that he hit more balls out of the ground and " over the pavilion " than any other player. He was the principal founder of the Scarborough Festival.

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