21 JANUARY 1949, Page 20

SIR,—On the occasion of Queen Victoria's funeral I was a

member of a detachment of the 12th Middlesex (Civil Services) Rifles, which was lining a small portion of the route in Hyde Park, near to the site of what is now the Dorchester Hotel. I had a close-up view of the procession, including the Kaiser, Edward VII and other monarchs. The Kaiser was on horse- back. He was certainly pale and solemn-looking. To me, he appeared