TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
LORD WILLIAM BERESFORD, V.C.
SOME MEMORIES OF A FAMOUS
SPORTSMAN, SOLDIER
AND WIT
“FIGHTING BILL”
Reproduced by permission from “Vanity Fair”
BERESFORD, V.C.
SOME MEMORIES OF A FAMOUS
SPORTSMAN, SOLDIER AND WIT
BY
MRS. STUART MENZIES
WITH APPRECIATIONS BY
THE EARL OF CROMER &
ADMIRAL LORD BERESFORD
38 ILLUSTRATIONS, ALSO REPRODUCTIONS
OF THE SIGNATURES OF THOSE
PRESENT AT THE FAMOUS FAREWELL
DINNER AT CALCUTTA
HERBERT JENKINS LIMITED
ARUNDEL PLACE HAYMARKET
LONDON S.W. 
MCMXVII
PRINTED BY WM. BRENDON AND SON, LTD., PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND
INTRODUCTION
There are days when we are under thespell of the past, when lovely times, lovelythings, and delightful people that havelapsed into “have beens” are again with us, in amist of memories and dreams, but memories anddreams that have been true and real—to be treasuredalways.
In my memory there are silhouetted against thehorizon of the past a few figures (amongst the manykind friends who have journeyed with me) who standalone, whose greatness of character singled themfrom their fellows, others whose splendid works forstate or humanity have marked them, but I pausebefore a figure that would have told us he wasnothing in particular, yet few men have been soloved, so universally popular as the late LordWilliam Beresford, V.C., one of the most charmingcharacters and greatest personalities of the age, abrave and gallant soldier, a loyal and faithful friend,possessing an extraordinarily generous nature. Aman has not lived for nothing, and must be somethingin particular, when his friends can truly saythat of him.
I have waited a long time before undertaking thiswork, hoping some more able pen than mine would[vi]give to his old friends and future generations somerecord of Lord William’s eventful life, a few memoriesof his many kindnesses and unostentatiouscharities, his pluck, deeds of daring and unfailingcheeriness.
No such scribe appearing, I have taken my couragein both hands and endeavoured to pay a smalltribute to the memory of an old and valued friend,being encouraged by the letter I received (January16th, 1916) from Lord Beresford, better known andloved by the great British public as Lord CharlesBeresford, in which he wrote:
1, Great Cumberland Place,
...