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EDITORIAL THE KING IS DEAD@LONG LIVE THE QUEEN Recent developments throughout the world, and By TED HORTON particularly what has been transpiring in the Baltic The King died this spring at his country home countries, brings to our notice as veterans the in Sandringham. serious position that our country is going to be in He died quietly in his sleep after an iilne&s if any of these incidents now disturbing the world which left him weary and spent and after 15 ex- ever flare up and cause a Third World War, It is hausting years on the throne. Cause of his dearii obvious that if this happens we will not have is said to have been a coronary thrombosis, the good fortune as we did in 1914, 1939 and 1940 to have time to build up our forces and to train our Word of her own and Commonwealth's loss soldiers, sailors and airmen. was brought his daughter in Africa bv her beloved consort and husband, and Her Royal Highness, fans It is very unlikely that there will ever again be suddenly become Her Majesty hastened back to a period as there was in 1940 which was called, England to join her sorrowing people, and to as- as you will all remember, the "phoney war". We sume the crown. all know from experience the length of time it takes His Majesty was laid to rest with his ancestors to train, an infantryman in the proper use of his with royal pomp and common sorrow. weapons, to physically condition him and to teach King George was born in Sandringham on De- him the tactical employment of those v/eapons and cember 14, 1895 and was named Albert Frederick the length of time that is required to train all arms Arthur George. His older brother, Edward, was to co-operate, and the time it takes after basic trained in the rigorous duties of monarchy, though training to complete company, battalion, brigade Bertie, as he was affectionately known to his and divisional training and to weld the various family, also received much of the same training in components of the Army in to a fighting team. his home and in his 'social life. What chance will Canada have to do this in the He was a shy young man, afflicted by a stam- event of atomic war? mer in his speech and hoped only to be able to live Veterans' organizations have been pointing out the life of an English country gentleman@a life this problem to the Canadian people and to Parlia- which was denied him, save for the infrequent in- ment but nothing has been done to date to institute tervals his duties permitted him to live at Sandring- what we must have if this country is going to be ham, his birthplace and the place where he died. prepared and defended in the event of war, namely It was fitting that a member of the British @universal military training before there is a war. Royal family should be trained and see service in the Royal Navy and it was there the future mon- Parliament will never institute a scheme for arch served his people during the war of 1914 to universal military training until public opinion in 1918. He didn't serve out of the sound and range Canada makes it apparent in no uncertain terms of the guns and was with Beatty in the Battle of that the majority of the people in the country insist Jutland, where the German Imperial navy and on equality of service and compulsory training. Royal Navy came to grips ill 1916. All of us as former infantrymen have a re- He was married on April 26, 1923, to Lady sponsibilty as individuals and as an association to Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyons and do everything in our power to impress upon our lived for 13 years as a member of the Royal fellow citizens and upon the Government of Canada Family, in the spot-light, but on its edges. His the urgency of the problem of adequate defence, older brother came to the throne early in 1936 and everyone of us has a duty to our former com- when their father George V passed away, but Ed- rades and to our families as well as to our country ward found the burden of the throne too great a to become active campaigners to help form public load to bear and the sacrifice required of a mon- opinion and to insist on really adequate prepared- arch more than he was prepared to make. ness. On December 11 he stepped down from the throne. The retiring Albert who adopted his father's Ed.@All members of the Association are re- name of George, came to his new position@his quested to send items of interest for inclusion in new responsibility@only partly equipped for his the next issue of the Forty-Niner to me at the fol- task@and still under the handicap of a difficulty in his speech. lowing address: H. E. Balfour, 10820-85 Avenue, His wife, the new Queen Elizabeth, stood by his Edmonton, Alberta. Please send material now, side and strengthened his hand and his determina- watch daily papers for additional items of interest tion not to let his people down. and send them in. To the sincere regret of all of He faced difficult times@the world was still us, Norman Arnold and Norman Cook have been suffering from depression. There was hunger and forced for health reasons to take less responsibility need in England and hunger and need in all the for the publication of the Magazine. Both have far flung spots where he was recognized a? king. served long and faithfully and "we" have no hope Thrones had toppled in Europe, but his remained of equaling their record either in length or quality strong and steadfast because he fulfilled his duties of service, but your help is solicited and we will and acted as a constitutional monarch should. ma-ke the best of the emergency. The Committee His interest in public affairs was keen, but on now responsible for the Magazine includes H. M. great issues he must remain silent and accepted Bergman, Barney Olson, Bob Home, Brig. Ernie the advice of those chosen by the people for that Wilson, Bert Hidson and Neville Jones. purpose. Wisely he did so and remained the sfceady- July, 1952 THE FORTY-NINER THE KING IS DEAD; LONG LIVE THE QUEEN and inspired by the quiet confidence of the Royal family. Their Majesties, in spite of the hourly threat from Luftwaffe bombs still lived the life of true royalty, not that they lived regally, for they too were rationed as severely as their humblest subject, but that, they lived with, of and among their people. Nor were the trails of a monarchy over when victory came. England has her back to the wall in an economic sense and no government could long be popular which must continue to strengthen the restraints of wartime rationing and deprivation. But his people still loved their King and sor- rowed at his passing as though a very near and very dear friend had gone, for he had shared their troubles with them and they with him, had suf- fered. His gracious daughter assumed the throne and inspired by her noble father's example is providing her people with the same regal picture of fortitude in the midst, of a troubled world. THE KING IS DEAD@LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! This was the message carried over the air waves, wrapping much of the world in sadness that a gentle and brave monarch had passed@and with satisfaction that he would be succeeded by one as gentle and brave. For this is not like unhappy other days when the passing of a King might mean a violent transi- tion from despotism of one kind to despotisms of another@the countries ruled by our new Queen will continue to be governed, as in the past, in the highest traditions of democracy and freedom. No matter what hand holds the sceptre or what head wears the crown, the destinies of the people remain unchanged. Why then does the British Commonwealth@and the rest of the world join in mourning the passing of our King? ing influence over British policy, which so few It is partly because his troublous years on the recognized because it is all but invisible. throne brought him close to his people all over His coronation on May 12, 1937, was a gala the world because he proved himself, though thrust event. With his charming Queen he received the unexpectedly on the throne, a truly kingly man, crown of his ancestors from the hands of a repre- yet a simple one and because the glaring spotlight sentative of God in the house of God, not in the that glares upon the throne found no fault in him.