Back to Album belonging to Colonel F F Colvin 9L (1860-1936). Contains newspaper cuttings and paper ephemera
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Item 0083
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| Accession number | 912L : 2124/6 |
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| Transcription |
A smart attack by the 9th takes the ball sitting the Hussars ' goal , that Major Lamont has a shot at it . But the ground is now terribly cut up - so small wonder that the ball goes wide . Following up his hry out Captain Bewicke shoots to the front , and in very brilliant fashion takes the ball on Close behind him comes Mr. Dundas on a brown barb ( which , if I mistake not , at one time belonged to poor Mr. De Laski of the 9th , and subsequently to Captain Cunninghame of the 4th Hussars ) , and with a fine drive scores , thus equalising matters . And now how to offer a brief epitome of all the valorous deeds that took place in the rest of this hard fought bout I confess beats me . Given time and Calimited foolscap I might give some succinct and detailed account ; but time is not the slave of the scribe , ' tis rather " t'other way on , " and , Mr. Editor , you will be down on me with a well - deserved rate if I throw my tongue too freely instead of " driving " ahead . Well , an admirable attack by Captain Colvin , on Belinda , equally well met by Mr. Dundas , lands the ball in mid - ground after some up and down play ; for a moment the advantage rests with the 9th , and a really grand drive of Captain Willoughby's only just misses the goal . Then once more that most energetic of " forwards , " Mr. Hargreaves , shoots to the front , and , in most brilliant style , takes the ball nearly up to the Chestnuts . But see a white mass is on the ground ; a flash of steel - clad hoofs in the air , just after Mr. Dundas , on Cambridge , has sent the ball high on its onward journey " shows on so near ** " A scuffle by goal , and the ball through , and then a gathering knot shows something has happened . The something is that Mr. Dundas has come down , and the shout of Stop " has emanated from his side . The result is a very lengthy palaver , much discussion of the Hurlingham " Blue - book , " and a final resolve that the goal is not to count - and very properly - and then once more the ball becomes the apple of discord . And so the game goes on with vary ing success , though the advantage rests with the 9th , who not only nearly score once again , owing to a very fine drive of Captain Willoughby's , but force the 15th to hit behind in self defence . But here they come once more thundering in the race . Holloa ! Cambridge down again . Evidently a short sojourn in England and heavy going to which he is unaccustomed , has told its tale on the good Syrian pony , who in his native land knows not the meaning of mud ! But no harm is done except to his rider's temper , who , as he extricates hím self from his fallen steed , gives him a whack on bis quarters with his polo stick for having thus failed him . I shall never forget the pony's crest - fallen look as with lowered head and tucked - in tail he calmly trotted off the ground to seek solace in a " rub - down , " whilst his master calls for another pony , ' Again and again the 9th prove themselves very Hotspurs by the fury of their onslaught , but again and again their attempts are frustrated , now by Mr. Dundas , who saves his goal by a very smart and judicious bit of play ; now by the " ploughed field " like state of the ground , which causes Major Lamont to miss an apparently easy shot at goal , and by the time the period is over the score stands two goals all . Almost directly play is resumed , Captain Willoughby on Tangiers shoots smartly to the front out of a scuffle and , getting in possession , scores with a broken ball ! Oh , umpires ! What were you about not to notice this ? And Captain Smythe , how about one of your letters to Land and Water on the subject of " Broken Balls , " in which you say : " If a portion of a ball is sent through ( the goal posts ) it is a portion only , and not the ball , and as such cannot count " ? The fault un doubtedly lay with the umpires ; but as umpires cannot see everything , and have to get out of the way pretty often , this fact probably escaped their notice ; but a fact it is , nevertheless , and that the goal should have been allowed to count was strange , for the ball was hit two or three times after being broken . However , on the principle that " The king can do no wrong , " or that umpires are infallible , it ill - becomes me to say more on the subject , but this , and the discussion that arose when Mr. Dundas came down in the earlier part of the game shows , I think , and I venture the assertion with all humility , that umpires should not only " keep their eyes skinned , " but have the rules and regulations of the game at their fingers ' - ends . To resume , however . A struggling mass of ponies , white shirts , and brown boots , with whirling sticks , makes it somewhat difficult to distinguish who is who , in the scrimmage that ensues on ends being changed , but now and then a familiar voice shouting a war cry , is answered by another , while the fun grows fast and furious , and at last Captain Willoughby nearly scores with a very fine backhander , but the ball hits a post and rolls the wrong side . Once more gathering , growing , swelling , and surging , the squadron sweeps on ; ' now it is Mr. Hargreaves who shoots to the front - spread eagling his field ; now it is Captain Jemner or Captain Colvin who , executing some flank movement , earn laurels as strategists , whilst both Captain Bewicke and Captain Willoughby distinguish themselves by making fine runs . Mr. Hargreaves and Major Lamont have someo rare lustlinguts , and Mr. Dundas once literally scoops the ball out of the sodden ground when going at a great pace on Arab Chief , so that for the instant one hardly knows which is the ball or which is the sod of turf that accompanies it on its flight ! A sharp and " quick turn succeeds , with the advantage pretty equally divided , for the ball is no sooner hit to one end of the ground than it is returned , till at last Mr. Hargreaves , on Rufus , makes another desperate and gallant effort , and Onward th ' Hussars pressed by Hargreaves led , With such a sound , as when the ocean wave Meets on the beach the outpouring of a stream , Swollen by the rains of heaven Right ably does Mr. Dundas back his No. 1 , and mightily he smites the ball . As we follow it in its course a goal seems certain ; but , ah ! ' tis la fortune de la guerre . It Was ever so strikes a post and rolls -- the wrong side . luck ? No wonder that one who stood beside me , as I looked on , muttered curses loud and deep , levelled at that post . That Fortune is fickle we all know - now making advances , now retiring , and so it is not surprising that when Mr. Dundas soon after gets a chance of scoring , he should miss his stroke , for which I think Arab Chief's impetuosity , rare good pony though he is , must have been mainly responsible . But once raise the devil in an Arab - and it takes a good deal at times to do so the evil spirit takes a long time to lay . Few minutes now remain , but in those minutes is con densed almost a lifetime , so fierce and prolonged is the struggle , one side bent on maintaining their advantage , the other on getting once more on level terms . Nothing succeeds like success , however , and though the 15th con test every yard of the ground in the most gallant manner with the energy born of despair , they cannot attain their object , and when the bell rings at 7.20 p.m. the 9th Lancers have won by three goals to two , and for the third year in succession the Hurlingham Military Cup goes to grace the mess table of that most gallan corps . So ends the Inter - Regimental Tournament of 1891 and we may congratulate ourselves that there stil survives a generation of soldiers who , should th necessity occur , would be as ready as their " forbears to rehearse in grim earnest the deeds of the last thirt years , during which the name of the British officer ha ever been sans peur et sans reproche . Comments on the game are perhaps superfluous , fo both sides fully upheld their reputation , but still , a one who has watched and studied many a game , I may be permitted to offer one or two remarks . That the 15tl played a most gallant and dashing game no one car deny . Their attack was at times almost overwhelming from its sheer impetuosity ; their energy , hard riding , and hard hitting were splendid , and nothing could have ex ceeded the brilliancy of the play exhibited by their two ( C forwards , " but as I ventured to point out on a previous occasion , they lacked cohesion somewhat , and , moreover , did not place the ball for each other in the manner that the 9th did , and this , I think , was mainly the cause of their defeat . Finer and harder hitting I have seldom witnessed , though I must allow that Captain Willoughby , of the 9th , proved himself a veritable Hercules in this respect ; but hard hitting and hard riding will not win at polo against combination , and well may a polo team take for their motto that of the Belgian nation , L'Union fait la force . I think everyone who looked on must have also been impressed by the magnificent play of Captain Colvin , and brilliant as were the performances of his brother officers , no one will be more ready than they to admit that the success of the regiment was in no slight measure due to Captain Colvin . Whilst congratulating the victors , I am sure everyone united in condoling with the vanquished , and in this none were more sincere than the gallant 9th Lancers themselves , and though " 9th beat 15th " must have flashed all over the county ere the game had been ended ten minutes , the verdict must everywhere have been that the 15th Hussars were foes worth conquering . The following is a summary of the tournament and list of previous winners : FRANCE AF RANELAGH 157144 SPAIN AT RANCLAGH CTA - SEAT BRADLEY S CHAINY BRADLEY POLO PONIES from the 9th Lancers . To be Sold by Auction BY MESSRS TATTERSALL NEAR ALBERT GATE , HYDE PARK On THURSDAY , JULY 9th , 1891 , EIGHTEEN POLO PONIES OFFICERS BEING THE ENTIRE STUDS OF THE FOLLOWING of the 9th LANCERS . ALBERT VICTOR , DUKE OF CLARENCE AND AVONDALE . BORN JANUARY 8 , 1864. DIED JANUARY 14 , 1892 . I. Dead ! And no warrior soul outworn , Aweary of the strife , But He , alas ! we have to mourn , A neophyte of Life : Youngest of England's ancient Line , Hope of a people's heart ; your promised King , and mine . II . Now change the purple for the pall ! The bridal for the bier ! He , the beloved , besought , of all , Lies mute , ungazing here . Dust unto dust , the young , the proud : : A coffin for his crown , his majesty a shroud ! III . Yet weep not only for the dead ; Mighty and mean must die ; The loftiest , like the lowliest , head Is but a passer sser by . Death keeps no favours for the great , Peasant and Prince alike live but in fee from Fate . IV . But love , the boon of lord and clown , Love had he made his own , Love , jewelled beyond any crown , Loftier than any throne : Had found a maiden fond and fair . Who , trembling on his heart , wept her glad weakness there . V. Now muffled be the marriage bell ! The nuptial wreath be rent ! Palace and tower must toll the knell Of his dark tenement , The flowers we twined to blush and bloom Around the bridal beil , must pale about his tomb . VI . Alas for Her ! the graced , the good , For ever doomed to wear The mockery of widowhood About her maiden hair : Scarce had she time to reach and clasp The gifts of Love , but they were ashes in her grasp . VII . Glory of pomp , and glow of power , ' Tis nothing to forego : Grandeur is but a doubtful dower , Rank oft but radiaut woe . But to lose Love , just seen , just known , To mingle , Two - in - One , and then to mourn alone ! VIII . O , if She could exchange her lot , And now were free to choose , With one who in some whitewashed cot Over her baby coos , And tends the humblest hearth that burns , To whose awaiting smile the cherished one returns ! IX . We weep with her . We weep with You , No less loved , widowed Queen , Who nurse a loss for ever new , A wound for ever green . Your brow august is crowned with care , So take Her to Your breast , and hush her anguish there ! And you , Sir , who for long , lone years Have stood beside the Throne , And now would stem a Mother's tears , Forgetful of your own , For you we mourn , we mourn for her , All of us at your side , by His sad sepulchre . ALFRED AUSTIN . |
