The Wolds Waggoners - page 5
Image details
| Corps | RPC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Books |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | The Wolds Waggoners |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1988 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1908 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
Nor were his interests solely confined to military matters. He succeeded to the baronetcy, thus becoming Sir Mark, on the death of his father in 1911. That same year, not only did a disastrous fire destroy much of Sledmere House, but a General Election took place, in which he was elected as the Unionist M.P. for Central Hull with a majority of 278. During the Great War, Sir Mark was destined never to serve with the troops he had commanded in peacetime. His value to his country lay rather in the role of diplomat and policy adviser. One of Sir Mark's main pleasures had been in travel, particularly in the countries of the Levant - Turkey, Syria and Palestine. He was able to use the knowledge he had acquired on his journeying to good advantage to advise the Foreign Office on its policy in that region. In 1915, he was ordered to leave his battalion, at that time on anti-invasion duties on the north-east coast of England, and report to London. From there, he was sent on a fact-finding mission to the Middle East, with a view to the future proportion of the war with Turkey. He remained a government adviser on the Middle East for the rest of the war. Indeed, the plan he drew up with a French diplomatic official, one Monsieur Picot, virtually created the map of that region as it remains to-day. In 1919, Sir Mark was in Paris, seeking to use his knowledge and experience to advise and influence the delegates at the Peace Conference which followed the end of the First World War. After a night at the opera, he found on waking the next day that he was unable to get out of bed. His complaint proved to be influenza - the epidemic which killed millions across Europe at this time. This soon turned to pneumonia, and he died on Sunday 16th February, only thirty-nine years of age. A Wolds wagon in the yard at Sledmere. On the side is painted 'Army Service Corps / Territorial Force, and on the front is 'No.1 / Our Country, Our God, Our King' |
| Book number | R0398 |