302 REMINISCENCES OF 



of past events ; and knowing their Colonel as they 

 did, they all felt that that connection would be, not 

 as it so often was, purely an ornamental one, but 

 that it would mean no slackening of the deep interest 

 the Colonel had taken in the fortunes of the corps, 

 whose existence would ever be associated with his 

 name, and it was the earnest hope of all that for 

 many years to come they might be privileged to 

 welcome in their midst that presence of which they 

 all were proud. That night they met purely as 

 Fife Light Horse men, past and present, but it was 

 only fair to say that there had been the greatest 

 eagerness displayed not only by loyal volunteers in 

 that county, but by many others, to share in that ex- 

 pression of regard and esteem for Colonel Thomson. 

 He should like that night to say that none recognised 

 the force of that desire more than the members of 

 the Fife Light Horse ; but they felt, with, he trusted, 

 no undue measure of selfishness, that having for the 

 past thirty-five years looked upon Colonel Anstruther 

 Thomson as their own special property, they had a 

 just right to keep him entirely to themselves that 

 night. 



" Addressing the guest of the evening, Colonel 

 Gilmour then said : ' Knowing, sir, as you do every 

 officer, non-commissioned officer and trooper in the 

 regiment, we feel you will accept as coming from 

 the heart, however imperfectly conveyed to you, our 

 honest thanks for all you have done during so many 

 years for us as Light Horse men. But on your retire- 

 ment from the command we feel there should be 



