242 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



These lines were written by Captain Colwyn Phillips of the 

 Royal Horse Guards. He was the eldest son of Lord St. David, 

 and he was killed in action at Ypres. 



It is not without parallel in this war for a country curate to 

 become a commanding officer of his battalion, or a D.S.O., and 

 no one was surprised, though all were glad, when Lieutenant- 

 Colonel the Rev. Percy William Beresford was awarded that 

 honour, for Beresfords from the days of Agincourt and before 

 that have been famous for their gallantry. - 



What the exact relation was between Colonel Beresford and 

 the Waterfords I do not know, but his sister tells me they belong 

 to the elder branch of that family ; the late Judge William 

 Beresford was his grandfather. By my brief sketch of his life 

 it will be seen how he became a cleric and a soldier. 



Rossel School and Magdalen College, Oxford, were responsible 

 for his education. He was much liked at both. The head- 

 master of his school described him as a boy of unusual culture 

 and wider reading than most. Sir Herbert Warren spoke 

 warmly of his life and influence, and especially of his gentleness. 



When at Oxford he worked, which is not a universal habit of 

 university students. He passed well in classics and hoped to 

 take Orders, but family reasons prevented him entering the 

 Church at that time, and as his father's health was failing he 

 entered business, which was most distasteful to him ; his heart 

 was set on the Church. Nevertheless, he found time to do some 

 of the work that was beckoning him. 



During his meditations at Oxford he had become convinced 

 of a great truth so often overlooked, namely, that the greatest 

 good may be done to the greatest number by influencing the 

 young, more especially the youths of our country, and this was 

 the great work of his life which he never for a moment let slip 

 out of his sight. He was wise enough to see that the physical 

 condition of young men is largely responsible for their moral 

 condition, and that congenial work is as necessary for their well- 

 being as is their food. With this in view, after attending to his 

 own business all day, he collected boys and held classes for them 

 at night and on holidays, arranged for plenty of healthy exercise, 

 games and amusements, during which his influence was be- 

 ginning to bear upon them imperceptibly, and they preferred 



