252 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



Brindle for the occasion was recited by him, and was printed for 

 distribution by Lord Kitchener's orders. 



Mr. W. G. Stevens, describing the service, says, " Snow- 

 haired Father Brindle, best beloved of priests, laid his helmet at 

 his feet and read the memorial prayer bare-headed in the sun." 



Mr. Caton Woodville painted a picture of the religious 

 service in the ruins of Gordon's palace, where every stick and 

 stone seemed to throb with painful imaginings of poor deserted 

 Gordon's despair. 



When the picture was shown to Queen Victoria she remarked 

 to the artist, " But you have forgotten the clergymen ! " She 

 evidently expected to see them in full canonicals. It was 

 explained to her the clerical garments were not forgotten, and 

 that the officiating clergy were in khaki, each one being 

 pointed out to her. 



I was talking to a near relative of mine a short time ago 

 about the Egyptian campaign and Father Brindle ; they were 

 both toiling up the Nile at the same time and knew each other 

 well. 



He spoke of the priest's charming personality and what an 

 idol he was of the soldiers, the amount of work he managed to 

 get out of the southern Irishmen who then, as now, were " agin 

 all law and order." The same relative told me that when they 

 returned to Korti after the desert march he one day saw what 

 looked like a battalion parade of an Irish regiment ; on making 

 enquiries he was informed it was only the defaulters who had 

 been making merry on their return to civilisation. In those 

 days it was not considered bad form to drink too much, and the 

 regiment had only been doing on service »vhat they were accus- 

 tomed to doing in peace. The only reason I refer to this little 

 incident, which cost them very dear and is an old story now. is 

 because of the astonishing control Father Brindle had over the 

 men ; but for him there might have been serious trouble. He 

 understood the Irish better than tho majority of we dull Saxons. 



As Father Brindle mounted the scale of the hierarch}; he 

 became wonderfully little spoilt, and even as a Bishop his 

 charm of manner could be detected, though perhaps of a slightly 

 stiff er bearing. 



Father Brindle was mentioned in despatches five times, and 

 twice promoted for war service. In addition to hi ; D.S,0. he 



