Arthur French, 5th Baron de Freyne
Encyclopedia
Arthur Reginald French, 5th Baron de Freyne (July 3, 1879 – May 9, 1915)
, to Arthur French of Frenchpark
, County Roscommon
(1855–1913), 4th Baron de Freyne, and his wife Lady Laura Octavia Dundas (died 1881).
A graduate of Sandhurst
and lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers, he incurred the wrath of his father when on November 18, 1902 he married Annabelle Angus (the daughter of an innkeeper in Banffshire
and the divorced wife of a brother officer, one Captain Alexander) and was cut off. The marriage appears to have been short-lived. Nevertheless, unable to keep himself in the style to which a British officer would become accustomed, he resigned his commission. He sailed on the steamship Umbria for the United States
, where he intended either to join the North West Mounted Police
, or to travel to the ranch of his uncle William French in Frenchtown near Cimarron, New Mexico
.
Landing in New York
in mid-January 1905, he checked into the Hotel St.-Denis at 799 Broadway at 11th. By the 19th he had disappeared from the hotel, leaving his substantial and expensive baggage behind. An uproar began, involving the New York City Police and the British consulate, which was widely reported in the press. In mid-February he was discovered nearby, at Fort Slocum
, an island post in Long Island Sound
just off New Rochelle
. On the 24th of January he had enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army
, and was assigned to A Company, the 8th Infantry Regiment at Slocum, where he had reported 1 February. Known as “the Dook of Fort Slocum,” he was popular with the other troops, sponsoring dinners for his colleagues on post (by selling his civilian suits).
He remained with the regiment when it transferred to the Philippines
. He remained in the Philippines and enlisted there several more times (though contrary to legend, remained a private throughout his American service). On September 10, 1913, his father died, and he inherited the title; so in Mindanao on October 19 of that year, he purchased his way out of his American enlistment (a common and allowable practice from 1890 to 1940).
He died on May 9, 1915, probably toward 16:00 hours, in the Battle of Aubers Ridge
, fighting alongside his half-brother, the Hon. George Philip French, as a captain in the South Wales Borderers. He was succeeded as Baron de Freyne by another half-brother, Francis Charles French.
Biography
He was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, to Arthur French of Frenchpark
Frenchpark
Frenchpark, historically known as Dungar , is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland on the N5 national primary road. It was the home of Douglas Hyde, the first President of Ireland....
, County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
(1855–1913), 4th Baron de Freyne, and his wife Lady Laura Octavia Dundas (died 1881).
A graduate of Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers, he incurred the wrath of his father when on November 18, 1902 he married Annabelle Angus (the daughter of an innkeeper in Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
and the divorced wife of a brother officer, one Captain Alexander) and was cut off. The marriage appears to have been short-lived. Nevertheless, unable to keep himself in the style to which a British officer would become accustomed, he resigned his commission. He sailed on the steamship Umbria for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he intended either to join the North West Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
, or to travel to the ranch of his uncle William French in Frenchtown near Cimarron, New Mexico
Cimarron, New Mexico
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 917 people, 382 households, and 255 families residing in the village. The population density was 479.5 people per square mile . There were 449 housing units at an average density of 234.8 per square mile...
.
Landing in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in mid-January 1905, he checked into the Hotel St.-Denis at 799 Broadway at 11th. By the 19th he had disappeared from the hotel, leaving his substantial and expensive baggage behind. An uproar began, involving the New York City Police and the British consulate, which was widely reported in the press. In mid-February he was discovered nearby, at Fort Slocum
Fort Slocum (New York)
Fort Slocum, New York was a US military base occupying Davids' Island and Hart Island at the western end of Long Island Sound. The fort was named for Major General Henry W...
, an island post in Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
just off New Rochelle
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
. On the 24th of January he had enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, and was assigned to A Company, the 8th Infantry Regiment at Slocum, where he had reported 1 February. Known as “the Dook of Fort Slocum,” he was popular with the other troops, sponsoring dinners for his colleagues on post (by selling his civilian suits).
He remained with the regiment when it transferred to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He remained in the Philippines and enlisted there several more times (though contrary to legend, remained a private throughout his American service). On September 10, 1913, his father died, and he inherited the title; so in Mindanao on October 19 of that year, he purchased his way out of his American enlistment (a common and allowable practice from 1890 to 1940).
He died on May 9, 1915, probably toward 16:00 hours, in the Battle of Aubers Ridge
Battle of Aubers Ridge
The Battle of Aubers Ridge was a British offensive mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I.- Background :The battle was the initial British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois...
, fighting alongside his half-brother, the Hon. George Philip French, as a captain in the South Wales Borderers. He was succeeded as Baron de Freyne by another half-brother, Francis Charles French.