McPHERSON, John (J)

(Queens South Africa Medal (for the Boer War of 1899-1902)) We record with profound regret the death from enteric fever at Karee near Bloemfontein on the 15 th of May, of Private GEORGE EDWARD HALFORD., Mounted Infantry of the City Imperial Volunteers, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. F.B. Halford of Woodchurch Road, West Hamstead, at the age of 22. By some mischance the War Office received no notification of his illness or death; but it became known to his family that he was seriously ill, and the fatal news was received in London on the 22 nd instant, in reply to a special telegram of enquiry sent by the courtesy of the Lord Mayor in his name, on the 16 th . George Halford was educated at University College School whence he matriculated with credit. Following the example of his father, who is a Major on the retired list, he became a keen volunteer, and was a lance-corporal in the 1 st Middlesex (Victoria and St Georges). He was Lieutenant in the Berrner Street Company, and subsequently Captain in the Bayswater Company of the Jewish Lads? Brigade, to which body he delighted to devote a great portion of his leisure. He not only drilled the boys under his charge with military regularity, but did much to elevate them by the persuasive influence of a particularly bright and attractive personality. As a visiting guardian of the industrial department of the Jewish Board of Guardians, he was guardian of some of the brigade boys apprenticed to the Board, and many instances could be recorded of his energetic and resourceful devotion to their interests. In one case, he moved the Chief Rabbi to exert his influence to induce the father of an apprentice to waive his objection to an operation which the doctors considered necessary for the boy to undergo. On leaving for Africa, poor Halford confided to a relative the case of an ailing boy under his charge. When it was known that volunteers would be accepted for the war in South Africa, Halford determined, by hook or by crook, to get to the front and to that end, set to work with characteristic energy. Owing to a clerical error he found himself excluded from the first list of the C.I.V?s but with dogged perseverance, he addressed himself to one set of officials after another to redress the mistake. His pertinacity was finally rewarded and he was accepted for the Mo