SENIORS AND SNOOKERS

Coventry Herald, Friday 30 June 1905

SENIORS AND SNOOKERS.

The resignation of General Sir E. Elles from his appointment as Military Member of the Vice-regal Council gives credence to the suggestion that the friction which has arisen between General Elles and Lord Kitchener has to some extent had is origin in the relative professional standing of the two officers, the present Commander-in-Chief in point of actual service, being some two years junior to General Elles. Of course, it will be recalled that the one officer is a sapper and the other a gunner. General Elles having been a “senior” cadet at “The Shop” when Lord Kitchener was a “snooker” or newly joined cadet. The relations between the seniors and snookers largely resemble those existing between upper-class boys and juniors at public schools, the youngster acting as fag to the older boy. To-day at Woolwich the custom of making snookers sing for the edification of the seniors on Saturday night is still observed, and many officers of distinguished position doubtless look back upon those first and very early performance with mingled feelings.