85 Years' Service, Most of Them the Far East 'Another old China hand is shortly leaving for Home, in the person of Colonel Mallet, Commandant of the French forees in' Shanghai, who 4s mow to take command of the 8th Regiment of Colonial Infantry at Toulon. -He first.came out to China 1898, going to Indo-China, and since then has spent most of his time in this part of the world. When interviewed, Colonel Mallet that he had enjoyed the years he chad spent in China, but-was never theless glad to be going home.
Colonel Mallet joined the Army' in 1895, and after three years at the military college at St. Cyr was appointed a sub-lieutenant in the Marine Infantry, which later was renamed the Colonial Infantry. He proceeded to Indo-China in 1808, and in 1902 was transferred to Tientsin.
Tu 1906 began his association with Shanghai, when, with the rank of captain, he came here to take charge of the French Municipal Police. In 11907 he effected a thorough reorg ganization of the force, and he continued in command until 1913, when he returned to Tientsin. He Jeff on August 6, 1914, to return to Franco to fight for his country, travelling via Siberia and Con-
Always serving with the Colonial Infantry, Capt. Mallet became Chef de Bataillon and served two years in Prance, returning to Tientsin in 1916, French organization and ranks axe slightly different from the British, and it should be explained that a colonel commands a regiment, of some 2,700 men, and consisting. of three' battalions, with a Tieutonant-colonel as second-in-command, Each battalion is command. ed by a Chef de Bataillon.
In 1918 Chef de Bataillon Mallet went to the Siberian campaign, with fa battalion of infantry and an artil-Jory battery, and reached a point half-way between the Ural Mount alns and the Volga, with headquarters at Chelyabinsk, while the British forces were at' Ekaterinarg. When the allied troops with-Atew in 1920, he took command of a battalion in France, only to return to China again two years later, ug to Tientsin in 1922 as a Lieutenant-colonel and second-in-command.
'Staff appointments and various military missions called—Lt-Col. Mallet to duties in France from 1924 until 1927, when the call of the East made' itself heard once again, and he came out to Shanghai 'a8 Commandant of the French Defence Forces, once more to guard the Concession which he had policed 30 thoroughly 20 years before. In 1028 he was promoted full Colonel, a yank which corresponds with the British Colonel Commandant or, as it is now known, Brigadier.
Colonel Mallet has five more years of service to complete, and he-does not think it at all likely that he will return to the East again, He eaves by the French mail str. Chenonceaux on March 29, and will Join his wife in Paris, before proceeding to Toulon. Mme. Mallet returned to Paris in June last.
With 35 years of service, Colonel Mallet has led a charmed life, and has never been wounded. His decorations ave those of an Officer of the Legion of Honour, the French War Cross, Czecho-Slovak War Gross, French War Medal, French Golonial Medal, Allied ' General Service Medal (Great War), a Chinese decoration and the Japanese order of the Rising Sun.
The successor to the post of commandant in Shanghai is Lieutenant-Colonel Mareaire, who is igh on the list for promotion and will, no doubt, be given the rank of colonel soon. "He comes here from Brest, and will arrive on March 17. Colonel Mallet yesterday remarked that although he knew Lt.-Col. 'Mareaire when they wore both' sub-Hieutenants, he had not met him since, although he once saw him in France in 1901. Other officers of the local. French forces have served With their new commandant.
The New Commandant Colonel Mallet invited his many it suds to a reception in the Certle
the object of saying an revoir to prt i Henneni, om March, them and at the same time introduc: ing his successor, Colonel Mareaire, to the community." There was very large attendance, the French community naturally" predominate ing, but officials, soldiers and civi-ins of other nationalities as well testified to the popularity of the retiring commander.
Col. Mallet received the guests and introduced his successor. Shorter in stature than Col. Mallet, Gol, Mareaire has a distinctly milit-sty figure, and a closely cropped moustache emphasizes the strength of his face. Like his predecessor, he belongs to the Colonial Infantry, and has seen service in almost every country in which that famous corps has functioned. Tis servi abroad has principally been Mudagascar and the Sudan, and recently ho has been stationed at Brest.
Members of the Consular Body, the other forces in port, and Chinese representatives were present on Col. Ballet's invitation, and while regretting deeply the impending departure of an old friend had the pleasure of meeting a French soldier who is likely to emulate his predecessor in popularity.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.