He was with the Sixteenth Division from its landing in France till after the day of Messines, commanding his company.

All this gave him an authority in an assembly where all voices were in support of the war, and more particularly in an appeal to Ulster; and with this advantage went an unusual gift of frank and eloquent speech, linked with a fine idealism.
These were the main personal elements in the group that came together on July 25th--Mr.Duke, the Chief Secretary, acting as temporary Chairman and Sir Francis Hopwood (soon to become Lord Southborough) having been brought over as Secretary.

Mr.Duke having addressed us with an earnest suavity, we were told to select a Chairman: and on the motion of the Primate, Archbishop Crozier, this embarrassing task was delegated to a committee of ten, rapidly told off.

We adjourned for lunch, and on reassembling found that a unanimous recommendation named Sir Horace Plunkett.

The Ulstermen had expressed a willingness to accept Redmond.
This he refused to discuss; but he was put into the Chair of the selecting committee.