Salvation Army

Commissioner William Wycliffe “Wycliffe” Booth became an officer from High Barnet Corps, England in 1916 and married Captain Renee Peyron, daughter of Commissioner and Mrs. A Peyron. He was a nominee for General in the 1954 High Council.

Commissioner Wycliffe Booth
Rank	Commissioner
Birth Date	December 7, 1895
Death Date	May 12, 1975
Relations	Commissioner Renee Booth (wife)
	Booth Family

Announcement of the engagement of Capt. Renne Peyron, second daughter of Lieutenant Commissioner and Mrs. Peyron of France, and Capt. Wycliffe Booth, son of General and and Mrs. Bramwell Booth, has just been received from Salvation Army International headquarters at London.

Commissioner and Mrs. Peyron are two of the oldest officers in the army in point of service. They have been in it more than 36 years.

Capt. Wycliffe Booth, the youngest child of General and Mrs. Booth, is an accomplished musician and singer.

The Butte Daily Post, August 8, 1922 (Butte, Montana)

Salvationists throughout the country yesterday paid special tribute to their late General, Bramwell Booth, at memorial services, and in the Westcountry such services were conducted at all the “Army” centres.

The second son of the late General, Staff Captain Wycliffe Booth, at the memorial service at Plymouth, explained that at the passing of their father members of the family decided to act on the suggestion of one of them that it would have been the General's wish for them to go to different centres and speak at the memorial services of his life and love for his children.

In a general message read at all services General E. J. Higgins, a Westcountryman, said: “We must maintain the traditions handed down to us by our two wonderful Generals, and see to it that those principles which, by the help of God, they nailed high to our mast, shall never be lowered, but, pursuing the course marked out by them, keep ever to the fore the main purpose of the Army, and take it on from victory to victory.”

Remembering his early associations with Plymouth, Staff-Capt. Wycliffe Booth, second son of the late Gen. Bramwell Booth, attended the memorial service to his father held in Plymouth Congress Hall last night. He was accompanied by his wife. Every seat in the spacious building was occupied, and impressive tributes were paid to the late General. The front of the platform was draped in white and purple. “We shall walk through the Valley in peace” was impressively sung by the bandsmen as the Army officers entered the hall and took their seats.

A niece of the late General (Colonel Mrs. Sladen) said their General fought a great fight as a great leader, but equally well as a brave soldier; and, while he achieved many victories as master of men, he was known to many as a servant of all.

New General's Message

Staff-Capt. Wycliffe Booth, second son of the late General, speaking at the Plymouth service, described how the family, after bidding the General good-bye for the last time in life, gathered in a room downstairs for prayer. Someone among them said: “Papa would have liked each one to go to a different centre for the memorial service, to speak of his life and his love to us as children.” His thoughts turned to Plymouth, where he was received so kindly at the commencement of his career as an officer. Surely, after 66 years of service, he had a right to be the proud son of such a father. At this meeting of remembrance they thought not so much of what the General did as of what God did through him. It was God's spirit in him that made him what he was.

He then read the following message from General Higgins:-

“The world is all the poorer for the passing of General Bramwell Booth. His life was spent in efforts to make the world sweeter and purer; and looking back upon the more than fifty years of his public life, we see outstanding marks of achievement in this direction.

“Then, too, the Army itself is a monument to the faithful and efficient services which the General rendered to the founder during the latter's life, and to the capable leadership revealed by him after the founder laid down his sword.

“The name of General Bramwell Booth is written large on nearly every page of Salvation Army history, and future generations will hold his memory sacred, and will speak of his extraordinary interest in and efforts for the young people, of his splendid devotion to the missionary fields, and of his noble example in the realm of soul-saving.

Officers' Debt

“The officers of the Army owe him a debt of gratitude which can best be paid by commutating his example in zeal, in toil, and in service. All ranks to-day salute their promoted leader, remembering with thanksgiving all that his life accomplished, and rejoicing in all that his spirit (moving still amongst his followers) will yet accomplish.

“We must maintain the traditions handed down to us by our two wonderful Generals, and see to it that those principles which, by the help of God, they nailed high to our mast shall never be lowered, but, pursuing the course marked out by them, keep ever to the fore the main purposes of the Army, and take it on from victory to victory.

“In the shadow of our loss, let there be a new birth of hopefulness and confidence, carrying us to heights at present unsealed and to depths not yet fathomed. God, Who hitherto has helped us, will, if we are but faithful, lead us thus.”

Speaking for herself and Lieut. Col. H. Sladen, divisional commander for the South West. Mrs. (Colonel) Sladen, niece of the late General, said he (the late General) fought a good fight as a great leader, but equally well as a brave soldier he achieved many victories as a master of men, yet was known to many as a servant of all. He was loved and esteemed for the service he rendered to countless thousands in his world-wide ministry. Citizens would ever hold his name in sacred memory, but even more so the Salvationists of Plymouth and the South West, because of the organization of which he was the chief director and organizer for so many years.

The General fought valiantly in the cause of righteousness, and was among the few who witnessed the birth of the Salvation Army. In the earliest days of its history, although often battling against physical weakness, he voluntarily accepted many heavy burdens and shared with his father, the founder, the brunt of bitter criticism.

He so championed the work, however, that as the years passed he steadily built around him an army of capable and devoted officers, whose love to God, service in the ranks, and fidelity to the Army ahs been, and is to-day, a monument of credit to his skillful leadership, first in the capacity of Chief of Staff, and for sixteen years as General.

He was privileged to see the formation, growth, and development of a mighty spiritual movement which has become an exceeding great Army of Salvation engaged in active warfare against evil.

The General kept the faith by his fearless denunciation of sin, his teaching of holiness, and his powerful expositions of divine truth. He kept the faith in his unswerving belief in the regeneration of the worst of sinners. But now he had finished his course, and had already entered into eternal rest and received his reward.

Salvationists and friends mourned his loss, and desired to express their sympathy with Mrs. Booth and the members of the family, but as the Army mother, Mrs. General William Booth, remarked just before her passing: “The work must go on!” They believed the memory of his life and example would serve to spur them on to more earnest work, higher levels of consecration, and more daring salvationism.

They now looked into the future with a firm faith in God and the principles of the Army; and with resolute determination to stand unitedly by the colours, pledging their loyalty to, and their confidence in the new and beloved leader, General Edward Higgins.

Others who took part in the service were Col. Jordan (officer in charge of the Army institution at Sunbury Court), Maj. Allen (an officer from Jamaica), Commandant Ellwood and Sergt.-Maj. F. Rowe (Congress Hall). Staff-Capt. Pennick assisted in the arrangements for the service. There was a special selection of songs and choruses.

A memorial service was also held in Plymouth Guildhall.

Western Morning News, July 1, 1929 (Plymouth, Devon, England)

• Commissioners Wycliffe and Renee Booth