BRITAIN'S LOSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1928, Page 7

BRITAIN'S LOSS.

A GREAT SHOCK.

Last Speech Strikes Empire

Note.

FRENCH DEEPLY TOUCHED

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

(Received 1.30 p.m.)

LONDON, January 30.

Earl Haig's death came as a great shock to the public. He apparently was in good health on Saturday when participating in the function of Haig's Own Boy Scouts.

He promised to attend the Empire Service League on Wednesday with the object to discuss the Dominion representation on the Flanders Pilgrimage in August.

In the afternoon he walked to Hyde Park and had a hearty dinner. He retired at 11.40 p.m. and soon afterwards his brother heard groans from his bedroom. He found the Earl sitting gasping for breath.

Though a doctor was in prompt attendance the great soldier died on the stroke of midnight. His health hitherto had given no cause for anxiety though physicians warned him of the appalling strain of his war service which had affected his heart.

His last speech to the Boy Scouts on Saturday struck the Empire note. He said: "It is essential that the* young should be taught the meaning of 'Empire' and the sacrifices their fathers made. Therefore, I appeal to you boys always to play the game and try to realise what citizenship and public spirit really mean. When you grow up always remember that you belong to a great Empire. Stand up and defend England when people talk disrespectfully of it."

Mr. Lloyd George, interviewed, said: "Lord Haig was a man of unfailing courage and purpose. He never lost heart in the worst moments of our military fortunes and he faithfully carried out the plans laid down whether he liked them or not, especially when the Government decided on unity of command and placed the British 'Army under Foch's control.

"Whatever might have been his personal views he carried out the policy honourably in every particular and behaved not only like a great patriot but like a great gentleman."

Earl Haig of was Com-mander-in-Chief of the Britfsh Army in France and Flanders from 1915 to the end of the war. Few soldiers have had a more meteoric career. Joining the 7th Hussars in 1885, when 24 years of age, he took part in the Sudan and South African wars, and it was when serving with Sir John French in the latter that he got his chance and first sprung into prominence. From then he quickly passed to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of cavalry, to become inspector-general of cavalry in India, and three years later reached the rank of general in 1904 for distinguished service. He was transferred to the General Staff as Director of Duties at Army Headquarters, but later was re-drafted to India this time as Chief-of-Staff. This post he held until 1912. He was given the most coveted post in the Imperial Army, the command at Aldershot, which he held till the Outbreak of War, which was destined to throw into striking relief his inherent ability as a leader and a soldier. When Britain entered the great conflict Douglas Haig was chosen to lead the first British army into action, and he had charge of the right of the line. His army, at the Battle of the Marne, dislodged the enemy at Le Tretoire after a hard struggle, and made large captures of guns and men. During the first battle of Ypres he rendered distinguished service, he being chiefly responsible for the holding of the front, and in December, 1915 he succeeded Lord French as Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in France. At Neuve Chapelle Haig was again conspicuous, and in the words of French, his "able and skilful dispositions contributed largely to the defeat of the enemy, and to the capture of positions."

Between the beginning of 1916 and the signing of the Armistice, Haig saw more fighting in a single month and commanded more soldiers in a day, than Wellington did in his whole career. Much of the success of the Allies was due to the friendly relations which Haig maintained with the French, and to his ready acceptance of a unified command with Foch as generalissimo.

Some of Haig's much-criticised offensives were for the purpose of relieving the pressure on the French front. Thus, when . Xivelle succeeded Joffre the British Government, hoping that his attack would ' be a "knock-out blow," subordinated Haig to Nivelle, whose Chemin des Dames offen- 1 sive was a costly failure. The Battle of Arras was fought to keep the Germans from concentrating opposite Nivelle, just as the earlier battle of the Somme had been waged to • take the pressure off Verdun. Then came the disaster of March, ] 1918. The sth and 3rd Armies, holding a line far too long and ill-equipped, were beaten, but not broken. Haig was then told by Petain that the French were going to evacuate their lines to defend Paris, which would have meant the separation of the Allied armies. Thereupon the British commander demanded that Foch, who agreed with his strategy, should be made generalissimo. This was the origin of the so-called "unity of command." Haig held his command longer than any other commander-in-chief. The last few months were a triumph for Haig. for his army swept forward in unchecked advance, and bore the brunt of the attack that broke the Germans. Haig was raised to the peerage in 1919, taking the title of his famous Scottish ancestors at Bemersyde in Berwickshire, and the later years of his life have been devoted to the service of his comrades in arms, the British Legion, and disabled officers and men.