A TWO-SIDED SOLDIER

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 119, 13 February 1926, Page 22

A TWO-SIDED SOLDIER

“ALLENBY OF ARMAGEDDON STORIES”

“Allenby of Armageddon,” is the striking title of a biography of the great soldier /recently issued. Here is a picture of Allenby the Soldier at work at the time of the Arras victory of 1917, told largely in the words of an enemy officer: — “Every day Allenby pushed up more guns. A letter from a young Gferman officer on this front eloquently outlines the situation.

“ ‘We are existing in the grave I Horror and horror! Driven from splendid positions. . We dare no longer go forward—and we crouch in the shell holes, suffering prodigious losses, pulverised by the terrible and continuous English drumfire ’ ” And here we have Allenby the Humanist:—

“The big car frequently raced ofi without stopping, but even after critical battles it would icturn in a more leisurely fashion, and there were always sweets and a few pleasant words for the orphaned mites watching at the toors of the overcrowded cottages and huts.”

Pew more touching stories have been told than that of little Azeuia, aged 10, a refugee from Arras, who, when the Gothas raided St Pol, just as site had returned from celebrating Iter First Communion, was carried away in her blood-soaked festal attire with a jagged wound in the neck and her right hand pcarlv torn off :— “When she revived ■ • English nurses were hovering around her—and •.hen the Socur Supericurc of the Hospice brought in the big English General, who sat by her bedside and held her unwounded hand “Next day the pain was terrible, the

hospital was busy, and her little dazed bead could not quite make the English nurses understand. Hien, through her tears, she saw everyone bowing. It was the British Commander again; and he came straight over and sat on her bed. “It was surprisingly simple to confide in him. She did not know that the babv was ill, and her grandfather dead It was her birthday, and, as she expressed through her tears, •Maman n’est nas venue aujourd’hui I’ The little girl got better, and “Bull” Allenby arranged'that she should go to the home for maimed children of the war in Paris to finish her education and be taught a trade. That Allenby liked the roads clear for his car was well-known to his divisional commanders. Once in Palestine, on his way to visit a particular division, he noticed signallers statioMed at intervals, and stopped to ascertain the cause. This conversation took place:— Com:na:tder-in-Cl:ief: What are you doing? ’.••ignaller: Signalling, str C.-in.-C. : 1 can see that, but for what reason arc you signalling r S.: A warning that you are approaching Divisional Headquarters, sir.. C.-in-C.: Oh, and what .form is the message taking? S.: Three letters, fir. C.-in-C.' What are thev? (Contusion, a blush, and dead silence on the part of the signaller.) Come on. what are thev? S (after a minute’s hesitation) : Please, sir, 8.8. L. C.in-C.: 8.8. L. ? What docs that mean ? S. (confused, terrified, but caught). Please sir, “B ■ - Bull’s loose!”