ELOQUENT TRIBUTES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 67, 22 March 1929, Page 11

ELOQUENT TRIBUTES

EVIDENCE OF SYMPATHY

REFERENCE BY STATESMEN

British Official Wireless. (Eeccived 22nd March, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, 21st March. The news of the death of Marshal Foch has been received with sorrow as sincere in Britain as in France, and the newspapers publish eloquent tributes to the genius of the greatest military figuro of the lato war. From the time of his appointment in 1918 as Com-mandcr-in-Cliicf of the Allied Armies, Marshal Foch was regarded by the British people as the embodiment of victory and the symbol of the Allied soldiers, fighting in one effort, for one cause, and on a commou plan, and iiis reputation has been enhanced as fuller knowledge of tho trials and triumphs of tho flnal stages of war became better known.

WELL KNOWN IN ENGLAND. Marshal Foch was personally woll known in England, which ho frequently visited, and has many friends, including tho King, to whom tho news of his death was immediately communicated. Tho Princo of Wales was also at onco informed, and he senta telegram of condolence to Madame Foch. Meanwhile on learning the news Sir William Tyrrell, British Ambassador, sent the following personal message: "In anticipation of the instructions of my Government I venture to offer you the most heartfelt and sincere sympathy it is possible to feel in the irreparable loss which has befallen you. In my country, which has not the privilege of numbering him amongst her sons, ho will bo mourned as a national hero."

Movirjg tributes to ' Foch were paid last night by several British statesmen. The Primo Minister in a speech at the Foroigu Press Association dinner referred to Marshal Foch as,'one of tho great soldiers of all time. "I think he will bo romembored, as »long as ho is romembered as a soldier, as a great Christian, a great gentleman and great man." MEMORY OF NOBLEMEN. At tho same function Sir Austen Chamberlain said: "It is' only a few .days ago that I was deeply touched by hearing a tribute paid to our own great Field Marshal Haig by a great German soldier. I cannot help feeling that in years to como tho memory of great soldiers, on whatover side they fought, will be a memory which links us in our common admiration for noblo men and no longer a causo for severence."

Mr. Lloyd George, speaking at Boston, said: "Ho was a man of vision, of imagination and of eourago, and, above all, ho had that quality that appertains to all true greatness —he had simplicity. His labours are over, but triumph ho won for tho liberties of mankind remains."

Admiral of tho Fleet, Lord Boatly, last night arid that Foch was tho greatest man in the greatest war the world has ever known. His services were services not only to France, but to' tho whole world.

Field-Marshal Lord Allenby said that he mourned the loss of a friend and comrade. Foch was a master of tho scienco as well as of tho practiceof war.