REORGANISING ARMY TRANSPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 19, 22 July 1933, Page 13

REORGANISING ARMY TRANSPORT

The upshot was that the Commandor-in-Chief invited the railway export to come and spend a month making a thorough investigation and evolviug-a programme for the transport system. Sir Eric did this. His first care was to organise an. •efficient staff. On Sir Eric's return I appointed him Director of Military Bailways at the War Office, j-'.o sooner had ho taken up this post than Sir Douglas Haig wired that he wanted Geddes to join his staff in France as Director-General of Transportation. It was agreed that Sir Erie should hold the two positions simultaneously; while remaining Director of Military Itailways, be should also become Di-rector-General of the transportation in France, and thus be in .a position to place his railway experience and remarkable gifts of organisation alike at the service of tho War Office and tho Expeditionary Force. There was tho inevitable and anticipated disgruntlement; in somo quarters among tho staff at d.H.y. over this appointment. Certain indignant generals tendered their re-

signations and started a rumour— only too readily believed in some quarters —that I was up to the politician's trick of forcing unwanted civilians on the Army and interfering with the military authorities.

Within a month Sir Erie had established Ma headquarters for tho 8.E.11, transport at a^ittlo place three miles"' from Montreuil, called Monthouis, and before long destined to become famous under the soubriquet 01 "Geddesburg." When Sir Eric Geddes left France in 1917, and was succeeded by General Nash, the name of the town was changed to "Nashville." From this-centre he organised the improved transport system, which functioned so splendidly during the latter part oi t!)0 waVi Tho whole story of our achievements in tho sphere of transport during tho war has never yet been told. It would bo well worth telling in detail, and would reflect very high credit on those who were responsible for its development, most of all on Sir Eric Geddes. (To Bo Continued.)