The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES.” GISBORNE, SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1940. THE FLANDERS EPIC

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20262, 1 June 1940, Page 6

The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES.” GISBORNE, SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1940. THE FLANDERS EPIC

Some time must, yet elapse before the full story is told of the great struggle in Flanders, but enough has already been revealed to indicate that, in some respects at least, it is without parallel. This same area is a battlefield as old as history itself, but nowhere in history has there been a conflict of such magnitude, of such intensity or ferocity, or demanding such courage and. determination. On a scale never before even contemplated in warfare the British and French troops are lighting an action of the most difficult and. desperate kind and one in which all their great qualities are being displayed in a manner that is truly magnificent. A numerically inferior Allied force, through no fault of. its own but solely as a result of the capitulation of another army upon whose support it had counted, found itself in a ; position from which, judged 'by .ordinary.standards,: there was no escape. To all- intents and purposes it was a lost army, but for the past two or "three day's it has been fighting its way over seemingly insurmountable obstacles and all the present indications are that it will emerge, bruised and battered perhaps, but covered with immortal glory and with its spirit, not broken, but hardened by the ordeal of fire. It is this spirit which makes' possible confidence in the future, for it is unconquerable. Spirit alone, however, would not have been sufficient in such an extremity and it, is evident that' the present operations constitute a brilliantly executed military manoeuvre without precedent. Outnumbered by probably two to one, the Allies found themselves in a triangle gap and harassed on all sides by all the forces which the enemy could bring to bear. From this situation they were compelled to execute the most difficult of all military manoeuvres, a rearguard action, and the reports of the last few days show how, it has been carried out with a coolness, a courage, and a determination, the like of which the world has never seen before. The Germans, it will be recalled, proudly boasted that this'army was completely isolated and had no alternative other than to surrender. Far- from surrendering, however, it has fought every inch of the way and Inflicted on the enemy losses far heavier than its own. Yard by yard, mile by mile, it has fought its way back to the coast. There has not been one report, not even a German claim, that a single unit in this force, despite its parlous plight, has been compelled to make the surrender that was said to be inevitable. / On the contrary, it is admitted on all sides that the Allied lines have remained intact and unbroken and that the whole difficult withdrawal has been carried out in good order and according- to carefully-laid plans. Another point that stands out in this operation is''the manner in which the

Allied forces have been co-ordinated. Alone and unaided, the army in Flanders would, perhaps, have had little hope of escape, but throughout every hour of this grim struggle it has had the utmost support, not only of the navy and the air force, but also of military units in other spheres. The French army on the Somme is maintaining a steady pressure which must have an effect in checking the drive in Flanders, while the action of a small force in holding Calais and thus creating another diversion is an epic of its own. The Allied air force has played a magnificent part in this battle and time and time again has proved its superiority over the enemy in carrying out its multifarious duties. It lias covered the retreat of the Allied army, continuously harassed the enemy’s lines, gone into conflict with the opposing air force, and carried the attack into Germany itself. In all these operations it has succeeded beyond the wildest expectations and inflicted losses many times greater than its own. In another sphere the navy, too, has played its part. Without its aid the re-embarkation of the retiring troops and their transport to England would not have been possible, but in addition to these regular functions the navy has been able to give direct and invaluable assistance to the forces which are fighting so gallantly on land. It has often been said that the British and French are always seen at their best in adversity and the truth of this comment has never been more strongly evidenced than in the battle of Flanders. In a seemingly impossible situation they have demonstrated all those attributes upon which their greatness is founded. What appeared to be an inevitable reverse has been turned into a glorious feat of arms which, even though it may not be termed a victory, has won for them all the laurels and will certainly make an important contribution to victory when it is finally won. Nothing in this war, nothing in history, could do more to prove the strength of the Allies, to improve their morale and weaken that of the enemy, than this grim fight against desperate odds. A force which cannot be beaten even when it is cornered clearly must be victorious when it fights on even terms —and the margin in favour of the enemy is being reduced with every passing day. On the sea, the Germans have been virtually eclipsed, on land they are expending their energies and their materials without making any real progress, and in the air their numerical superiority is being steadily overcome. And while the strength of the enemy is gradually being weakened by indecisive fighting, the vast resources of the Allies are being mobilised and in due course will be brought into play to ensure the final victory.