THE GREAT WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1935, Page 5

THE GREAT WAR

“OFFICIAL HISTORY” DICTUM, (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright;. LONDON, Jan. 22. “A s s 0 often in its history the British Army was called on to undertake a task beyond the power of its numbers,” is th e dictum of the “Official History of the War,” regarding the resistance of the British to the German attack in March, 1918. The volume indicates that the establishment of the Supreme War Council at Versailles was a compromise, hindering rather than helping the Allies’ plans and operations, while the British pilaus for 1918, it says, were complicated by Mr Lloyd George’s bias against, the Western Front, and his distrust of Sir William Robertson (Chief of Staff/ and Lord Haig, this culminating in the dismissal, of Sir Willian Robertson in February, 1918 Although 31 r Lloyd George did not dismiss Lord Haig, lie rendered his task an impossible one, bv refusing him the men to fill the ranks of his divisions which, on th e contrary, were reduced to nine battaljoivs from twelve battalions Simultaneously,s yavs /the history, in response to French political and military pressure, Air Lloyd Georgagreed to extend the British front south of the Oise, which placed a fatal burden on a weakened force, namely, General Gough’s, facing -the heaviest assault ever delivered. Moreover it says defences on the. new frqnf had been neglected.