“1914.”

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18237, 27 October 1919, Page 7

“1914.”

AN ATTACK ON LORD FRENCH. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received October 26, 11.55 p.m.) LONDON, October 24. The Hon J. W. Fortescue, official historian of the war, in reviewing Lord French’s book in the “ Quarterly Review,” created a sensation by making an attack upon Lord French. He says: “This is one of the most unfortunate books ever written. On August 26, 1914, French and his staff completely lost their heads, and in a vain endeavour to conceal this Lord French has taken leave of all sense of accuracy and descended to misstatements and misrepresentations *of the clumsiest kind in order to injure the reputation of a subordinate who is forbidden to defend himself. Coming from one in Lord French’s position, this brings shame and dishonour upon the whole Army.”- Mr Fortescue also says: “When General Grierson died Lord French wanted General Plumer to succeed him, but Lord Kitchoner preferred to send General Smith-Dorrien. Thereby hangs a sorry tale and an unsavoury incident. It is a fact that in his dispatch of September 7, Lord French gave General Smith-Dorrien full credit for his cool courage in accepting battle at Le Cateau. He now would have us believe tliat Smith-Dorrien was only opposed by cavalry. Lord French also says that fourteen thousand men and eighty guns were lost, whereas the real figures show a loss of eight thousand men and thirty-six guns. There is ignorance as well as malice in this portion of the narrative.” Mr Fortescue continued: “ Lord French long before the battle of Le Cateau decided to. hurry back to Noyon, leaving his Army to look after itself for a day or two. Happily, von Kluck marched south-west across the rear of tho Second Amy Corps so that the British continued l to retreat unmolested.”