NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16870, 7 June 1918, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THF. FIFTH AI! MY. A tribute to the gallantry of the Fifth Army in the retreat from St. Quentin was paid by Mr. Asquith in a speech in the House of Commons last month. "Amiens, and all 'hat Amu ns means to Great Britain and to France, is seriously men u- d." lie said, "and if. as I not only continently hope, out firmly believe, tie cause of the allies, never so seriously imperilled, tan hold out ami prevail. it can only be by a supreme and sustained edf.-rt. (CheeisO We cannot discuss the i|iie-tion of responsibility in the middle of a great hatt'e. It would be idle and futile to do so. and in the highest degree nexpedient. Whatt vei may be the verdict which, when the time for investigation comes, will have to be arrivi d at in this matter. I desire to say ami I am sure I am* expi r-.- -; i, _r the opinion of the whole House, and. 1 believe, of the whole couiitr;. —that that giL'anlionrush, in wxii< li our men ere ■•••t:! :. ■■■'. e,i by three, four, five, sometimes even ten to one. was stemmed, and is at this moment stemmed, by the indomitable ten acity of the British soldier. (Loud e. eers ) 1 had a letter just before I came to tin House from a near relative of mine, in fat * one of my own sons, who is an otiicer in the artillery, and he tells me that from March 21. when he was at St. Quentin. for 12 successive days his battery, covering the retirement of our troops, t* ok par! in no fewer than 21 engagements, and that is only a sample of the work winch the artillery has been doirn.' all along the hue. 1 doubt very much whether in the glorious history of that illustrious corps, tin. Royal Artillery, there will be a mot".: splendid page than that which wi'l recount how in th retreat they deliberately covered the infantry, exposing themselves t-o capture and destruction. As long a; the spirit of self-sacrifice, discipline, de votion. and courage animate? the humblest of our rank and file and our officers, I fot one will never despair of our prospects oi victory." (Cheers.)