CRISIS OF GREAT WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19762, 8 October 1927, Page 11

CRISIS OF GREAT WAR.

GRAVE DAYS OF 1918. . FAMOUS SOLDIER'S DIARY. SECRETS OF WAR CABINET. COMMENT ON DISCUSSIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received October 7, 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Oct 6. Two volumes have just been published of trenchant notes mado in a diary during the time of the Great War by the late Field-Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, who was Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Tine volumes contain interesting references to discussions at the meetings of the Imperial War Cabinet in 1918. At this period Sir Henry Wilson urged that the position at the front was so bad that the Empire must make the fullest possible sacrifice. When he was asked if conscription should be enforced in Ireland he said he was not sure. " The Prime Minister, Mr. Lloyd George, can see the gravity of the situation," wrote Sir Henry. " The Prime Minister of South Africa, General Smuts, talked much academic nonsense. Mr. Winston Churchill is the real 'gun' in the crisis." Criticism .of Tactics. Dealing with the meetings of the Empire Prime Ministers, beginning on June 11, 1918, Sir Henry wrote: "The Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Robert Borden, made very open remarks regarding our strategy and the tactics of the corps commanders and the staff. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. W. F. Massey, agreed, so 1 must answer as best I can on Tuesday." On Tuesday Sir Henry Wilson gave a lecture lasting 70 mniutes on the military situation, and for this explanation he was congratulated by the Prime Ministers. On June 20 the Imperial War Cabinet discussed the question of the intervention of Japan in Siberia, and also a proposal to transfer troops from Palestine to the Western front. The diary continues: "Then the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. W. M. Hughes, wanted to know about the conduct of the war, the promotion of new army officers, the prospects of the future and othei matters. We had an interesting talk Mr. Hughes said he was out for fighting on, even if we were driven from France." " Must Smash the Germans." Referring to the meeting of the Prime Ministers on July 31, at. which Sir Henry Wilson sent a memorandum outlining the probable course of the 1919 campaign, he wrote: "Lord Milner says it is clear that we will never thrash the Boche. I suggest holding them on the West with 35 to 36 British and French divisions and the Americans, sending 10 British divisions to other theatres of the war. " Mr. Hughes thought we must smash the Germans in France. General Smuts agreed with Lord Milner. Mr. Hughes dissented and said we must lick the Boches in the West. General Smuts, however. thought we would never beat the Boches. " In speeches made at a meeting the next day practically all the Prime Ministers showed they are of the opinion that we cannot beat the Boches on the Western front, and so they went wandering looking for fresh laurels. Mr. Hughes sees clearer than the others; he sees that we must beat the Boche army if we want real ' peace. Future of German Colonies. "At a meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet on October 18 Sir Robert Borden proposed to hand over the captured German colonies to the United States. Mr. Hughes was straining at the leash, but discussion was postponed. Mr. Massey opposed handing over the colonies, and Mr. Hughes said: 'lf you want to shift us come and do it.' He claimed the right to help to shape our foreign policy, adding that wo had none." Earlier chapters mention Sir Henry Wilson's prophecy in 1910 concerning Marshal Focli. He said then: "This fellow is going to command the Allies' armies when the big war comes." Of the first War Council in 1914, at which the question of the Dominions sending contingents was discussed, Sir Henry Wilson says: "It was an historic meeting of men who mostly were entirely ignorant of their subject." Field-Marshal Sir Henry Hughes Wilson was born in Ireland in 1864, and joined the Army in 1884. He saw service in Burma in 1886, and after home service went with the troops to South Africa in 1899. He was later commandant of the Staff College, and in 1910 was appointed Director of Military Operations at the War Office. On the outbreak of tho war he was appointed deputy-chief of the General Staff, and was later principal liaison officer between the British and French headquarters in the field. In 1916 ho commanded the Fourth Army Corps. In November. 1917, he was appointed British representative on the new Supreme War Council, and in February, 1918. he succeeded Sir William Robertson as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and had much to do with the later victory At the end of the war he %vas promoted Field-Marshal. In 1922 he was elected to the House of Commons as one of the members for Northern Ireland, as a Unionist. On June 23. 1922, ho was murdered on the threshold of his London home, and two men, Reginald Dunn and Joseph O'Sull'van, were later executed for the crime. Sir Henry Wilson was. on June 26. buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.