HAIG'S WAR DIARIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22390, 9 April 1936, Page 15

HAIG'S WAR DIARIES

GREAT ALLIED OFFENSIVE BEGINNING OF GERMAN RETREAT ENEMY SURPRISED BY ATTACK (Copyright to the New Zealand Herald) The beginning of the Allied! offensive in August, 1918, is dealt with in the following instalment of the Rt. Hon. A. Duff Cooper s biography of the late Earl Haig. A remarkable spirit of confidence animated the British troops and the Battle of Amiens " was really won before the attack began." The Germans had remained in ignorance of the impending blow and received what is described as the most complete surprise of the war. Canadians and Australians took part in the Allied attack and the enemy was reported to be blowing up ammunition dumps in all directions and streaming eastwards. Foch was delighted with the turn of events arid Haig admitted that the results exceeded his most optimistic forecasts. The Fourth Army, however, came up against a hardened resistance and Haig favoured a flank attack by the Third Army, but Foch wanted the Fourth Army to continue its attack. Haig ordered a postponement of the operation, but Foch said he saw no necessity for delay.

The month of August, that was to prove so /fateful in the history of the war, brought with it in the year 1918 an almost uninterrupted series of perfect summer days. The nights were cold and the early mornings were often accompanied by thick mists which, as has already been seen, are more favourable to the attackers than the attacked. Had such weather attended the operations of the previous year the history of the battle of Passchendaele would have been very different. Now a new spirit began to animate all ranks within the lines of the Allied armies, Preparations were going busily forward for the next offensive and they were being conducted with cheerful confidence that was continually stimulated by reports of prisoners concerning the dejected state of the enemy. On August 3 Haig had a satisfactory interview with the Generalissimo. The diary runs: "Foch in Very Good Form" "Foch yas anxious that our operations should begin as soon as possible, because the enemy is falling back from the "Marae very quickly. French forces are already over the Vesle and Ardre and soon will have the heights overlooking the Aisne. "I told Foch the date on which we would be ready, and he was pleased that all had been done to be ready so soon. "Foch was in very good form. After lunch he and X took a short walk in the grounds. Iklore than once he expressed the opinion that the 'Germans are breaking up,' and was anxious lest they should fall back before I could get my blow in."

Visit From the King On August 7 the King came to luncheon: at Haig's headquarters. The President of the French Republic was also present. It was a. suitable date for such a reunion. When his troops had been fighting with their backs to the wall the King had been with them. Now, when they were about to begin the advance that was to end on the Rhine, he was once more at their side. That afternoon Haig again visited Flixecourt: "... where I had a talk with General Rawlinson. Everything is going ■on without a hitch and the enemy seems in ignorance of the impending blow. "I then went on to Headquarters Canadian Corps at Dury and saw General Currie, commanding the corps. The latter said, 'lt had been a hustle to be ready in time, but everything had been got in except two long-range guns. The platforms were ready for them and they would be got in by to-night. " Most Critical Moment " "Last night was our most critical moment. If the Germans had bombarded the Canadian zone we could not have retaliated last night.-To-night the situation is' quite different, and we are ready." . Not only was all in readiness, but two of the conditions most essential to victory were present. Secrecy had been maintained and the heart of the troops was sound. On the morrow the Germans experienced the most complete surprise of the war; and of the British

forces, whom less than four months divided from the terrible experiences of the spring, it was written by one best qualified to know —Field-Marshal Sir Archibald / Montgomery-Massingberd — that: "Nothing on August 7 was more remarkable than the spirits and supreme confidence of all the troops, to whatever army they belonged. It may be 6aid without exaggeration that so strong was this feeling, so high the morale and so fixed the determination to reach the furthest objectives at whatever cost that the battle of Amiens was really won before the attack began." Advance Behind Tanks This is not the place to tell the story of that battle. How in the darkness of the hour before dawn —darkness that was' increased by a heavy mist — 456 tanks began to creep over the broken ground that divided them from the enemy—how, following close upon them, the impetuous advance of Australians and Canadians burst into tho enemy's trenches with the first streaks of mom.n- light and, sweeping all before tnem, stormed on to their objec+i,VeS' S ° le hattle was won before the sun pierced through the mist at ten o'clock. Haig' S/ diary for that evening runs: At 6 p.m. Marshal Foch came to SPe nie. He is very delighted at our Biicress to-day, and fully concurred in a H the arrangements I had made for jontinuing the battle. His headquarters are at Sarcus to-night.

"There were many hostile machineguns, much intact wire and the old battlefield ground between the German and French linen, with numerous holes, favoured delaying tactics and provented the action of our cavalry. "He had, therefore, decided to stop the attack till to-morrow morning, when he would put in his remaining brigade, which was fresh, with all available tanks." The next day, August 11, Haig saw General Byng, commanding the Third Army, and told him to be ready to put in an attack. "The objective of the attack will be to break the enemy's front, in order to outflank the enemy's present battle front. The direction of the advance will bo Bapauni'B." Haig during these days was living in a train at Wiry, and it was there that late that night Foch paid him another visit. Talk with Focb

"About 10 p.m. Marshal Foch came to see me with Weygand and Desticker. After a talk, he approved (in view of the increased opposition) of my reducing my front of attack, and aiming at reaching the Somme on the Front Brie-Ham (exclusively), instead k of Peronne-Ham. The French Third Army had made goad progress, as the enemy did not expect an attack in that quarter. " He asked ine to attack with my Third Army. 1 told him that three weeks ago 1 had discussed with Byng the possibility of the Third Army cooperating and to-day 1 had seen Byny and given him definite orders to advance as soon as possible on Bapaume " On the following afternoon Haig had a further conversation with Byng, ex plaining his plan in greater detail. In stead of continuing to batter his head against the now hardened resistance in front of the Fourth Army ho aimed al breaking the eiaemy's front further north, thus threatening the flank of

"Situation reports at 4.30 p.m. stated Canadian Corps had captured Ueaucourt, Caix and the Amiens outer defence line east of Caix. Cavalry Corps south and east of Caix; Canadians in touch with French at Maison Blanche. Australians on final objective all along their front. 111. Corps on ridges northeast of Chipilly. Targets lor Aeroplanes "Enemy blowing dumps in all directions and streaming eastward. Their transport and limbers offer splendid targets for our aeroplanes." r lhe victory which, as Haig himself admitted, had exceeded even his most optimistic forecasts, was continued and completed during the two following days. "August Bth," wrote Ludendorff, "was the black day of the German Army in the war. . . It marked the decline of our fighting power, and, the man power situation being what it was, it robbed rue of the hope of discovering some strategic expedient that mfght once more stabilise the position in our favour The war would havo to be ended." Defeat Recognised These words mean nothing less than this: As the outcome of that day's fighting, the man who was responsible for the fate of the German Army recognised defeait. For this result the gratitude of the British Empire and of the Allies is, due to the men of the Fourth Army, to Rawlinson and his staff, and to Haig, the Commander-in-Chirf, who planned the attack, and who t,ersuaded Foch to approve it. The question now to be decided by the Allie; was when and where the next blow was to be delivered. Upon one point Haig and Foch were in complete agreement—no time was to be wasted, no breathing space was to be accorded to the enemy. Foch was in favour of continuing to hammer where the dent had already been made. On August 10: — "General Foch came to see me at 11 a.m. He wishes the advance to continue to the line Noyon-Ham-Peronne, and try to get the bridgeheads on the Somme

Demoralisation Sets In "1 pointed out the difficulty of the undertaking unless the enemy is quite demoralised, and We can cross the Somme on his heels. At the same time 1 outlined my proposals for advancing our front on Aubers Ridge and so freeing the Bethune «oal mines, together with movements against Bapaume and Monchy le Preux. "Foch agreed, but said, 'You will be able to carry out the Aubers Ridge plan, all the same.' "I agree, if the enemy's opposition on the present battle-front is not stiffening. In any case, we must expect German reserves to arrive very soon in order to check our advance. My plan to advance my left on Bapaume and on Monchy le Preux will then become necessary. "In Foch's opinion the fact of the French First Army and now the Third French Army getting on without serious opposition shows the enemy is demoralised. I agree that some German divisions aire demoralised, but not all yet! Resistance Grows Stubborn "I accordingly issued orders to continue the advance on Guiscard-Ham-Peronne, and occupy passages of the river below Ham. I also ordered Genera! Byng (Third Army) to raid, and if situation favourable to push forward at once strong advance guards to Bapaume." Haig's expectation that resistance would grow more stubborn on the front already attacked proved correct. Such a development was bound to follow according to the teachings of military science, and according to the laws of common sense. That same evening Haig obtained confirmation of his views:— "At the railway station east of Le Quesnel I visited the Headquarters of nur 32nd Division, which had relieved the 3rd Canadians in the early morning. I met General Lambert (commanding Division). He had just returned from viniting the brigades at the front. His opinion was that the enemy's opposition had stiffened up. Hostile Machine-guns

the forces opposing the Fourth Army and compelling them to retjre in order to protect themselves, and to conform with the remainder of the line. Foch, while appreciating the design of Haig's strategy, was anxious to combine brute force with subtlety, to make use at the same time both of the rapier and the bludgeon. While, therefore, approving of the proposed attack by the Third Army, ho wanted the Fourth Army and his own First Army to continue to hammer on the dent. General Debeney's View Haig was uncertain whether this policy was wise, and the first to protest against it was General Debeney, who on the 13th sent a message to the effect that: " He wished to postpone the attack 24 hours (i.e., until the morning of the 16th), because the enemy is now in a strong position covered with much wir» —the old German defensive position of 1916. Also there had been some delay

in getting up his ammunition. I agreed to the postponement desired. " Soon after I heard that the Fourth Army Commander considered that the attack would bo very costly. I sent word to say if he had any views to express to come and see me in the morning." "Very Costly Matter" At 10 a.m. accordingly on the morning of the 14th Rawlinson arrived "and brought photos showing the state of the enemy's defences on the front RoyeChaulnes. He also showed me a letter which he had received from General Ciirrie, commanding the Canadian Corps, stating that 'to capture the position in question would be a very costly matter.' He (Currie) 'was opposed to attempting it.' " I accordingly ordered the date of this attack to be postponed, but preparations to be continued with vigour combined with wire-cutting and counter-battery work." Letter to Foch The same day he wrote to Foch:— "My Dear Marshal, —During the past 48 hours the enemy artillery fire on the fronts of the British Fourth and French First Armies has greatly increased, and it is evident that the line Chaulnes-Roye is strongly held, while photographs show that the line is in good order and well wired. Moreover, the ground is broken and difficult for tanks to operate. It is probable that there are at least 16 German divisions holding the front south of the Somme, opposite tp the armies under my command. " Under these circumstances, I have directed that the attack be postponed until adequate artillery preparation has been carried out in order to prepare a deliberate attack on the position. This might be carried out in conjunction with the attack from my Third Army front, which is being prepared as rapidly as possible." Foch immediately replied by telegram that he saw "no necessity for delay Fourth Army and First French Army attack .... which should be carried out as soon as possible." (To be continued)