INTERVIEW WITH SIR JOHN FRENCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 5

INTERVIEW WITH SIR JOHN FRENCH.

TRIBUTE TO THE BRITISH SOLDIERY.

CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS

The New York Times contains the full report of the interview which Mr Frederick Palmer, an American journalist, had with Field-marshal Sir John French last month, and of which some particulars were cabled at the time. The report was dated the 25th March, at British headquarters, in France:—

It was in tho drawing room of the house in which he makes his office that Fieldmarshal Sir John French, Commander-in-Chief of th. 3 British Expeditionary Forces on the Continent, recoiled the correspondent to-day and discussed tho military situation. Before the conversation was over the Britisn Commander, answering a question concerning tire result of the war, said: — “ Indeed, there is no doubt of the outcome. I was never so confident of victory as I am to-day. I am as confident as General Grant was when he took command of tho army of the Potomac. He kept at it, and so .shall wo.” . On a long table before the British Commander were a number of maps and reports. Otherwise tho man who directs the operations of Ine British army in France appeared completely dissociated from the details of the different army departments situated in other offices about the town. It was to be observed, however, that the heads of these departments report to Field-marshal, French immediately upon a telephone request. Looking younger than his photographs make him appear, ready and alert, S.r John showed no of the strain of the last eight- months as ho stood before his opengrate fire and talked of his campaign and the war. . “ What were the most important contributing factors making your retreat from Mons secure against overwhelming oods. Sir John was asked. “ The dogged tenacity of our little regular army, which contested every foot ot the ground as wo fell hack,” was the answer. ** once did our soldiers lose heart. They understood that we were not defeated, but making a strategic retreat before heavy odds, and that all the punishment which they could inflict bn the enemy by a cool and stubborn resistance from point to point was no less valuable to the ultimate object than if they were advancing. Their confidence that their turn to take tho offensive ■would come remained unshaken. Next in importance was the work of cur cavalry in its aggressiveness and alertness in, preventing the cavalry of the enemy from getting around us. Our cavalry established a decided superiority over that of the enemy which was of vital assistance.” MONS RETREAT A CRISIS. “ And what to you was the most critical moment of all your campaign in France?” was the next question put to Sir John French. One would not have been surprised if he had said when his reserves were practically exhausted in the battle of Ypres and Armentieres to "save the Channel ports. His answer had characteristic promptness and decisiveness. “ On the retreat from Mons at Lo Gateau we were in the open country in a very dangerous position, and the German amoition for the annihilation of our little aimy might have been realised if our cavalry had not been equal to its task of covering the flanks ot our steady, disciplined regulars. Few Americans probably are as familiar with the campaigns of our civil war as is Sir John. He has made a thorough study of them, and from them he has drawn lessons which he has found helpful in France. He mentioned Stonewall Jackson. “To mo General Jackson whs more like Cromwell than any other leader of history,” said tho British commander. “A heroic, martial figure, whose wonderful career camo to the happy close a soldier desires in the hour of victory. I have followed all his marches and battles with unflagging admiration. Ho had the religious exaltation of Cromwell, his dash and determination, and his ready strategy and the genius of inspiring his troops with his own indomitable spirit of energy. “ But of all your commanders Robert E. Lee, in his patience, his resource, his poise, his soundness of judgment, and his possession of the qualities of high command in all emergencies, is foremost, in my opinion.” “ A great deal has been said about tho novel conditions which trench warfare _in this war has developed,” was the next thing said by the correspondent. “Has it changed the qualities required of,a soldier?” “No,” he replied, “Tinman nature remains the same, and it is the man who gives and takes the blows whatever the nature of his weapons. Courage, discipline, and tenacity are still the dominant elements of success. ”

“And the guns; it has been repeatedly stated that this has become a war of artillery.” “ I think there has been an inclination to exaggerate the importance of artillery,” Sir John answered. “ No doubt, of the three arms, artillery has increased in relative importance. It may take a dozen shells to got one man, and one bullet will get one man. The weapons which decide the day are the rifle and the machine gun, and the infantry is still the Queen of Battles.” As a soldier speaking of his enemy Sir John French was far from deprecating the fighting qualities of the Germans. To the troops of Emperor William he paid a soldier’s chivalrous tribute. “ But they are no greater than other soldiers,” he said. “ I attribute their valour and their welldisciplined cohesion to the fact that from the cradle they are taught discipline and to worship the Emperor and the Fatherland, and that it is their duty to die for the Fatherland when the Emperor commands.” LAYS OUTRAGES TO COMMANDERS. “As to the conduct of the Germans, is it as had as represented?” was asked of Sir John. “Have they consistently broken the rules of civilised warfare?” For the first time the British commander hesitated before speaking. Evidently as a soldier he wished to be entirely just to the enemy“Yes” he replied, m many instances their conduct has been bad, very bad; I know that it has been.” This declaration was made with firm conviction. “But it has varied. It has seemed to depend upon the commanders. If a commander approves of outrages, they occur. Yes in the main, the German conduct depends upon the character of the German generals.” “ And the French Army, you have been fighting as its ally for eight months; how does it compare with the German?” the

correspondent asked. Tins seemed a happy question. To it Sir John replied: “ The French at the start wore labouring under the shadow of their disastrous defeat in 1870, which might well have led both the French and the world in general to think that the Gorman military machine was Heaven-born and irresistible. The French already have learned the contrary and the world soon must, if it has not. I need not speak of their splendid generalship or their courage in driving the Germans back from the Marne. They hove the clan of Napoleon’s time, thanks to the spur of renewed confidence. Man for man they are better than the Germans to day, and their army has continually improved since the war began, while the German armv has deteriorated.

‘■'Wo have abundant evidence of the German deterioration on our own front. T heir attacks lack tho former vigour and spirit. Neuvo Chapolle was an important victory. It proved that with a strong push we could put the enemy out of a well fortified position and then hold what wo gained One of the gratifying things to us,” tho British Command’er-in-Chief said in conclusion, “ is how well our Territorials have done, once their period of preparation was over and they had an opportunity. I believe they occupy , much the same relation to our forces as your National Guard does to yours. They have surpassed our expectations. As for the Canadians, I cannot pay too high a tribute to them.”