AN UNASSUMING GENERAL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5351, 7 February 1916, Page 7

AN UNASSUMING GENERAL.

COMRADELY SIR JOHN FRENCH

An English war correspondent, speaking of Sir John French, and his interest in the soldiers in the field, says: “At the time of the first battle of Vines, he watched, close up at the front the critical moment of the day. Any morning at headquarters if you walk out before breakfast past his door, you may see the sentries present arms, and the motor with thqr Union Jack on it drive up. The com-mander-in-chief. long before you were up. has been out somewluye at his lines. Or you are driving along some straight poplar-fenced rand, and you come on some improvised parade ground. The troops are drawn up—come out. perhaps, from some hot corner of the trenches; there is a little group of staff officers; in (front, his cap a little on one side, very short and straight and stoekish, with a fine truculence of manner and a sterling directness of spi-ech, Sir John French will be talking to his men. There is nothing perfunctory about the ceremony, no feeling that it is a necessary duty on the one side, no assumed decorum on the other;. He is there be-, cause he wants to meet them and speak to thqin. and they want to hoar what he say*. When you listen you feel that if he wanted to curse instead of comment, he would not have the slightest hesitation in doing it soundly, and the men would know that lie meant what he said. A word from him is !*>melu«v of more value than a column from a more rhetorical general. The last-joined private will feel that there is an essential comlmunion and sympathy in endeavour between his general and him.”