THE FOURTH BRIGADE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1163, 2 November 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE FOURTH BRIGADE.

VALUABLE AS A RESERVE. Prtt* Ainociation. WELLINGTON, Novomlior 1. The tollnwiug extract from n letter [from General Sir A. .1. Go-llcy to Major-General Sir Alfred Kobin, ilatol I Anoust 26, was read in the House today Jiy the Minister of Defenee:— "You need not be in the least anxious: .about the 4th Brigade. We all thoroughly realise that if there is the slightest shortage of reinforeements it . will be at on.-e broken up and utilised to keep up the division proper, but I hope ■ it may be possible to keep all four going, and as long as we can we shall do so, as it is a great convenience to have an extra brigade which can be out, of : j the line resting and ar-ting as a relief j j brigade for the other three, ami it is so - 'much better for the olli.ers and men to j be in a proper organisation, too, instead ', of simply at (he reserve group at Sling or in the depot at Etaples. "At the present time the division is \ just going out of the line for a bil of a rest and training, and I am glad to say that I am going out also, and it will be ' for the first time since the beginning '• Jof the war that I will be able to get a I little rest out of the front lkie, for i I which I shall not be sorry. I propose to i let General Russell have the 4th Bri- ■' gade temporarily as one of the three •' of the division, and to keep the Rifle i Brigade in rest and ready to relieve i jOiie of the others if required. The strain on a brigadier is very great at the front i las you will be able to realise from your ( [war experience, lie has all the respon- > sibility of the Higher Command, and ( at the same time the physical work and ] fatigue of having to be continually in ( the trenches, and between the two I j think that a brigadier has the hardest j time of anybody, and is more likely to ] break down than anybody else. The 1 division took La Basse Ville in great J style, and in a smaller way it was just < as good as the taking of Messines. You 1 are indeed having difficulties about the ] transports and reinforcements, but I { think you are doing splendidly, and I ; j have nothing but admiration and appre- t ciation for the way in which vou have helped us."