HERO OF MONS RETREAT

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1930, Page 11

HERO OF MONS RETREAT

BRITISH GENERAL DEAD SIR HORACE SMITH-DORRIEN INJURY IN MOTOR SMASH British Official Wireless. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Rugby, Aug. 12. General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien was gravely injured in a motoring accident a few miles from his own home to-day and died without regaining consciousness. His saloon car collided at cross-roads with a small touring car and overturned, throwing the general heavily. The outstanding incident in the career of General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, who died to-day from injuries received in a motor-car accident, was the stand he made in the retreat from Mons ’when he was commanding the Second Army Corps. He had been given the order to retreat from Le Chateau by Sir John French, Comman-der-in-Chief, but disagreed with the policy and decided to fight. The enemy was at least twice as strong ae General SmithDorrien’s force but the German advance was completely checked. Obituaries of General Smith-Dorrien declare that his disobedience saved the Allies and they cite the following admission of General Von Kluck, German Commander-in-Chief: "I tried hard to outflank General Smith-Dorrien but could not do so. If I had succeeded the war would have been won by Germany.”