LORD FRENCH'S BOOK

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16822, 30 May 1919, Page 7

LORD FRENCH'S BOOK

THE M(M$ « HIGH HOPES SHATTERED; TRIBUTE TO THE STAFF. Australiaff and A.Z-- Carole ASSn. ...... LONDON, May 2. .„ A further instalment of Lord French's book., which describes thte Battle of Mons. says that the British Army on the night of August 21 went to sleep in the Highest Spirits and with hopes that its mobilisation, transport, and-concentration would be effected without a. hitch. The preliminary engagements foreshadowed that moral superiority over the Germans whicli afterwards -was completely established. Lord French awoke on the morning of August 22 in high hopes, but before many hours disillusionment began.

Lord French describes how he started to visit General Lanrezac, commanding the French Eleventh Army Corps, in the neighbourhood of Philipteville, but was constantly stopped by columns moving southward, all of which, were looking most depressed.

Suddenly he met Captain Spiers, the liasion officer, who reported a German advance, adding, "offensive action is contrary to Genera] Lanrezao's plans." Owing to the difficulty of finding General Lanrezac, Lord French returned to Le Cateau, where late in the evening, the climax of disillusionment was experienced, when lie received a request from General Lanrezac to attack the flank of the German which were pressing him back. Lord French says that it was difficult to realise what was in General Lanrezac's mind when he made such arequest, and he replied that such an operation was quite impracticable. Describing the events of August 23, Lord French says that he left Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien full of confidence with r,egard to his position, but when he returned to headquarters in the afternoon reports were received that Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien.was abandoning the salient at Mons, although he need not have feared an imminent turning movement, and his front was nowhere greatly threatened. In consequence of the arrival of further disquieting reports in. the evening Lord French decided oh an immediate retreat, as the situation was strategically untenable. He pays a tribute to the support of General Allenby and General Drummond in taking severe pressure off the Fifth Division, and to the steadfastness and skill of Sir Douglas Haig's First Corps. He concludes with a graphic picture of the staff, saying, "It makes my blood boil to hear and to read the calumnies which are often heaped on the head of the unfortunate staff."