HAIG’S SECRETS.

Western Star, 29 November 1935, Page 3

HAIG’S SECRETS.

CRITICISM OF SIR J. FRENCH IN! NEW BOOK. WAR DIARY REVELATIONS. The first, volume of Mr Duff Cooper’s biography of the late Field-marshalj Earl Haig was published on October 3. Mr Duff Cooper had access to documents in the possession of Earl Haig’® executors, and the diaries the famous) soldier kept during the war. These reveal in a startling manner th„ great anxiety felt when Sir John! French was Commander-in-Chief of the British Force in France. Field-marshal Earl Haig’s lack of* ronfidence in Sir John French is made fully evident from th© beginning, fob on August 11, 1914, he wrote in his) diarv :

“Tn mv own heart I know that' French is quite unfit for thic great command at a time of crisis in our nation’s historv, “His (French’s! military ideas r-ffen shocked me when T was his Chief ~<)f staff riming the S'outh African! War. ... “Howeve - T am determined to helm ve as T did ill the South African War —namely, to be thoroughly loyal and do' m\- dufv a. a subordinate should, trying all the bnv> to see Sir John’s good "riimlities am 1 not his weak ones.” It was the Battle of Loos that 'brought about the complete break between French and Haig. RESERVES’ FAILURE. On October 9. 1.915. Lord Haldane ■ •sited Haig in France and asked for bis views on the question of reserves. Fie wrote in his diary : "Fp «nid that feelings were so strong on the rnhiect in England that he hud r-ome to France to help in arriving at 'up truth T gave him nil the facts. The main criticism, to my mind, is that) tbe reserves were not at hand when 1 wanted. ” Hhig wa - verv bit,ter when the r“-,-ni'epi; were pot available at Loos. He b-i.q 0,, ;"tpvvb w with French on Sep- 1 o-nivv- 98 1915. .the clav he decided to ere ps the attack no further, but to enn‘'ob'dntn +h o uositions that had been gained. Hi- diarv entry started: “Sir John French . . . seemed tired of the war and said that in his oninion we ought t 0 take the first op: rort,unite of concluding peace, otherwise England would he ruined. I could ••of n/rrnp. but said we cannot make -owe t-'li the German military power is beaten.” Tb„ followin'' - dmv Haig wrote to •Vi'+oheoe” cor-plsynip** that the reserves bpd not been available when they were nppd''d » “T think if right that you should '.-.uuv i-nw tbc lsß,-n t n whieb have been learnt in the war at such c cost hav« been neglected We were in a position to make this the turning point in the war.” REFERENCES TO L.G. References to Mr Lloyd George are ''detained io the volume. On return.’ in-' from France in September. 1916. wldb, tiie Battle of the Somme was + |ll raging. Mr Lloyd George wrote to Haig F— ' . ■ - “T c.;in -sav, on behalf of mv col-' leagues in the Cabinet, as well as for •vo-solf that the heartening news of Hu. him few days has confirmed our •vnticin'tioiv- oud hopes that the tide ''■■a now definitely turned in our fav-

“T wmgratulate you most warmly on ‘A" skill with which your plans were laid, and on tbe imperturbable bravery of your troops Such a combination augurs well for further successes, though I realise the difficulties that have to be faced and overcome.”

Mr Duff Cooper comments': —“Such Praise and appreciation come strangely from one who has written of ‘the horrible and futile carnage of the Somme,’ and has maintained that he was opposed to it from the first. “Oddly enough, even at the time the word s were uttered, they failed to convince the man to whom they were addressed of their author’s sincerity.” Haig’s second impressions of Mr Lloyd George were- not favourable. He wrote that h e had “no great opinion of L.G. as a man <>r leader. Hie ee'emsi to me to b e so flighty—makes plans and i s always changing them and his mind.” “THESE AUTHORITIES OF OURS.” In October, 1916, General French was ; .;out over to France to report on French artillery and French tactics. Haig wrote in his diary : “How unnecessarily difficult these authorities of ours at home seem to make things for me, straggling to do lira best against the enemy. If Lloyd George wishe s to know about French guns and their tactics he should ask me But he had already got my reasoned opinion in the matter of guns, and doubtless wants another opinion different from mine.” Mr Duff Cooper’s comment is “The motive of the mission was • obviou s . Lloyd George wanted material which would enable him to get rid of Haig. Who would he mor© competent to collect it than the man whom Haig had supplanted?” Mr Duff Cooper also says:— Ou September 17 Foeh came to visitHaig. Afterwards L.G using Lord Reading as interpreter, had a private talk with Foeh. He began by saying ‘hat he was a British Minister, and ns ui'b lie considered that- be bad a right to |,r told the truth. He wished to know why the British, who gained no more ground than the French, if as much, had suffered such heavy ca-suflV ties.

“Fuel, replied that the French infantry had learned ihefr lesson in 1914, and well- now careful in tlie-ir advances. .Hie often wished that they were not so well instructed. He would then have, advanced much further and more quickly. . L.G. also asked his opinion a s i to (he ability of the British generals Koch said T,.G. wa>s sufficiently patriotic not to criticise the British Commanders in-Chicf. but he did no,if speak withj confidence of the other British generals as a wh()|q. Foehks reply wn s that Ito had no means of forming an opinion. ' “Lnloss; T had boon told of this con. > ersatio,, personallv hv General Foch I would not have believed that a. British Minister cnnld have been so im'.'■oiith'miioly as to go (o a foreigner and out such oucstions regarding hi s own ••uhordinntos,** TNTKnvrKW WITH .TOFFBE. If was dming the Baffle of the Homiiu' that Haig had his celebrated in. forvu'w wi|h .loilYe doffn> wanted him lo take Ihiepval IT ill. Haig gave roa- , s ""s for rov-si| lT his aitnrl- 0 u Lungue--val_ Haig wrote

“At this, General Joffre exploded in a fit of rage. He could not approve <o£ it.’ He ‘ordered me to attack Thiepvaj and Pozierea.’ ‘lf I attacked Longueval I would be beaten, etc., ©tew 1 [waited calmly till he had finished. His • breast heaved and his face flushed. The truth, is the poor man cannot argue, nor canj he easily read a man. But to-day II hiad a raised model of the ground before us. “When Joffre got out of breath I quietly explained what my position is relatively to him a s th© ‘Generalis-j sinio.’ 1 am solely responsible tO 1 the; , British Government for the action of thfe British Army; and I had approved the plan, and must modify it to suit) the changing situation as the fight progresses. I was most polite. Joffre saw*, that he had made a mistake and tried' to cajole me. ... “I soothed old Joffre down, and he seemed ashamed of his outburst, Bndj I sent him and Foch to Amiens. AH present at the interview felt ashamed of Joffre.”