Historic Sleet of Paper.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17916, 11 January 1930, Page 11 (Supplement)

Historic Sleet of Paper.

G.H.8., in John O’London.

D'OULiLE'NS I —What memories that name recalls to those of us who contrived on rare occasions to ' escape from the Somme Front hack to that little town between Amiens and Arras 1 Maybe we crowded into a mess-cart, or wangled a- lift in some Staff car, or “juifiped" a lorry; but, however we got’ there, it was a red-letter day for us. iNot that there was excitement to be found in Doullens. Though in the.dim past it had been famous as a Roman camp and as the mediaeval stronghold burnt by Louis XI., its Importance had vanished long ago and there was little but its phosphate trade to give it significance. A Straggling Nest of Sombre Streets with two ancient churches and a paltry six thousand Inhabitants, many absent on service. Indeed a dull place, the last place on earth where one would have expected history to be made; but (and what a big “but” I) there one found civilisation for a few fleeting hours, there one could get a first-rate dinner at the Hotel des Q Fils Aymon. Dinner with white tablecloths, clean plate and cutlery, and wine! It was towards this small hotel tnat Clemenceau and Foch were walking for lunch one Tuesday, March 26, 1918. “Well,” growled the Tiger, ‘ you have had your own way.” . . . “Yes. A nice messi * retorted Foch. “You give me a lost battle and tell me to Wm They had just left the town hall where ♦bey and M. Loucheur on behalf of France, and Lord Milner and Sir Douglas Haig on behalf of the Empire, had made the Most Momentous Decision of tho War, the decision which was to lead to spee y victory, the decision to place Foch in supreme command on the Western Fron • It was a decision that many thought should have been taken years before. So early as 1915, just after the Second Battle of Ypres, where British, French, and Belgian troops had striven toyaliy but dlsiointedly to stem 'the German tide, th iadlc of unity of command had formed a favourite topic of conversation among regimental officers. But though most Allied statesmen had worked for unity of purpose (resulting in the establishment of the luproL War Council), none had accepted the principle of unity of command. This diffidence was understandable, if unfortunate, for It Required Enormous Courage

for a statesman to place his troops unreservedly under the command of a foreign Half-measures had indeed been taken, when Mr Lloyd George proposed the nomination of Foch as President of the Executive Committee of the Supreme War Council, but these were insufficient. Then on March 21, 1918, came the great German attack. It fell heaviest as might have been expected, on the junction nf the British and French Armies. In JLh’s own words, “The situation can be likened to a double door. The enemy has, struck just where the two halves of the d oor meet. He has pushed them back on Ha£ Tnd Detain. Each of the Generals Ja behind his half of the door without

Appointment of Foch as Generalissimo.

knowing who should push first in order to close the door. I quite understand their hesitation; the one who pushes first risks having his right or left wing turned.” Within two days tire Allies’ losses exceeded two hundred thousand men and many guns. Reserves were insufficient behind the British front. Something had to be done.

On March 23rd Haig asked for “someone to take charge of the War.” Two days later Sir Henry Wilson saw Foch in Paris and informed him of the astounding proposal that Clemenceau should take over the supreme command, with Foch as Chief of Staff. Clemenceau, a mere civilian! It may be imagined .without much difficulty What These Soldiers Thought. The next morning the fateful meeting at Doullens took place between the British and French representatives, and that night Foch could say to his wife, “God grant that it may not be too late I” Some of us may have wondered whether this momentous agreement was put into writing. It was. Those who wish to see the actual document will find it in 'the museum of the Public Record Office in Chancery Lane. No imposing parchment, with voluminous recitals, seals, and tabs, but-a rough scrap of paper, apparently torn off a scribbling-block, creased and somewhat dirty, with just ten lines of writing in a clear,'bold hand, believed to be that of Foch. . ./ , Translated from the French, it reads as follows:■ —“General Foch is entrusted by the British and French Governments with -the Co-ordination of the Operations of the .Allied Armies on the Western Front. ' He will arrange accordingly with the commanders-in-chief, who are requested to give him all necessary information. Doullens, 26th March, 1918.” At the bottom, are the signatures of Clemenceau (an almost illegible scrawl) and Milner (clear, but somewhat shaky). This was the only written record of that historic decision. No copy was made, not even for Clemenceau. Lord Milner simply put the document into his pocket and brought it home to England. After his death, it came into the possession of Lady Milner, who presented it to the Record Office. All three whose names are directly associated with'that historic bit of paper Foch, Milner, and Clemenceau —have passed over. A decision of the greatest historic interest scrawled on a dirty bit of paper! A document of State importance, creased in the pocket of the man who signed it, finding its way into State custody only by tho generosity of his wife!

Surely That is Romance. And those in search of further romance will find it in the same museum, for near the Doullens agreement is the actual treaty guaranteeing the independence of Belgium which BethmannHollweg described as “a scrap of paper” In his famous speech just before the War. A very different document this, signed and sealed with great formality'by the representatives of six nations. For _ Great Britain appears the large bold signature of Lord Palmerston.