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New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 2, No. 1, April, 1915 by Various

V >> Various >> New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 2, No. 1, April, 1915




In my last dispatch I had occasion to mention the prompt and ready help
I received from the Lahore Division, under the command of Major Gen.
H.B.B. Watkis, C.B., which was thrown into action immediately on
arrival, when the British forces were very hard pressed during the
battle of Ypres-Armentieres.

The Indian troops have fought with the utmost steadfastness and
gallantry whenever they have been called upon.

Weather conditions were abnormally bad, the snow and floods precluding
any active operations during the first three weeks of January.

5. At 7:30 A.M. on Jan. 25 the enemy began to shell Bethune, and at 8
A.M. a strong hostile infantry attack developed south of the canal,
preceded by a heavy bombardment of artillery, minenwerfers, and,
possibly, the explosion of mines, though the latter is doubtful.

The British line south of the canal formed a pronounced salient from the
canal on the left, thence running forward toward the railway triangle
and back to the main La Bassee-Bethune Road, where it joined the French.
This line was occupied by half a battalion of the Scots Guards, and half
a battalion of the Coldstream Guards, of the First Infantry Brigade. The
trenches in the salient were blown in almost at once, and the enemy's
attack penetrated this line. Our troops retired to a partially prepared
second line, running approximately due north and south from the canal to
the road, some 500 yards west of the railway triangle. This second line
had been strengthened by the construction of a keep half way between the
canal and the road. Here the other two half battalions of the
above-mentioned regiments were in support.

These supports held up the enemy, who, however, managed to establish
himself in the brick stacks and some communication trenches between the
keep, the road, and the canal--and even beyond the west of the keep on
either side of it.

The London Scottish had in the meantime been sent up in support, and a
counter-attack was organized with the First Royal Highlanders, part of
the First Cameron Highlanders, and the Second King's Royal Rifle Corps,
the latter regiment having been sent forward from the Divisional
Reserve.

The counter-attack was delayed in order to synchronize with a
counter-attack north of the canal which was arranged for 1 P.M.

At 1 P.M. these troops moved forward, their flanks making good progress
near the road and the canal, but their centre being held up. The Second
Royal Sussex Regiment was then sent forward, late in the afternoon, to
reinforce. The result was that the Germans were driven back far enough
to enable a somewhat broken line to be taken up, running from the
culvert on the railway, almost due south to the keep, and thence
southeast to the main road.

The French left near the road had also been attacked and driven back a
little, but not to so great an extent as the British right. Consequently
the French left was in advance of the British right, and exposed to a
possible flank attack from the north.

The Germans did not, however, persevere further in their attack.

The above-mentioned line was strengthened during the night, and the
First Guards Brigade, which had suffered severely, was withdrawn into
reserve and replaced by the Second Infantry Brigade.

While this was taking place another and equally severe attack was
delivered north of the canal against the village of Givenchy.

At 8:15 A.M., after a heavy artillery bombardment with high explosive
shells, the enemy's infantry advanced under the effective fire of our
artillery, which, however, was hampered by the constant interruption of
telephonic communication between the observers and batteries.
Nevertheless, our artillery fire, combined with that of the infantry in
the fire trenches, had the effect of driving the enemy from its original
direction of advance, with the result that his troops crowded together
on the northeast corner of the village and broke through into the centre
of the village as far as the keep, which had been previously put in a
state of defense.

[Illustration: The places underlined in the above map indicate the
points around La Bassee and southward to Arras, where part of the
British Expeditionary Force was heavily engaged.]

The Germans had lost heavily, and a well-timed local counter-attack,
delivered by the reserves of the Second Welsh Regiment and First South
Wales Borderers, and by a company of the First Royal Highlanders, (lent
by the First Brigade as a working party--this company was at work on the
keep at the time,) was completely successful, with the result that after
about an hour's street fighting all who had broken into the village were
either captured or killed, and the original line around the village was
re-established by noon.

South of the village, however, and close to the canal, the right of the
Second Royal Munster Fusiliers fell back in conformity with the troops
south of the canal, but after dark that regiment moved forward and
occupied the old line.

During the course of the attack on Givenchy the enemy made five assaults
on the salient at the northeast of the village about French Farm, but
was repulsed every time with heavy loss.

6. On the morning of Jan. 29 attacks were made on the right of the First
Corps, south of the canal in the neighborhood of La Bassee.

The enemy, (part of the Fourteenth German Corps,) after a severe
shelling, made a violent attack with scaling ladders on the keep, also
to the north and south of it. In the keep and on the north side the
Sussex Regiment held the enemy off, inflicting on him serious losses. On
the south side the hostile infantry succeeded in reaching the
Northamptonshire Regiment's trenches, but were immediately
counter-attacked and all killed. Our artillery co-operated well with the
infantry in repelling the attack.

In this action our casualties were inconsiderable, but the enemy lost
severely, more than 200 of his killed alone being left in front of our
position.

7. On Feb. 1 a fine piece of work was carried out by the Fourth Brigade
in the neighborhood of Cuinchy.

Some of the Second Coldstream Guards were driven from their trenches at
2:30 A.M., but made a stand some twenty yards east of them in a position
which they held till morning.

A counter-attack, launched at 3:15 A.M., by one company of the Irish
Guards and half a company of the Second Coldstream Guards, proved
unsuccessful, owing to heavy rifle fire from the east and south.

At 10:05 A.M., acting under orders of the First Division, a heavy
bombardment was opened on the lost ground for ten minutes; and this was
followed immediately by an assault by about fifty men of the Second
Coldstream Guards with bayonets, led by Capt. A. Leigh Bennett, followed
by thirty men of the Irish Guards, led by Second Lieut. F.F. Graham,
also with bayonets. These were followed by a party of Royal Engineers
with sand bags and wire.

All the ground which had been lost was brilliantly retaken, the Second
Coldstream Guards also taking another German trench and capturing two
machine guns.

Thirty-two prisoners fell into our hands.

The General Officer Commanding First Division describes the preparation
by the artillery as "splendid, the high explosive shells dropping in the
exact spot with absolute precision."

In forwarding his report on this engagement, the General Officer
Commanding First Army writes as follows:

Special credit is due--

(i) To Major Gen. Haking, commanding First Division, for the
prompt manner in which he arranged this counter-attack and for
the general plan of action, which was crowned with success.

(ii) To the General Officer commanding the Fourth Brigade
(Lord Cavan) for the thorough manner in which he carried out
the orders of the General Officer commanding the division.

(iii) To the regimental officers, non-commissioned officers,
and men of the Second Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards, who,
with indomitable pluck, stormed two sets of barricades,
captured three German trenches, two machine guns, and killed
or made prisoners many of the enemy.

8. During the period under report the Royal Flying Corps has again
performed splendid service.

Although the weather was almost uniformly bad and the machines suffered
from constant exposure, there have been only thirteen days on which no
actual reconnoissance has been effected. Approximately, 100,000 miles
have been flown.

In addition to the daily and constant work of reconnoissance and
co-operation with the artillery, a number of aerial combats have been
fought, raids carried out, detrainments harassed, parks and petrol
depots bombed, &c.

Various successful bomb-dropping raids have been carried out, usually
against the enemy's aircraft material. The principle of attacking
hostile aircraft whenever and wherever seen (unless highly important
information is being delivered) has been adhered to, and has resulted in
the moral fact that enemy machines invariably beat immediate retreat
when chased.

Five German aeroplanes are known to have been brought to the ground, and
it would appear probable that others, though they have managed to reach
their own lines, have done so in a considerably damaged condition.

9. In my dispatch of Nov. 20, 1914, I referred to the reinforcements of
territorial troops which I had received, and I mentioned several units
which had already been employed in the fighting line.

In the positions which I held for some years before the outbreak of this
war I was brought into close contact with the territorial force, and I
found every reason to hope and believe that, when the hour of trial
arrived, they would justify every hope and trust which was placed in
them.

The Lords Lieutenant of Counties and the associations which worked under
them bestowed a vast amount of labor and energy on the organization of
the territorial force; and I trust it may be some recompense to them to
know that I, and the principal commanders serving under me, consider
that the territorial force has far more than justified the most sanguine
hopes that any of us ventured to entertain of their value and use in
the field. Commanders of cavalry divisions are unstinted in their praise
of the manner in which the yeomanry regiments attached to their brigades
have done their duty, both in and out of action. The service of
divisional cavalry is now almost entirely performed by yeomanry, and
divisional commanders report that they are very efficient.

Army corps commanders are loud in their praise of the territorial
battalions, which form part of nearly all the brigades at the front in
the first line, and more than one of them have told me that these
battalions are fast approaching--if they have not already reached--the
standard of efficiency of regular infantry.

I wish to add a word about the Officers' Training Corps. The presence of
the Artists' Rifles (Twenty-eighth Battalion, the London regiment) with
the army in France enabled me also to test the value of this
organization.

Having had some experience in peace of the working of the Officers'
Training Corps, I determined to turn the Artists' Rifles (which formed
part of the Officers' Training Corps in peace time) to its legitimate
use. I therefore established the battalion as a training corps for
officers in the field.

The cadets passed through a course, which includes some thoroughly
practical training, as all cadets do a tour of forty-eight hours in the
trenches, and afterward write a report on what they see and notice. They
also visit an observation post of a battery or group of batteries, and
spend some hours there.

A commandant has been appointed, and he arranges and supervises the
work, sets schemes for practice, administers the school, delivers
lectures, and reports on the candidates.

The cadets are instructed in all branches of military training suitable
for platoon commanders.

Machine-gun tactics, a knowledge of which is so necessary for all junior
officers, is a special feature of the course of instruction.

When first started, the school was able to turn out officers at the
rate of seventy-five a month. This has since been increased to 100.

Reports received from divisional and army corps commanders on officers
who have been trained at the school are most satisfactory.

10. Since the date of my last report I have been able to make a close
personal inspection of all the units in the command. I was most
favorably impressed by all I saw.

The troops composing the army in France have been subjected to as severe
a trial as it is possible to impose upon any body of men. The desperate
fighting described in my last dispatch had hardly been brought to a
conclusion when they were called upon to face the rigors and hardships
of a Winter campaign. Frost and snow have alternated with periods of
continuous rain.

The men have been called upon to stand for many hours together almost up
to their waists in bitterly cold water, only separated by one or two
hundred yards from a most vigilant enemy.

Although every measure which science and medical knowledge could suggest
to mitigate these hardships was employed, the sufferings of the men have
been very great.

In spite of all this they presented, at the inspections to which I have
referred, a most soldierlike, splendid, though somewhat war-worn,
appearance. Their spirit remains high and confident; their general
health is excellent, and their condition most satisfactory.

I regard it as most unfortunate that circumstances have prevented any
account of many splendid instances of courage and endurance, in the face
of almost unparalleled hardship and fatigue in war, coming regularly to
the knowledge of the public.

Reinforcements have arrived from England with remarkable promptitude and
rapidity. They have been speedily drafted into the ranks, and most of
the units I inspected were nearly complete when I saw them. In
appearance and quality the drafts sent out have exceeded my most
sanguine expectations, and I consider the army in France is much
indebted to the Adjutant General's Department at the War Office for the
efficient manner in which its requirements have been met in this most
essential respect.

With regard to these inspections I may mention in particular the fine
appearance presented by the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Divisions,
composed principally of battalions which had come from India. Included
in the former division was the Princess Patricia's Royal Canadian
Regiment. They are a magnificent set of men, and have since done
excellent work in the trenches.

It was some three weeks after the events recorded in Paragraph 4 that I
made my inspection of the Indian Corps, under Sir James Willcocks. The
appearance they presented was most satisfactory and fully confirmed my
opinion that the Indian troops only required rest and a little
acclimatizing to bring out all their fine inherent fighting qualities.

I saw the whole of the Indian Cavalry Corps, under Lieut. Gen.
Rimington, on a mounted parade soon after their arrival. They are a
magnificent body of cavalry and will, I feel sure, give the best
possible account of themselves when called upon.

In the meantime, at their own particular request, they have taken their
turn in the trenches and performed most useful and valuable service.

11. The Right Rev. Bishop Taylor Smith, C.V.O., D.D., Chaplain General
to the Forces, arrived at my headquarters on Jan. 6, on a tour of
inspection throughout the command.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster has also visited most of the
Irish regiments at the front and the principal centres on the line of
communications.

In a quiet and unostentatious manner the Chaplains of all denominations
have worked with devotion and energy in their respective spheres.

The number with the forces in the field at the commencement of the war
was comparatively small, but toward the end of last year the Rev. J.M.
Simms, D.D., K.H.C., principal Chaplain, assisted by his secretary, the
Rev. W. Drury, reorganized the branch and placed the spiritual welfare
of the soldier on a more satisfactory footing. It is hoped that the
further increase of personnel may be found possible.

I cannot speak too highly of the devoted manner in which all the
Chaplains, whether with the troops in the trenches or in attendance on
the sick and wounded in casualty clearing stations and hospitals on the
line of communications, have worked throughout the campaign.

Since the commencement of hostilities the work of the Royal Army Medical
Corps has been carried out with untiring zeal, skill, and devotion.
Whether at the front under conditions such as obtained during the
fighting on the Aisne, when casualties were heavy and accommodation for
their reception had to be improvised, or on the line of communications,
where an average of some 11,000 patients have been daily under
treatment, the organization of the medical service has always been equal
to the demands made upon it.

The careful system of sanitation introduced into the army has, with the
assistance of other measures, kept the troops free from any epidemic, in
support of which it is to be noticed that since the commencement of the
war some 500 cases only of enteric have occurred.

The organization for the first time in war of motor ambulance convoys is
due to the initiative and organizing powers of Surgeon General T.J.
O'Donnell, D.S.O., ably assisted by Major P. Evans, Royal Army Medical
Corps.

Two of these convoys, composed entirely of Red Cross Society personnel,
have done excellent work under the superintendence of regular medical
officers.

Twelve hospital trains ply between the front and the various bases. I
have visited several of the trains when halted in stations, and have
found them conducted with great comfort and efficiency.

During the more recent phase of the campaign the creation of rest depots
at the front has materially reduced the wastage of men to the line of
communications.

Since the latter part of October, 1914, the whole of the medical
arrangements have been in the hands of Surgeon General Sir A.T.
Sloggett, C.M.G., K.H.S., under whom Surgeon General T.P. Woodhouse and
Surgeon General T.J. O'Donnell have been responsible for the
organization on the line of communications and at the front
respectively.

12. The exceptional and peculiar conditions brought about by the weather
have caused large demands to be made upon the resources and skill of the
Royal Engineers.

Every kind of expedient has had to be thought out and adopted to keep
the lines of trenches and defense work effective.

The Royal Engineers have shown themselves as capable of overcoming the
ravages caused by violent rain and floods as they have been throughout
in neutralizing the effect of the enemy's artillery.

In this connection I wish particularly to mention the excellent services
performed by my Chief Engineer, Brig. Gen. G.H. Fowke, who has been
indefatigable in supervising all such work. His ingenuity and skill have
been most valuable in the local construction of the various expedients
which experience has shown to be necessary in prolonged trench warfare.

13. I have no reason to modify in any material degree my views of the
general military situation, as expressed in my dispatch of Nov. 20,
1914.

14. I have once more gratefully to acknowledge the valuable help and
support I have received throughout this period from Gen. Foch, Gen.
D'Urbal, and Gen. Maud'huy of the French Army. I have the honor to be,
your Lordship's most obedient servant,

J.D.P. FRENCH, Field Marshal, Commanding in Chief, the British Army in
the Field.




The Cathedral of Rheims

BY EMILE VERHAEREN

(From Les Bles Mouvants)

Done into English verse by Joyce Kilmer.


He who walks through the meadows of Champagne
At noon in Fall, when leaves like gold appear,
Sees it draw near
Like some great mountain set upon the plain,
From radiant dawn until the close of day,
Nearer it grows
To him who goes
Across the country. When tall towers lay
Their shadowy pall
Upon his way,
He enters, where
The solid stone is hollowed deep by all
Its centuries of beauty and of prayer.

Ancient French temple! thou whose hundred Kings
Watch over thee, emblazoned on thy walls,
Tell me, within thy memory-hallowed halls
What chant of triumph, or what war-song rings?
Thou hast known Clovis and his Frankish train,
Whose mighty hand Saint Remy's hand did keep
And in thy spacious vault perhaps may sleep
An echo of the voice of Charlemagne.
For God thou hast known fear, when from His side
Men wandered, seeking alien shrines and new,
But still the sky was bountiful and blue
And thou wast crowned with France's love and pride.
Sacred thou art, from pinnacle to base;
And in thy panes of gold and scarlet glass
The setting sun sees thousandfold his face;
Sorrow and joy, in stately silence pass
Across thy walls, the shadow and the light;
Around thy lofty pillars, tapers white
Illuminate, with delicate sharp flames,
The brows of saints with venerable names,
And in the night erect a fiery wall,
A great but silent fervor burns in all
Those simple folk who kneel, pathetic, dumb,
And know that down below, beside the Rhine--
Cannon, horses, soldiers, flags in line--
With blare of trumpets, mighty armies come.

Suddenly, each knows fear:
Swift rumors pass, that every one must hear,
The hostile banners blaze against the sky
And by the embassies mobs rage and cry.
Now war has come, and peace is at an end,
On Paris town the German troops descend.
They turned back, and driven to Champagne.
And now, as to so many weary men,
The glorious temple gives them welcome, when,
It meets them at the bottom of the plain.

At once, they set their cannon in its way.
There is no gable now, nor wall
That does not suffer, night and day,
As shot and shell in crushing torrents fall,
The stricken tocsin quivers through the tower;
The triple nave, the apse, the lonely choir
Are circled, hour by hour,
With thundering bands of fire
And Death is scattered broadcast among men.

And then
That which was splendid with baptismal grace;
The stately arches soaring into space,
The transepts, columns, windows gray and gold,
The organ, in whose tones the ocean rolled,
The crypts, of mighty shades the dwelling places,
The Virgin's gentle hands, the Saints' pure faces,
All, even the pardoning hands of Christ the Lord
Were struck and broken by the wanton sword
Of sacrilegious lust.

O beauty slain, O glory in the dust!
Strong walls of faith, most basely overthrown!
The crawling flames, like adders glistening
Ate the white fabric of this lovely thing.
Now from its soul arose a piteous moan.
The soul that always loved the just and fair.
Granite and marble loud their woe confessed,
The silver monstrances that Pope has blessed.
The chalices and lamps and crosiers rare
Were seared and twisted by a flaming-breath;
The horror everywhere did rage and swell,
The guardian Saints into this furnace fell,
Their bitter tears and screams were stilled in death.

Around the flames armed hosts are skirmishing,
The burning sun reflects the lurid scene;
The German Army fighting for its life,
Rallies its torn and terrified left wing;
And, as they near this place
The imperial eagles see
Before them in their flight,
Here, in the solemn night,
The old cathedrals, to the years to be
Showing, with wounded arms, their own disgrace.




Music of War

By Rudyard Kipling


The following speech was delivered by Mr. Kipling on Jan. 27,
1915, at a meeting in London promoted by the Recruiting Bands
Committee, and held with the object of raising bands in the
London district as an aid to recruiting.

The most useful thing that a civilian can do in these busy days is to
speak as little as possible, and if he feels moved to write, to confine
his efforts to his check book. [Laughter.] But this is an exception to
that very sound rule. We do not know the present strength of the new
armies. Even if we did it would not be necessary to make it public. But
we may assume that there are several battalions in Great Britain which
were not in existence at the end of last July, and some of them are in
London. Nor is it any part of our national policy to explain how far
these battalions are prepared for the work which is ahead of them. They
were born quite rightly in silence. But that is no reason why they
should continue to walk in silence for the rest of their lives.
[Cheers.] Unfortunately up to the present most of them have been obliged
to walk in silence or to no better accompaniment than whistles and
concertinas and other meritorious but inadequate instruments of music
with which they have provided themselves. In the beginning this did not
matter so much. More urgent needs had to be met; but now that the new
armies are what they are, we who cannot assist them by joining their
ranks owe it to them to provide them with more worthy music for their
help, their gratification, and their honor. [Cheers.]

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