John French - 1914

JOHN FRENCH

1914

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ISBN: 978-1-304-03412-0

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THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE RT. HON. DAVID LLOYD GEORGE, M.P., TO WHOSE PREVISION, ENERGY AND TENACITY THE ARMY AND THE EMPIRE OWE SO MUCH.

Le Marchal FRENCH commandait en Chef l'Arme Britannique au dbut de la Guerre.

Comme on le sait, les allemands ont cherch en 1914 profiter de leur supriorit numrique et de l'crasante puissance de leur armement, pour mettre hors de cause les Armes Allies d'Occident, par une manoeuvre enveloppante, aussi rapide que possible.

Aprs avoir cherch en vain la dcision la MARNE, puis l'AISNE et la SOMME, ils la poursuivent successivement ARRAS, sur l'YSER et YPRES.

mesure que dans cette course la mer, le terrain disponible se restreint devant eux, les coups se prcipitent et se rptent plus violents, les rserves s'engagent, de nouveaux Corps d'Arme entrent en ligne nombreux et intacts. La reddition d'ANVERS assure d'ailleurs l'ennemi d'importantes disponibilits.

Mais dj l'Arme Belge, appuye de troupes franaises, arrte les allemands sur l'YSER, de NIEUPORT DIXMUDE. Aprs avoir pris part aux actions de l'AISNE, l'Arme Britannique a t transporte dans le Nord. C'est ainsi qu'elle s'engage progressivement de la BASSE YPRES, s'opposant partout l'invasion.

Bref, les allemands, aprs avoir vainement dvelopp leurs efforts de la Mer la LYS, ds le 15 octobre, sont dans l'obligation, la fin du mois, de vaincre YPRES, ou bien leur manoeuvre choue dfinitivement, leur offensive expire en Occident et la Coalition reste debout.

Ainsi sont-ils amens, sur ce point d'YPRES, dans une lutte acharne, concentrer leurs moyens, une forte artillerie lourde largement approvisione, renforce de minenwerfers, de corps d'arme nombreux et renouvels.

Quant aux Allis, ils sont rduits recevoir le choc avec des effectifs restreints, des munitions comptes et rares, une faible artillerie lourde. Toute relve leur est interdite par la pnurie de troupes, quelle que soit la dure de la bataille. Pour ne citer qu'un exemple, le premier corps britannique reste engag du 20 octobre au 15 novembre--au milieu des plus violentes attaques et malgr de formidables pertes.

Mais cette dernire date la bataille tait gagne. Les Allis avaient inflig un retentissant chec l'ennemi: ils avaient sauv les communications de la Manche et par l fix le sort et l'avenir de la Coalition.

Si l'union troite du Commandement Alli et la valeur des troupes ont permis ces glorieux rsultats, c'est que le Marchal FRENCH a dploy la plus entire droiture, la plus complte confiance, la plus grande nergie: rsolu se faire passer sur le corps plutt qu' reculer.

La Grande-Bretagne avait trouv en lui un grand soldat. Il avait maintenu ses troupes la hauteur de celles de WELLINGTON.

Avec l'motion d'un souvenir profond et toujours vivant, je salue le vaillant compagnon d'armes des rudes journes et les glorieux drapeaux Britanniques de la Bataille d'YPRES.

Marchal de France.

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PRELIMINARY.

For years past I had regarded a general war in Europe as an eventual certainty. The experience which I gained during the seven or eight years spent as a member of the Committee of Imperial Defence, and my three years tenure of the Office of Chief of the General Staff, greatly strengthened this conviction.

For reasons which it is unnecessary to enter upon, I resigned my position as Chief of the Staff in April, 1914, and from that time I temporarily lost touch with the European situation as it was officially represented and appreciated.

I remember spending a week in June of that year in Paris, and when passing through Dover on my return, my old friend, Jimmie Watson (Colonel Watson, late of the 60th Rifles, A.D.C. to the Khedive of Egypt), looked into my carriage window and told me of the murder of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his Consort. I cannot say that I actually regarded this tragedy as being the prelude which should lead ultimately to a great European convulsion, but in my own mind, and in view of my past experience, it created a feeling of unrest within me and an instinctive foreboding of evil. Then came a few weeks of the calm which heralded the storm--a calm under cover of which Germany was vigorously preparing for "the day."

One afternoon, late in July, I was the guest at lunch of the German Ambassador, Prince Lichnowski. It was a small party, comprising, to the best of my recollection, only Princess Henry of Pless, Lady Cunard, Lord Kitchener, His Excellency and myself. The first idea I got of the storm which was brewing came from a short conversation which I had with the Ambassador in a corner of the room after lunch. He was very unhappy and perturbed, and he plainly told me that he feared all Europe would be in a blaze before we were a fortnight older. His feeling was prophetic. His surprising candour foreshadowed the moral courage with which Prince Lichnowski subsequently issued his famous apologia.

On July 28th Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The military preparations of the Dual Monarchy inevitably led to a partial mobilisation by Russia against Austria, whereupon the German Emperor proclaimed the "Kriegsgefahrszustand" on July 31st, following this up by declaring war against Russia on August 1st. On August 2nd German troops entered Luxemburg and, without declaration of war, violated French territory. Great Britain declared war against Germany on August 4th and against Austria on August 12th, France having broken off relations with Austria two days earlier.

On Thursday, July 30th, I was sent for by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and was given private intimation that, if an expeditionary force were sent to France, I was to command it. On leaving the room I found some well-known newspaper correspondents in the passage. I talked a little with them and found that great doubt existed in their minds as to whether this country would support France by force of arms. This doubt was certainly shared by many.