THE MEN OF MONS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 20 July 1917, Page 1

THE MEN OF MONS.

"STILL DC THE FIGHTING LINE, AND DOING WELL, THANK YOU." Recently xhere appeared in a contemporary a. statement signed "Three Stars," regarding the men of Mons—"the contemptible little '.army" which threw its strength across the path of the .German invader and effectively barred the Hun's progress to Paris. The' finest and best-trained army that, ever took the field, these men of Mons and of the retreat to the Marno are justly proud of themselves, and jealous of their' reputation. In effect; "Three Stars." stated that the army of Mons had vanished from the firing line. He said: " When trench warfare began, a large number of men from Mons were still in line. The greater part of those veterans, who have laid their arms aside because of death, sickness, or wounds, have done so since the deadlock came. Taken on the whole, a surprisingly large percentage of old Army officers and men are still in harness. Where arc they? Some are drilling recruits in England. The majority of tho rest havo finished fighting, and are working at the base and in railway stations, supply centres, ammunition depots, repair shops, offices, canteeus, and similar places. The officers, with the exception of a few who still lead men into battle, have left the trenches, and, rising to big things, occupy the high positions to whicii their superior experience, knowledge, and training entitle them.. Those who have remained with the combatant troops havo been promoted to ranks of which they never dreamed in days of peace. The me* do odd jobs around the base. They help the railway transport officers—veterans these—in their work. They superintend the handling of ammunition, guns, rifles, waggons, olothing, and all the countless equipment of an army in the field. They do orderly room work. And a few of them act es servants to tho officers with whom they did duty before the war." But from a driver in a battery of.the R.F.A. now in France comes an indignant protest. He says: "I just want you to write and let tho people of Great Britain know that the old army of Mons is not down at the base, for in this battery alone we still have 58 mei> who have been in every big battle since the war started. And, sir, this makes our blood run cold when we are insulted like this, and if we had 'Three, Stars' here we think he would seo throe thousand for the insult he has written about the British Army. I want you to give them to understand that we are still doing as much, and more, than a lot are doing. And not only that. Our brigade was the brigade that broke the record of the battle of the Somme by being the longest in action (128 days) without a rest. I can't give you my brigade number, but I can my battery; and let me tell you that we have over 200 in tho brigade who have been right through this war. These are some of the big engagements wo have been in: Retreat from Mons, Marne, Aisue, Neuve Ghapellc, first battle of Ypres (1914), Richbcrg, Givenchy, Loos, Somme (1916-17), and we are now engaged in another big battle ' somewhere in France.' Does this look like being at such places as is mentioned in this paragraph? Please put this in your paper as a defence. of the heroes of Mons.—Yours sincerely, P. J. Dolan."