MARSHAL JOFFRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 January 1931, Page 5

MARSHAL JOFFRE

TRIBUTE FROM LLOYD GEORGE

EUROPE’S MOST CRITICAL HOURS (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 4th January. Mr Lloyd George telegraphed to M. Barthou his sympathy on the death of a great soldier whose calm courage saved the liberties of Europe at the most critical hour in its destiny. LYING IN STATE (Received 6th January, 10.39 a.m.) PARIS, sth January. A mile long queue is waiting to file past Joffre’s body, which is lying on a soldier’s camp bed draped in flags at the chapel of the Ecole Militaire. dressed in his 1914 field uniform and wearing the medialle militaire, and the insignia of the Grand Cross of tlys Legion of Honour. The Marshal’s long blue cloak covers the iower part of the body. The hands rest on the gold hilt of his sword. Four generals with drawn swords are standing at each corner of the catafalque, with the Marshal’s standard 'bearer behind.

LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE PARIS, 4th January. School children throughout France will to-morrow receive a lesson on the late Marshal Jofl're’s part in the Battle of the Marne, after which they will visit local war memorials for a commemorative service. Joseph Jol'frc, the famous French general, was born in January, 1852, at Rivesaltes in the Eastern Pyrenees. He was educated at the Ecole Polytechnique, which trains artillery and engineering officers, and as one of the later lie took part in the war of 187071. Later he saw service in the colonies —Formosa, Tonkin, and the Sudan. When, in 1894, a French detachment was cut off by Tuaregs in Timbuctoo, he led the expedition which relieved it. In 1901 he was Brigadier-General in Madagascar and later commander of an artillery brigade at Vincennes. Finally, in 1906, lie was promoted general of a division. Two years later he was put in charge of the 2nd Army Corps at Amiens. In July, .1911, he became Chief of the General Staff. General Michel had been selected as Commander-in-Chief in the event of war, but dissensions arose between him and his staff as to the plan of campaign, and, after General Pau had declined and General Gallieni had been rejected as too old, Joffre was appointed. The French plan was an offensive in Alsace and Lorraine, but this operation was upset by the rapidity of the German advance through Belgium, and troops had to be moved from the east to oppose it. But although, one after another, Joffre’s earlier plans failed, he was still determined to take the offensive, retiring meanwhile till lie got his forces into a position where they could be reorganised. He realised that the army needed an inspiring leader, and his aim was to imbue his troops with confidence, while leaving the details of the operations to his staff. 'Hius, while the German offensive was suffering from lack of inspiring leadership, Joffre was steadily improving the morale of his retreating armies. , The great enveloping movement aimed at by the Germans was upset by the request of Von Bulow (2nd Army) moving against Paris, and comparatively isolated, that Von Kluck (Ist Army) and the 3rd Army should close inwards to his asislance. Hence Von Kluck’s fateful wheel to the left, followed by his disregard of orders, which led him to push on in the front of the 2nd Army. At the suggestion of Gallieni, Joffro began his counter-stroke earlier than lie had intended, and the former, who had assembled an army in Paris, rushed a large part of it to the front in taxicabs. Thus began the decisive Battle of the Marne, which raged from near Paris to Verdun, the Germans being driven back to the Aisne. During the subsequent trench warfare, for which Joffre and his staff were not prepared, criticism began to be heard regarding the aloofness of General Headquarters from the front and the General’s independent atitude towards the Government, which was resented by Gallieni. In December, 1915, an attempt was made to get more control by appointing Joffre comander-in-chief of the trench forces everywhere, but he succeeded in maintaining his command over the western front, from which it had been lioped to remove him. Early in 1916, the French Chamber was anxious about the Verdun front. Joffre declared that it was safe, but soon afterwards came a German offensive, which nearly broke it, and seriously impaired Joffre s reputation. Then, after the Battle of the Somme had lasted for three months without decisive result, the command was transferred to Nivelle, while Joffre was appointed technical adviser to the Comite de Guerre, and took over the Presidency of the Supreme War Council of the Allies. On 26th December,. 1916, he was made a Marshal of Franco. In spring, 191 f, he was sent on a special mission to the United States, where he concluded a military convention, and was very warmly veceived. On 14th July, 1919, lie appeared for the last time at the head of his troops at a great parade. The same year he went to Spam and in 1920 to Rumania, on official missions, and since then he lived in retirement.