General News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 15, 19 January 1915, Page 5

General News

BRITAIN’S CASUALTIES. Lord Newton, speaking at a recruiting meeting at Salford recently, <faid ho did not know that the country grasped even yet the gravity of the situation, but, having recently had an opportunity of visiting the French and English lines, lie felt that fie did grasp it. Along a 350 miles front he did not suppose the British position could he more than 25 miles. There the task was very severe. The Prime Minister, who would be the last man to deceive the country, said there were 57,000 casualties, but at present there were more like 80,000 . Some battalions had lost all their officers. One crack battalion was commanded by a quartermaster, and two divisions, 1 representing roughly 37,000 men, had been reduced to ,'5300. He did not see the wisdom of hiding these facts; lie did see the wisdom of urgently impressing upon the nation that reinforcements were urgently required. I (Cheers). Threats of a German invasion were spread by Germany in the hope that they would induce us to keep our soldiers at home, but tho device is transparent, and would not succeed. (Cheers),