DEAD MARSHAL MOURNED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 619, 22 March 1929, Page 9

DEAD MARSHAL MOURNED

Nations Join in Homage

A BRITISH NATIONAL HERO

Great Soldier and Great Citizen British Official Wireless Rofhivod Noon. RUGBY. Thursday. THE news of the death of Marshal Foch has been received with a sorrow as sincere in Britain as in France, and the newspapers publish eloquent tributes to the genius of the greatest military figure of the late war. From the time of his appointment in 1918 as Commander-in-Ghief of the Allied Armies, Marshal Foch was regarded by the British people as the embodiment of victory and the symbol of the Allied soldiers fighting with one effort for one cause and one common plan, and his reputation has been enhanced as the fuller knowledge of the trials and triumphs of the final stages of the war became better known.

Marshal Foch was personally well known In England, which he frequently visited, and has many inti- ; mate friends here, including the King, to whom the news of his death was 1 immediately communicated. Sir William Tyrrell, the British Ambassador, sent the following per- ' sonal message:— “In anticipation of the instructions of my Government, I venture to offer < you the most heartfelt and sincere sympathy it is possible to feel in ihe irreparable loss which has befallen you. In my country, which has not the privilege of numbering him among her sons, he will be mourned as a national hero.” It is announced that Prince George will represent the King at the funeral of Marshal Foch. Field-Marshal .Lord Plumer and Sir George Milne, chief of the Imperial General Staff, will represent the British Army. A wish to attend as brother fieldmarshals has been expressed by Lord Methven, Lord Allenby, and Sir Claud Jacob. There will also walk in the funeral procession a British field officer, with an officer in attendance, and 50 men, representing the British Army, with a regimental band, which will be provided by a brigade of the Guards. The Royal Navy will be represented by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Weymss, who was present with Marshal Foch at the arrangement of the armistice. Vice-Admiral Haggard will represent the Board of Admiralty. The representatives of the Royal Air Force will be Air-Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard and Air-Vice-Marshal Lambs, with a detachment of two officers and 20 airmen. MESSAGE FROM THE KING The King has sent the following telegram to the French President: “With heartfelt sorrow, I express my deep sympathy in the death of Marshal Foch. France mourns her greatest soldier: my country mourns the loss of one whose name is honoured on the roll of British fieldmarshals. For all time he will be remembered as the distinguished chief who led the Allied armies to victory while his memory will be cherished by all ranks of the Empire’s forces who served in the World War. The British Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, has sent the following message to the French Prime Mm--ISt“t have learnt with profound sorrow of the death of Marshal Foch. I am deeply conscious of the irreparable loss which France has suffered. This great soldier and patriot epitomises in British eyes the military genius of France, and I am certain the British people will sincerely mourn one whose services to the Allied cause are fresh in every memory, and whose distinguished and inspiring personality has won the affection and profound esteem both of every British soldier 'who served under liim and of the British nation as a whole.” knightly character The British Government has also addressed a message of sympathy to the French Government: The unforgettable services rendered by the late marshal to the Allied cause, and his pre-eminence as a soldier, have assured him of a noble place in history. His impressive personality and knightly character have endeared him to the people of this country, and his loss will be mourned in every British home.” . Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Secretary ror War, in a telegram to M Painleve, the French Minister of War, says: “The British Army shares to the full the sorrow of its comrades-in-arms at the passing of Marshal Foch. It mourns one who was not only a great soldier and former generalissimo, bui. also, as it is proud to reflect, a British field-marshal, ' whose name and achievements as the architect of victory are inextricably woven into the fabric of our military history.” „ „ , . A memorial service for Marshal Foch will be held at Westminster Cathedral next Saturday morning.

“NOW I AM READY” DEATH CAME SUDDENLY AT LAST moving story related (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. Noon. PARIS, Thursday. The King of the Belgians is coming to Paris to pay his last respects to the dead marshal. Marshal Foch's last words were: “Now I am ready,” according to a moving description of the last scene given by his chief medical attendant, Dr. Daveniere. . He says the marshal was reclining in an armchair which had been drawn up to a window so that he might see the passers-by in the street below. Presently he raised a wasted hand and moved aside the curtain in order to see out better. _ A young doctor was watching the patient, and said: “Would you not like to be In bed now?” To this the pathetic reply came: “All right, but give me a little longer.” The doctor agreed and turned to see whether the bed was ready. In the meanwhile the marshal raised himself in his chair, saying. “Now I am ready.” Then he fell back in the chair with white face and staring uyos, . - -

The doctor rushed to his bag and took out a hypodermic syringe and gave the patient several injections without avail. The marshal passed away in his arms. Madame Foch and her daughter, Madame Becourt, came from the adjoining room and saw the marshal breathe his last. When Dr. Daveniere and a colleague were summoned by telephone they could only confirm the death of the marshal. “Le Journal” says the lying-in-state will be at the Arc de Triomphe, beside the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The burial service, it says, will be held iu Notre Dame Cathedral and the interment at Les Invalides, next to Napoleon’s tomb.

FLOOD OF TRIBUTES WORLD REVERES BRAVE SOLDIER LONDON, Thursday. The Prince of Wales has sent a telegram of sympathy to Madame Foch, widow of the great Drench marshal. The Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Baldwin, says: “In the years since the war there has been nobody in the world who has not recognised Marshal Foch as one of the greatest soldiers of all time. What is even more important is that he was one of the world’s great sruls. So long as Booh is remembered as a soldier he will be remembered as a great Christian, a great gentleman and a great man.’* The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Sir Au&ten Chamberlain, says: “I cannot help feeling that in future years the memory of great soldiers, whatever side they represented, will link us all in a common admiration of those noble men. If bitterness remains it will not be among those who were the stoutest fighters.” The Leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Lloyd George, who was Prune Minister during the war, says: “The victory of the Allies can be attributed to Foch’s genius more than to any other man’s. My greatest pride is that I discerned his supreme gifts and took a leading part in making him Commander-in-Chief. lie was a man of vision, imagination and courage. Above all, he had that quality which appertains to true greatness. He had simplicity.” Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty says: “The loss of Marshal Focli is irreparable. He was the greatest man in the greatest war the world has ever seen. His services were services not only to France, but to the whole world.” The French Minister of War, M. Painleve, says: “Marshal Foch was the great liberator, whose prodigious success in breaking down the German lines of defence entitles him to rank with the greatest soldiers in history— Alexander, Caesar and Napoleon. His outstanding quality was his will-power, which he was able to communicate to others.” The Paris newspaper “Le Matin” asks: “Why speak of death in connection with one who has become an immortal figure? Marshal Foch is as much alive to-day as he was yesterdav. He shines among those great men who have enriched the history of France.” The “Echo de Paris” says: “France and the other nations whose sons Marshal Foch led to victory mourn the I great commander.” AMERICA’S PRAISE

General Pershing, who led the American forces on the Western front in the war, is at present in Paris. ITe says Marshal Foch’s death has saddened all hearts. He had done honour

to all the peoples whose armies had fought under his command. “Foch was superb in moral , strength, grandeur of soul and calm j confidence in the face of adversity,” ' said General Pershing. “His grandeur I is now the inheritance of humanity.” i The President of the United States, j Air. Herbert Hoover, issued a statement j expressing regret at the death of the I marshal. He said: ! “I share the respect and admiration 1 in which the marshal was universally held, but beyond that it was my priyi- } lege to be closely associated with him iin various activities after the war. In that way I was able to gain perhaps a special insight, not only into his abilities, but also into his fine human qualities. These comprised kindness, modesty and straightforwardness.” The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Bruce, and Sir John Monash, who commanded the Australian forces in France during the war, have sent cablegrams to the President of F ranee, AT. Doumergue. expressing sympathy with the French nation in the death of Marshal Foch.

TO LIE WITH NAPOLEON FRANCE CONFERS HER HIGHEST HONOUR WEEPING MOURNERS PASS (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 1.22 p.m. LONDON, Thursday. Marshal Foch will be buried on Tuesday in Les Invalides, the tomb of Napoleon. France can pay no greater tribute to his memory. To-day long processions of war veterans, many blinded men and war widows and orphans, filed past the bier. At Foch’s home, there was a ceaseless tream of ambassadors, politicians, marshals and generals. Then, toward the end, all Paris was admitted to tile past. There were bareheaded girls direct from work, men in caps and others well-dressed. Many dropped simple tributes of flowers, unable to resist an expression of grief, despite Madame Foch’s wish for no flowers. Even the men could not restrain from tears. Foch’s old soldier comrades failed to recognise his strangely altered features. They were saddened by the obvious signs of suffering in his face, and sobbed audibly. M. Clemenceau, in taking leave of Madame Foch, said: “How unjust it is. He is younger than me, and it is I who come to salute his deathbed.”

Others who called were General Petain and General Pershing. The stream continued till nightfall, when the doors were closed. A vigil was taken up by three nuns. The body will remain in the house until Sunday, and then at the Arc do Triomphe for a day and a night, beside the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Thence it will be taken to Notre Dame on Tuesday for the religious service, after which there will be a procession through the streets to Les Invalides, where the only speech made will be that of M. Poincare, on behalf of tlie Government. Foch confides to General Weygand his military testament. This is regarded as a niost important document. It is not likely to be published, but probably will be kept in the War Ministry archives. It contains Foch’s suggestions and ideas on military matters, specially concerning the execution of the Versailles Treaty. A Borne message says the Press pays tribute to Foch as a soldier patriot. Signor Mussolini has telegraphed to M. Painleve saying the Italian Army is keeping alive in its memory Foch and his wise leadership of the Allied armies. A Marshal of Italy, Caviglia, with three officers and 100 men of the Alpinis will attend the funeral.

GERMAN BITTERNESS COMMENTS OF BERLIN NEWSPAPERS “WAGED WAR AFTER PEACE” (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) Reed. 9 a.m. BERLIN, Thursday. “No historian will ever be able to say whether the 100 days of Marshal Foch’s command signified the Allies’ victory or the fate which Germany was no longer able to resist,” says the “Boersen Courier.” This is the first German newspaper to comment on his death. The writer adds: “The fact that Foch gathered the fruits of a decision that already was irrevocable when he became Commander-in-Chief, does not minimise his abilit3 r .” Other Berlin newspapers insist on his hostility to Germany after the

armistice, though they commend bis ability and devotion to duty. The “Allegemeine Zeitung” says that thanks to his personal energy he warded off German successes more than once and saved the situation for the Allies. The “Lokal Anzeiger” says: “Much as the German people would like to do justice to Foch’s greatness, they can only look on the dead soldier with bitterness in their hearts.” The “Berliner Tageblatt” says that after peace, Foch continued to wage war on a defenceless people.

DOMINION’S SYMPATHY MESSAGE TO FRANCE Press Association INVERCARGILL, Thursday. “It would seem almost impertinent for me to attempt to pay a tribute to Marshal Foch as a great soldier, as his well-earned reputation and singularly brilliant direction in the Great War have been referred to and acknowledged by men well qualified to judge,” said the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, this evening. Sir Joseph lias sent the following cablegram of sympathy and condolence to the French Government, as well as to the widow and the members of the family of Marshal Foch: The Prime Minister of New Zealand presents his compliments to the Premier of France, and desires for himself and his colleagues, and the people of New Zealand, to express condolences to the French nation, and to the widow and family of Marshal Foch, in the great loss they have suffered by the death of one who earned the grateful and lasting appreciation of New Zealand for his unparalleled military services, and his wonderful achievements accomplished during the Great War. For his noble services humanity will ever remain indebted to him.