GENERAL FOCH AS HE IS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 27 October 1916, Page 6

GENERAL FOCH AS HE IS.

BY ONE WHO KNOWS HIM. Tlie following particulars of this now famous French general "'ill be ox interest in view of the brilliant success of the French army at Verdun, mentioned in our cables yesterday, in which it re-captured at Verdun in one day what it took the Germans two months to capture. N General Foch directed the operations The shrewd brain directing the French part of the Allied offensive on the Somme is that of General Foch, the brilliant strategist, whose books on military tactics are classics in every country in the world. A man of quick decision and extraordinary audacity his policy is to watch carefully for the slightest mistake on the part of the foe, and then with brilliant execution turn it to rapid advantage.

> In the early part of the war he was in charge of the 9th French Army, and played a conspicuous role in the operations which caused the Germans to retreat along their whole front. It is on record that on a critical day lie wired to General Joffre as follows: “My right wing is being smashed; my left wing is being smashed; I am neverthe less hammering at the centre” In the Battle of the Marne, finding von Buelow’s right uncovered, he threw part of his left wing against it, and at the same time advanced his right to form a wedge between von Buelow’s army and the Saxons under von Hausen. Thus situated, he fought as it were on three fronts, his .left attacking von Buelow’s right and his right attacking von Buelow 7 s right and von Hausen's left

He found up against him the finest enemy troops, consisting of the original Prussian Guard, and he drove against them so heavily that in their haste to escape they left thousands to die in the St. Gond marshes.

In Casscl where I frequently met Genial Foch, I found him to be a straightforward, God-fearing man of simple faith. Once I had occasion to find General Foch without delay. “That is the general,” said the sentry, pointing to a figure walking n meditative fashion towards the church. I followed the general and saw him go into the church Entering a minute or two later I found General Foch on his knees in prayer.

Among the soldiers General Foch is equally popular. They call him ‘ ‘ the little father.” He makes it a custom to have a cheery word for most whom he meets. One of hi s favourite greetings for his soldiers is: “Hullo sonny! How arc you getting on to-day?” During the great attack of the great battle of Yprcs, in the early days of the war General Foch followed every stage of the struggle between the Germans and the British, sitting in a large room t)f the town hall at Casscl. On the mantelpiece of this room, which was furnished with many beautiful antique treasures, stood a Louis XV clock. It was by this clock that General Foch anxiously watched the passage of every hour of this momentous struggle, so he told me later, and .added; “And these hours went by very slowly.”