British Troops Land

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 77, 20 August 1914, Page 5

British Troops Land

SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT. * "'■ MAGNIFICENT ORGANISATION. KITCHENER'S METHODS. PARISIANS IN RAPTURES. London, August 17 (evening). '. The Press Bureau states that the expeditionary force has been safely landed in France. The embarkation, transportation of the men and stores was carried out with the greatest precision,, and without a single casualty. King George telegraphed a message to file troops which was read to each regiment before embarkation. Each man also carried a little slip of paWr signed by Lord Kitchener with t«y hundred f words of soldierly advice, telling then t>> fear God, honor the King, to remem- ! fcer they were fighting on tin- >oil of a friendly nation, to abstain from liquor < •nd looting, to be courteous to women, but not more than courteous. The embarkation was a grim and solemn business. There were no fareWells on the piers. Long lines of khaki- ! , dad men marched to the docks early in ' the morning and the vessel slipped quietly away. i The dispatch of the expeditionary force was carried out with remarkable ' secrecy and success. It was higdly characteristic of Lord Kitchener's methods. The troops were silently collected, and the drivers of the troop trains only re- ; ceived instructions as to their destiaa- j tions as the trains started. , Sir Douglas Haig commands the first I corps, and Sir W. Pulteney the th-rd corps. Sir Archibald Murray is chief c; Sir J. French's staff. General French crossed on Friday , night, and had a great reception at j Paris, where he conferred with the i Ministers. Sir Horace SmithDorren succeeds General Sir J. M. Grieraon in command of an army corps.

. The only Hints given to the public of the approaching departure of the troops Were the visits of .Sir Jo,hn .French and ether generals to Buckingham Palace and Marlborough House, tne King's visit to Aldershot and the Queen's visit to JTidworth, where she personally too'-c farewell of the officers and presented gifts to the men of her own regiment. The skippers of the transports did not know their destination until the}- opened their sealed order* three miles oat. Some of the troopships were not even aware they were being escorted until a atrbmarine was suddenly seen passing partially submerged, Sir .lohn French and his staff officers stood on the deck «f a scout as it approached the FTench coast with the decks cleared for action. The majority of the populace were unaware that the British general was expected, though the arrival of a transport at the same time aroused general enthusiasm. The military Governor and Mayor greeted Sir John French at the jetty. Throughout Friday and .Saturday t':e Britishers marched through the streets to the camps on the French hill, and Sir John French said to the Governor When he landed: '-We are very glad to be here, but have you left us anv place to fill! - ' The Governor replied: 'You will male? your place quickly enough." .Since Monday the British Admiral had been superintending the landing of s'i:>plies. Many military motors are working in the district, which are placarded with notices in Knglish, reminding drivers of the French rule of the road, '"Kerp to the right." The town was tieflagfvj and every house decorated. The Dig broad-shouldered Britishers made a great impression on the people, though they were in no mood for noisy demonstrations. Temembering that their relatives were already fighting. " Tba quickly fraternised with'the *i-v- wM-Vs i- ""Mjfctrirt.

were quickly distributed at various pointi of which the town is the victualling centre. The whole was done without excitement and everybody seemed doing an everyday job. The precise contents of every ship's Sold were known and directly the troops left, the cargo was carried out to Bheds at pre-arranged places, where the exact space necessary waa allocated. It was manifest that the lessons learned in South Afircan had not bee* forgotten. There were similar scenes at other aorta. The British Ambassador (Sir Francis Bertie), the Minister of the Interior, and other officials received Sir John French' at the Gare-du-Nord station at Paris on i Saturday. Naval reservists from Brit- | tany, who were assisting the gendarmerie, formed a guard of honor. The Englwh colony assembled at the station and sang the National Anthem. Sir John French had an uproarious reception with cries of "Vive L'Anglcterre." Sir John French's motor-car was pelted with flowers in the streets. Later on be visited President Poineare. THE KING'S MESSAGE. ASSURANCES OF ROYAL INTEREST. CONFIDENCE IN THE FORCE. Received 19, 7-50 p.m. London, August 19. The King's message to the expeditionary force before they departed, said they were entrusted with the safety ana honor of the Empire. "I have implicit confidence in you. and I know you will do your duty nobly. I pray God to bless and guard you, and bring you back victorious. ! "Belgium, which we are pledged to defend, has been attacked, and France is about to be invaded by the same powerful foe. Duty will be your watchword. I will follow your every movement with ; the Scepest interest, and mark with I eager satisfaction your daily progress. | Your welfare will never be absent from I my thoughts."

LORD KITCHENER'S MESSAGE. SOLDIERS TO BEHAVE THEMSELVES. ON AXD OFF THE FIELD. 1 Received 11), 8.33 p.m. | London, August 18 (evening). i Lord Kitchener's message was ordered ' to be kept, in every soldier's paybook. lie warns the men in outspoken language of the importance of preserving sound health, which is necessary if duty is to be performed. "You cannot do the. country better service," he continues, "than showing yourself in Fiance and Belgium in the true character of the British soldier. Be sure your conduct | justifies the welcome and trust awaiting you."' •FRANTIC WITH JOY." FRENCHWOMEN'S WARM WELCOME FOR THE BRITISHERS. Keceived 10, 8.15 p.m. London, August 18 (evening). 'Letters from British troops state that the French people are frantic with joy. Women hugged and kissed the soldiers, screaming. "Good, brave English;" an:l offering prevnts. Many women wept for joy. Other accounts says the troops were in the highest .spirits, singing their marching -ongs on the way to the front. ••COLnMNS OF KHAKI." THE FLOWER OF ENGLAND'S ARMY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 10. 5.3 p.m. London, August 1!). The Daily Mail correspondent, describing the arrival of the expeditionary force in France, says that for two days the finest troops that England ever sent across the «eas were marching through the narrow streets of Boulogne in solid rohunns of khaki, with thousands upon thousands singing and ■ whistling the IfarMllaiee and "It's a Long Way to Tiaperarr." J^«^