INCOMPARABLE FIGHTING MACHINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1915, Page 9 (Supplement)

INCOMPARABLE FIGHTING MACHINE.

BRITISH ARMY IN FRAXCE. FRENCH PRAISE OF GENERA!, \ FRENCH. , Writing from Northern France on August 1, a correspondent of tho London Chronicle says:— "I have been listening to a former French staff officer giving his impressions of the British Army in France. and explaining why, partly owing to &'e influence of its commanders, bv.J Mainly owing to the inherent military qualities of its men, it is an incomparable fighting machine. The officer was a commander of Marine Fusiliers attached to General Joffre's staff, but has now left the service as the result of wounds. He is the firmest of all the many firm optimists I have met, and says there will be no looking back now the Allies dominate the situation, and their superiority is increasing daily. My regard for General French, with whom I came in contact several times, amounts to adoration,' he told me. There you have a man who loves those under his command, and who is not afraid of losing his power by showing his love.' 6

WHEN GENERAL FRENCH WEPT. " 1 have seen your General French actually weep on two occasions on the battlefield—once when the Canadians were driven back by the German poison gases in Flanders, and suffered such cruel losses, and again when he saw a mixed detachment of Belgian infantry and French Marine Fusiliers cut to pieces shortly after they had covered themselves with glory by heroic action.' "The officer paid a glowing tribute to I the Highlanders with whom he had come in touch. 'I should love to lead such men,' he said, 'but one would need to be a superman to merit the distinction. I remember omee during the retreat from Mods seeing a single Highlander, the last of hjs company,, hold a bridge against the oncoming Cernui--. with his machinegun " There ho knelt behind an improvised barricade coolly working his gun, in face of certain death. Through my glasses I watched our reinforcements approach the bridge along the river bank in the hope of saving it, but they could not get there in time, and when the brave Highlander realised there was nothing more to be done he threw his gun into the river, and advancing into the open, stood up bravely with a bloodstained handkerchief tied round his head, until he fell into a heap, his body riddled with German bullets. ''The enemy does not possess such men as these. The Germans nray fight courageously in hordes under compulsion, but individual bravery among them is a thing almost unknown. That is the reason,' said the officer, shaking his fist impressively, 'why victory is already ours, and why the British troops, rendermg us such excellent help in the field, will be called upon to play a mighty role in finally crushing the enemv.'"