MARSHAL FOCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1919, Page 10

MARSHAL FOCH.

GRATITUDE OF BRITAIN. FREEDOM OP LONDON. The King and the city of London honored Marshal Foeh recently, His Majesty making the famous war-chief cf the Allies a Field-Marshal, the highest rank in the British Army, and the city presenting him with the Freedom of the historic square mile and presenting him with a sword of honor. Describing the scones at the Guildhall, Mr. Philip Gibbs writes:— The old City of London, which lias welcomed many great captains in history, gave her highest honor to Marshal Foeh when he became a Freeman of her liberties and took in his right hand a sword of honor. It was there in the Guildhall, crowded with many of those men who directed the forces of that enormous conflict that has passed, on land, on sea, and in the Bkies, that the Lord Mayor gave the news that, by the act of the King that day, this Marshal of France had received his baton as a Field-Marshal of the British Army; and at those words there was great cheering. A SALUTE TO FRANCE. He is used to those cheers, but I cannot think that he tires of them, for they prove to him not only the generous recognition of our people for his service, but are a salute also to the French people and armies, whose leader he was in dark and terrible days, when they and all of us were hard pressed, sorely wounded, in spirit or in body, and yet confident that this man would play the stroke of genius which would win. He played it and won. Some of the men who sat with him on the dais of the Guildhall—Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Henry Wilson, his own chief of staff, General Weygand—knew more ■ closely than the rest of the world how narrow the odds were in his favor for a time, what frightful risks he took, calmly, before he could play that master stroke, how he juggled with his Army of Reserve to stop gaps that had been broken in his defences, on his own front, I as well as on the British, and waited to the eleventh hour of the eleventh day before he could gather strength again to take his supreme chance.

FAMILIAR WAR HEROES. It must have seemed strange to many people in the Guildhall to be sitting in that old gilded chamber, gathered together from many fronts, after five years of prodigious drama. This civic pageantry—the Lord Mayor's coacti outside, these aldermen in their robes, the sword-bearer in his high fur cap, the great golden mace lying on the table, these old grey pillars and vaulted roof, the minstrel's gallery where music has played for many feasts—surely it was a fairy tale, unreal to men who had come back from dark adventures in that world of war? Faces passed familiar to soldiers in the crowds outside—in mufti now—less familiar to aldermen of the city and their wives, though each name was greeted with cheers and brought back chapter* of war. Sir Doualas Haig came, grave as usual, shirking the ovation that roso ■about hjm, effacing himself wherever possible. Then to (he sound of the Marseillaise —Marshal Foch. He wa= led forward by the Chamberlain until some paces from the dais, then walked alone, with head erect below his red. and.gold kepi, and with that magnificent gesture of his baton which belongs to the tradition of Franco as well as to his. personality in winch i( survives. All people in the Guildhall were standing, and their cheers rang out sharply under the high roof.

AN ATTACK THAT SAVED THE WORLD. It was the Chamberlain of the City who made the address of welcome, in a speech finely written and beautifully delivered, touched with sincere human feeling. It summarised the career of this sold|cr and the spirit of his genius, which was reevaled on that day in the first battle of the Marnc when he sent his message to General Joffre: "Me centre yields; my right retires; situation excellent: I attack." It was an attack which saved France and us. After that Foch commanded on the British left in the first battle of Ypres, and on the British right in the •Somme battles, and as Chief of the French General Stall' in 1017 was "our old friend and trusted comrade" when later he assumed the gigantic responsibility of the supreme command. He knew the valor of our men, and when the Germans surrendered at last it was Marshal TViph who said: "The hammer blows of the British Armies were the decisive factors in the great and final defeat of the enemy." Marshal Foch rose to make his replv. and all eyes were turned to him studying his face and personality. At that moment he seemed more of a professor of the science of war than a soldier in 'the field. Tlmre was the student lookin his eyes, the thoushtfulness of the philosopher who sees men in the mass and the movements nf history. He spoke quietly, but in a clear, penetrating voice, and his speech was a generous tribute, not only to the valor of the British armies, mit to the spirit of tho British neoole throughout the war. Tie recalled the. eavlv davs when the British fouuht against great odds, and did not yield, and held the lines until greater armies' were recruited at home, and then came into the field wonderfully oreaniscd and with superb discipline under the command of Sir John French, Sir Douglas Hai<r. Generals TMumer, Home. Alienor, Rawlinson. Birdwood, Byng. and others of whom he spoke as comrades in arms.

CROWD CALL FOR FOOT. ITe described the industry of the British people who built up a great, war machine, with an immense supply of guns, ammunition, and all material of i war, not only for their own use, but for the Allies. "England," said Marshal Foch, "was determined to conquer at all costs, not to dominate, but to be free." With that spirit tney went forward, and .although in the last desperate offensive of the Gel-mans in March of last year the British armies were exhausted by heroic rearguard actions, they were reorganised in great strength and with wonderful discipline, which enabled them to launch the great counter-attacks in August, when British troops fought with a courage and dash that could never be surpassed. From that time thev never stopped beating the enemy hack, and would Itave gone on to the Mouse, perhaps to the Rhine—who knows?—if the armistice had not brought them to a halt

Marshal Foeli left the Guildhall to .have luncheon with the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House, and many generals and other guests walked through great crowds, who recognised them and cheered them. There was a multitude of city jnen outside the Mansion House, and they shouted, "We want Foeh!" Marshal Foch did not keep them waiting long. He stepped out to the balcony, and waved his hand to all those upturned faces, and was astonished at tiie tumult of cheers which came up to him in waves. There were more speeches at the luncheon—one charming speech by the French Ambassador, who told the Jlarshal all that London had done, and •England, for the French Red Cross, and how warm our sympathy had been for the suffering and sacrifice in France, so that these two nations, who had been comrades in war, would now be for all time comrades in peace. Sir Douglas Haigh then paid his tribute to the Marshal of France, and very warmly and with earnest sincerity summed up his genius and his service, so courteous and considerate on the battlefield and in the Council Chamber, so inspiring to others with his courage, energy, and enthusiasm. "Nothing could discourage him or make, him weaken in his purpose. In ; spite of all their strain and loss, the French armies were always able, under | his leadership, to forget the long wearij ncss of battle and to go forward ardentI ly again." Marshal Foch's last words were of gratitude to the honor paid to him by .the City of London, and, saluting the flag of Great Britain, ho raised his glass to London, "the heart of your country and of your glorious Empire."