The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-15

ground was marchy and trenches were
difficult to construct and maintain
The twenty seventh and twenty
eighth divisions OF the fifth corps had
had no previous experience in Euro
pean warfare and a number of the
units composing the corps only recent
ly had returned from service in trop-
ical climates. In consequence, the hard
ships of a rigorous winter campaign
fell with greater weight on these di-
visions than any other IN the command
Chiefly owing to these causes the
fifth corps up to the beginning OF
March was engaged constantly in
counter attacks to retake trenches and
ground lost. In their difficult and ar
duous task, however. the troops dis
played the utmost gallantry and the
ground brst taken over by them is
still intact and held with little greater
loss than is incurred by the troops in
all other parts of the line"
Describing an attack on the Ger
man trenches near st. Eloi February
% by Princess Patricias regiment of
the Canadian contingent under com
mand of Lieut. c. T.. Crabbe, the COM
mander in chief says:
Shows Great Dash
Lieutenant Crabbe. who showed the
erythins in trench until they had
gone down it about so yards, when
they We're stopped by a barricade Of
sand bags and timber. This party, as
we'll as Others, then pulled down the
front face of a German parapet A
number of Germans We're killed and
wounded and a few prisoners TAX en-.
The services performed by this
distinguished corps have continued TO
be valuable. since l had occasion to
refer to them in my last dispatch. They
have been organized and trained ably
and We're commanded by Lieut.. Col. II.
d. Farquhar, d. s. o., who, / regret
to say, was killed while superintend-
ing trench work March 90"
Emphasizing the co-opera ton of the
British and French forces and the new
role in warfare assumed by the cavalry,
the commander-in-chief writes:
During the month of February I ar
ranged with General Foch to render the
Ninth French corps, holding the trenches
to my left, some much needed rest by
sending the three divisions of the British
cavalry corps to hold portion of the
French trenches-each division for a
period of 10 days alternately.
1T was gratifying to note once again
in this campaign the eager readiness with
which the cavalry undertook a role which
does not properly belong to them, to
support and assist their French COM
rades."
Referring to Neuve Chapel and the
considerations leading up to this, the field
marshal says.
Many Vital Questions
About the end of February many vital
considerations induced me to believe that
q vigorous offensive movement by the
troops under my command should be
planned and carried out at the earliest
possible moment. Among the more inn
portant reasons which convinced me of
this necessity were: The general aspect
of the allied situation throughout Europe.
and particularly the marked success of
the Russian army in repelling the violent
onslaughts of Marshal Won Hindenburg;
the apparent weakening of the enemy on
my front and the necessity for assisting
our Russian allies to the utmost by hold
ing as many hostile troops as possible
in the west; the efforts to this end which
were being made by the French forces
at Arras and in Champagne and-per-
haps the most weighty consideration of
all-the need of fostering the offensive
spirit in the troops under my command
after the trying and possible enervating
experiences which they had gone through
a severe winter in the trenches.
I'm former dispatch commented upon
the drawbacks which the winter wea .her
In this climate imposes upon a vigorous
offensive. Early in March these difficult
ties became greatly lessened by the drN-
ing up of the country and by spells Of
brighter weather.
II do not propose in this dispatch to