South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-07-17
BELGIUM NOW HAS
SPLENDID ARMY
Wonderful Reorganization and
Rehabilitation Since o.
tOber, 1914.
InteruatlonaI News Service


PARIS. July lit is hard in
deed to recognize in the well-equip-
ped and trained Belgian army of to-
day the dishevelled. war-weary
troops who. at the end OF a painful
retreat and lacking almost every
military necessity but courage, turn
ed desperately 10 bay and helped to
make history at the battle OF the
User.
The REORGANIZATION accom- plished
since October. 1914, is a remarkable
testimony TO the energy inspired by
the example of King Albert and the
zeal with which. often in very diff
cut circumstance, his officers have
fulfilled their task.
The result of their efforts is that
NJ de Broqueville was able 10 de-
clare recently that the Belgian army
is more numerous and better equip
ped today than it was at the out
break of war.
When, in October. 1914, Antwerp
was evacuated. the Belgian recruits
who had joined and being still
without arms or equipment. had
been employed in digging trenches
round the city. we're sent back to
the neighbOrhood of Furnes.
Driven thence by the approach of
the Germans, they retired. under
the command of Lieut. Gen. de Sell
liers de Moranville, to Dunkirk.
Hence. in the face Of innumerable
difficulties, of which not the least
was the lack of shipping, they were
conveyed to Normandy where the
whole work of preparing them for
the front had to be undertaken
from the beginning The men had
to be lodged, clothed, armed and
equipped far from their own in
vaded country.
French Meet Situation.
The French government rose to
the occasion. An extensive camp
and a number Of large buildings in
various parts OF Normandy-bar
racks. converts, and unemployed
of the Belgians.
Clothing was hard to find. and
here again. for part of it. recourse
was had 10 the French. although
they themselves had barely enough
for their own needs a clothing
depot was formed at Rouen. which
obtained cloth from Elboeuf Fac
tories which had been closed for
want of labor were reopened for
the manufacture Of equipments
Similarly at Rouen. and this time
with the assistance of the British
Red Cross. a hospital center was
created. including a large portable
hospital. situated above the town in
a particularly healthy position.
section for mechanical treatment
and section for the manufacture
of artificial limbs. Another hos
pital center. equally we'll equipped,
was founded in the district of
Rennes. Attached to these hospital
homes.
From the purely military point of
view. the arrangements made by the
general inspection of the Belgian
army are wonderfully com plete
There are centers for infantry train
ing. an artillery school and depot.
a machine gun school. a bombing
school at which men coming from
the convalescent homes are taught
by "old soldiers" the latest tricks
Of the trade before returning to
the trenches
Recruiting offices have been
started i'm all French towns where
assemblages of Belgian refugees are
to he found as also military estab-
lishments at all places through
which the troops pass.
Most important of all. a school
known as the centre d'instruction
des sous-lieutenants auxilaires in
structeurs,' has been opened. at
which a grtat number Of picked
non-commissiOned officers and sol
diers are taught the command of
platoons thus insuring steady
supply OF well-trained officers.