The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-08-16
KING GEORGE VISITS
TROOPS IN FRANCE
VISIT WAS KEPT SECRET AS MAT
TER OF PROBATION
King Visits Different Sections Of the
Army and Looks Over Fields
That Were Won.

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE. via London. Aug. Is. I p. N.
king George has been at the front
for week. He left today for Eng
land and his departure was the first
information that the majority OF the
troops had OF his presence. AS a mat
ter of precaution the visit was kept as
secret and there was no display or
visit last fall
The King simply went about see
ing all sections Of the army al work
of Wales was with the King all of the
time. The monarch was dressed in
khaki, with the insignia Of a field
marshal At one point on the line the
King met General Sir Henry Rawlin-
son, commander Of the Fourth army,
which delivered the main attack, and
Major General Congreve, whose corps
stormedl Montauban and MametZ.
Alighting from his automobile near
Fricourt, the King went into the first
line British trenches from which the
British made their charge. Now |
will breast the parapet as my men
did," he said, mounting ii. He walk
ed across the old Nomansland and
saw the effects Of the British shell
fire on the maze Of Notifications and
trenches which the British had wrest-
ed from the Germans. Standing on
the edge of a big shell crater, the
King looked on with a sailors tee-
scope he was carrying across the
foreground toward Pozieres. the Ba-
zantin Longueval and Delville woods.
He watched the curtains of black
smoke which signifed that the Ger
man guns were busy. while nearby
him battery Of British guns was
sending screaming answers.
Smelled Strong.
When tho King wanted to descend
one Of the deep German dugouts Gen
eral Rawlinson warned him that they
had not all been cleaned out yet and
when the King came back up the steps
shifting, he said: ut smells pretty
string" Remarking on the depth and
Spaciousness of the dugoutS with their
beds, tables and chairs, he said to some
soldiers of a reserve battalion stationed
at that point, Evidently the Germans
expected 10 make q long stay but you
gave them surprise and they are not
so comfortable now"
A dramatic moment occurred as the
King was walking across field swept
grave at the bottom Of a she'll crater
with a cross bearing the inscription:
II Unknown British soldier" Both the
King and the Prince Of Wales halted
and salutcd the cross.
In common with all visitors the King
took away some souvenirs in the shape
of empty shell cases and bits Of Ger
man equipment AS he was leaving the
field the soldiers of the reserves, the
transport men. Eunners on relief and
others in the nelghborhood followed
him until there was a. large crowd
around the PARTY before they entered
their automobiles. Somebody called for
three cheers for the King which were
given with will.
Mapped Own Program.
Sir Douglas Haig. AS the kings host.
told him what was worth seeing during
his visit and then the king laid OUT his
TO have look at a town which had been
shellcd recently by guns Of big calihrc
AS he and the prince went about lciS-
urely examining the enormous craters in
the surface and old town halls his at
tcndantS were considering what might
happen If another crater was made
where the occupant and heir of tho
throne were standing. Etiquette did not
but they, suggested it politely. Royalty
persisted in remaining in the vicinity
until curiosity was satisfied.
When the king visited tho men OF he
Scottish division which had seen such
desperate lighting at Dclvillc or "Dcvirs
Woods" the survivors Of the South -hfri-
cans gave him the Culu war cry. He
manager to see something of ali kinds
Of tho soldiers fighting under the Brit
iSh flag. from the Scottish. English and
Irish. TO the troops from over seas. y
machine gun company uI the lAncashlrcS
in rest quarters on Il French farm WAS
more surprised of all by his visit. Lead
INK the WHY. he walked into barn with
its crooked beams and plaster walls and
litter Of straw on which IN" men were
lying after their turn on tho firing line.
TIL" most amazed Of tho company was
one soldier with healthy shore who
WAS the last of those asleep Ia awaken.
thinking and rubbing his eyes he locked
up 10 see Tho face OF tho king. At first
he refused To hcliev" that some trick
was not hcing played on him, th"n con-
WINGED. he scrambled tn his feet while
the king broke out laughing.