Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-15
KING ALBERT INSPIRES
ARMY REORGANIZATION
Weil-Equippcd and Trained Belgian
Troops Remarkable Testimony
to His Energy.

PARIS. July 1i.-It is hard indeed to
recognize in the well-cquipped and
trained Belgian army of to-day the
dishevelled. warweary troops who, at
the end of a painful retreat and lack
ing almost every military necessity but
courage. turned desperately to bay and
helped to make history at the battle
of the User
The reorganization accomplished
since October. l9l4. is Il remarkable
testimony to the energy inspired by the
example of King Albert. and the zeal
with which. often in very difficult cir
cumstances, his officers have fulfilled
their tasks
The result of their efforts is that NJ
de Broqueville was able to declare re-
Gently that the Belgian army is more
numerous and better equipped to-day
than it was at the outbreak of the
war
When. III 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.
were sent back TO the neighborhood
of Fumes
Driven thence by the approach OF
the Germans. they retired under the
command of Lieutenant Colonel lie
SELLERS de Moranville, to Dunkirk.
Hence. in the face of innumerablc diff
hcultics. OF which not the least was
the lack of shipping, they were CON
veyed to Normandy. where the whole
work of preparing them for the front
had to lie undertaken from the begin
nirg. The men had TO be lodged.
clothed, armed and equipped far from
their own invaded country
The French government rose to tho
accession. An extensive camp and 4,
number of large buildings in various
part. Of Observation-Disclosures converts
amd unemployed factories-were put AT
the disposal OF the Belgans.
Clothing was hard TO find. and here
again. for part of it, recourse was had
to the French. although they them
selves had barely enough for their own
needs clothing depot was formed
~ iiouen, which obtained cloth from
Eihoeuf. Factories which had been
closed FOR want or labor were re-
opened FOR The manufacture OF equip
mont
Similarly at Roucn. and this time
with tho assistance Of the British Red
cross a hospital confer was created.
''' '"'''- :" IdfcC portable hospital,
situated above the town In n particu.
larlN healthy position. section Cor
mechanical treatment and a section fo,
the manufactures of artificial limbs An
other hospital center equally we'll
equipped. was founded in the distric,
OF Rcnnes. Attached to these hospital
organizations are convelescent homes.
From the purely military point of
- q
general inspection of the Belgian army
are wonderfully complete There are
centers Tor infantry training. an artil-
lcry school and depot, a machinc-eun
school, bombing school, and a school
a, which men coming from the conva-
lescent homes are taught by "old SOL
diers' the latest tricks OF the trade"
before returning to the trenches
Recruiting officers have been started
In all French towns where assemblages
of Belgian refugees are 10 be found. AS
ais" military establishments at all
places through which the troops pass
Most important of all. a school,
known rs the Centre Construction des
sous lieutenants auXiliaricS instruc-
tours. has been opened, at which A
great number of picked non-commis-
stoned officers and soldiers are taught
the command OF platoons. thus insur-
ing steady supply OF well-tra!ncd
officers.