Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1916-12-29
Frederick Coleman Tells What
Went Wrong in That
Battle.
FAIL 70 FOLLOW SUCCESS
Writer plscourses In an interesting
Manner Concerning Famous
Battle and lts outccnc--
staff 10 at Fault,

London "With Cavalry In 1915"
Mr.. Frederick Coleman throws new
light on famous fight. Over and over
again has been heard the question,
"What went wrong at Neuve Cha
pelles" Some explanation of the diff
cultieg encountered on that early effort
at epush" is given by MIR. Coleman,
though he is careful to say Let the
writer Of the future dig the story out
Of the tangled orders OF the day."
Nevertheless, he was on the spot;
he served Gen. dc Lisle as volun-
teer chauffeur, and was In close touch
with the principal actors In the
drama, and to some extent he raises
the veil behind which--quite properly
many will agree-the details Of that
engagement are at present hidden.
General Halg had been quite rea-
sonably correct In his estimate Of the
enemy's strength" Mr.. Coleman says.
"Our chance to break through the Ger
man line was the finest opportunity Of
the whole war. That with such odds In
our favor, with a preponderance of
guns, and shells as well, we would have
90 signally failed and lost $4,000 men
into the bargain required some expla-
nation.
1.-THE tragedy of Neuve Chapelle was
failure to take advantage Of an inl-
tial success"
rrv--vuyfsssvp -vxss s.s.sr.~ssy.-s--.s
brigades engaged and then continues;
sThe initial success won, the whole
line waited, eyes on the right, for the
signal to go on. Before nine o'clock
in the morning all was ready, and the
road cleared.
"Ail day the watchers waited In
vain.
ut was after four O'Clock in the aft
ernoon before the word came. 1t was
then too late. The great opportunity
had been lost, and lost forever.
Tracing the Fault
@The Germans had rallied, filled
farms with machine guns, and moved
down the gallant Twenty-third and
Twenty-fifth brigades, who Mad 30
dearly won such splendidly advanced
positions.
''The Twenty-fourth brigade had
come on part way, then concentrated
and was sadly cut up. That the line
on the right had dug In Instead Of
moving forward had resulted In q de-
feat when great victory was within
grasp. And who was to blame3
(, "A brigade commander and the gen
eral in command of the artillery on a
certain division were promptly 'stellen-
bosched.' A divisional commander was
reported and sent home, and his case
reopened when he declared the fault
was not his, as could be proved by GER
tain hitherto unproduced papers from
corps headquarters. A further inquiry
resulted In his being reinstated. His
corps commander went to England
'seht home said many. Shortly after
ward back he came, to the discontinue
of the prophets, and took up his old
command" S
Mr.. Coleman's final comment Is: "No
battle Of such mugnltude could be won
without fine staff work, and the work
Of more than one star on that March
10 left much to be desired
p
There ore other disclosures Of fall
ure on the part of the British In the
early days Of the campaign-failures
due far more to inexperience than to
incompetence and failures which are
not likely to be repeated. Through Mr..
Coleman one Is able to appreciate
all the myriad difficulties with which
brigade, divisional and corps command
ers had to contend throughout the cam
paign of 1915,
Transportation at Fault.
There is, for example. the tragedy
behind the scenes Of the great Cana
dian fight before Ypres and tie strug.
gle for Hill 90 in April 1916:
"a run to Cassel at daybreak was d
maddening experience, the road from
Steenyoorde to Poperinghe being
packed and jammed with all manner
Of horse and motor transport. A big
five-ton lorry belonging to the Cana
dians had broken down as It was be-
Ing turned In the marrow roadway.
Result, an immoyable barrier across
| the pave.
ATruly an ounce Of prevention In the
! way Of rond organization and route
selection BY some competent authority
would have been worth many pounds
Of condemnation poured forth with vol
utility BY al road users in those days
a n