Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-21
DARK DAYS NO LONGER

DARK DAYS NO LONGER
Field Marshal Hag, in a recent order Of the day.
sa i'd that the dark days had gone. never to return. The
Germans have been cleared from Belgium's coast district,
and with their going ended some of England's darkest
days, for the sinister shadow of invasion, which road for
four Wong years upon the waves Of the North Sea, no
longer is seen. With what relief now the Britons, as we'll
as their intrepid comrades. the Belgians and the French,
view the onward march Of their victorious armies. And
with what calm the world today looks back upon the
dark days OF 1914, when the brave armies of Belgium,
France and England, hurriedly summoned from their
homes and, though poorly equipped and wholly unpre-
pared for war, were thrown against a tide thew could
not stem. '
With what interest and with what joy, the man-at-
home follows upon the map. the progress Of the Allied
armies. AS he looks at the rapidly moving line in Belgium,
and Northern France. his eyes rest for a moment upon
valenciennes. and, then, quickly follows the road to Mons.
the tragic city in the history Of England's first. army.
Mons soon will figure again in the days war news, but it
will bring rejoicing this time, for the British will not
march into it and then fall back. The city may not be
of great strategic value at this time, but to those who
have followed the course of the war since its first days,
it has q strange. sentimental appeal.
1t now is a little over four years since the battle of
Mons was fought and the great retreat began. It seems
like ancient history now, the account Of those tragic
days, but one can read it without the fear that came as
the story was unfolded chapter by chapter in the fall
of 1914.
Following the declaration Of war, events moved rap
idly. Within a month after their first mad rush across
Belgium toward Paris, the German hosts were checked.
On September 6. 1914. began the first battle of the Marine,
but the weeks preceding were tragic for the Allied armies.
Yet not tragic, for the hastily modified French armies
and the "old Contemptibles," saved France and the
world from Prussian domination.
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on August 10 and on the 21st assumed the position select
hinged his plans upon the invincibilty of Namur. But
Namur fell on the 23rd after a supine defense of three
days, and the Allies plans had to be remade while in full
retreat.
With the fall Of Namur began the dark and anxious
days. General French and his small army were at Mons,
remaining there firm in the belief that their right flank
was covered by the French. But the French were in re-
treat. and in the confusion no word had been sent the
British commander. The collapse of. the French line
along the sambre and the Meuse caused the whole allied
army to fall back. At noon on Sunday, October 20, Won
kluck attacked the British army. and a few hours later
General Jofre notified the British commando of the re-
treat of the French.
Then began the retreat, one Of the most glorious
chapters the "old Contemptibles' wrote. Sunday night
and Monday morning, through the bravery of indomitable
men and the skill of intrepid commanders, the British
army escaped 2 great disaster. From August 20 to
August 20, the retreat continued, the army suffering
heavy losses because of the constant pressure of the Ger
man forces. On the 9th, they tried to make a stand
north of St Quentin, but the French armies gave way
on the Meuse, and the Germans crossed the river. Mez-
ieres, Montmedy, Longwy and Lille all fell; only Maui
beuge still few the Tricolor, but not for long.
The retreat continued, the while the Germans pushed
on toward Amiens. After six days of gruelling marching
and bitter fighting. General Erench's forces m the
Disc between La Fere and Noyon. Reinforcements came
and for a moment Won Kluck's pursuing army was threat
ened from the right, but the great German armies crossed
the Meuse, and the Allies were unable to make a stand
on the La Fer~e-Laon-Rheims line. Rethel was captured
after a terrific two-day battle. and the Teutons crossed
the Aisne. The French were thoroughly beaten and they
and the British had to retire again. La Fere and Laon
fell without a fight
General Jorre. his armies pursued closely by the
Germans and forced to fight bitter rear-guard actions,
withdrew the whole group of Allied armies behind the
Marne..
Then. happened the miracle! The great battle of the
Marine, the turning point n the war. followed. It was
Foch, generalissimo of the Allied armies, who conceived
the strategical plans which caused the Germans to rail-
back.
The shadows had begun to lift, but other dark days
were to follow. There was the drive, for instance, toward
the channel ports-the drive which ended at Ypres
Then, came the dark days of March, 1918, when the Ger
mans made their last great drive. And again the miracle
of the Marne! The shadows lifted for all time, and in
their lifting our own American army has playeA a great
part. X
The British army again nears Mons. but this time
it will go beyond-far beyond, one hopes, till it stands
upon German soil, where they were wont to sheer at the
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