The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-12-16

success permanent. This was because
the success. outran all expectations
and the British army had not the
necessary reserves. But Cambrai
proved that by restoring the element
" " surprise 1t was possible to break
through and that by use of tanks
surprise could be had since they
would take the place of long sus-
tanned bombardment in clearing the
way for the infantry,
1t was by the use of the Lessons oF
flrst Cambria that the allies won
the campaign Of 1918 and the war.
tManglns great counter offensive at
tne second Marine was founded upon
the use of tanks. Each successive
BRUSH and French thrust thereafter
employed the same method The
German used a variation of the sur
prise tactics in his earlier successes
out without the tank, relying upon
secret concentration and great num-
oers. But it was Byng who abol-
lshed the long standing belief that
trench lines could not be broken, and
nus alscoNery was one Of the very
greatest Of the conflict .s.
,Syng's Brilliant Career.
In the spring, at a critical moment.
when Coughs army had fallen. Byng
broke the German effort to extend the
dislocation of the British front. He
held Arras and Vimy Ridge in the
face Of tremendous attack, which
the Germans abandoned after forty
eight hours. Still later, in August
he made successful drive from the
old Somme line eastward to Bapaume,
which terminated German hopes of
holding the allies west of the Hin
denburg line for the balance of the
campaign. "s.... .|
Plumer, Horne. Rawlinson and
Byng, these are the outstanding fig
ures under Haig. They bear the same
| relation to their commander that
Gouraud, Mangin, Debeney and Rer-
thelot bear to Petain; for Castelnau
and Fayolles,7who commanded groups
OF armies brilliantly, the British ar
my supplies no counterpart, since
authority was not thus delegated.
Outside OF the European field there
are two British generals who claim
attention, Maude. Of Bagdad, and
Allenby of Jerusalem, and Samaria
OF the former it is to be said that
taking the Mesopotamian command
after the surrender of Kut-el -Amara
and following shocking and scan
] dalous failure, he rivaled the best
| achievements Of Kitchener in the
| Khartum campaign and conducted a
colonial campaign in a fashion which
must remain a model for all the fu-
ture. Unhappily, he died after he
| had taken Bagdad and before he
labors. But he remains one of the
great figures of that long and splen-
did succession Of British colonial
leaders. He gave Britain Mesopo-
tamia and he ended all apprehension
as to India. His warfare was the
kind in which Britain always LED
the world, and, apart from Kitchener
he can have no rival.
Earlier and Western Success.
OF Alenby there is a record in the
west as we'll as in the east. He com
manded cavalry brigade in the
Mons campaign. He held the Mes
sines Ridge with a thin facade OF
horsemen in the critical days OF
Ypres, before the French aid came
After that he commanded the Third
British army, afterward to go to BynE
lin the Battle of Arras, in which he
took Vimy Ridge, cleared Arras ano
pushed down into the Flanders Plain
The success of the spring Of 1917 was
the greatest achievement OF the Brit
| ish in the war up to that time.
Later, when the British commander
| in Egypt failed at GAIA and the Pal
estine campaign was in danger, Al
lenby went east. He restored the
situation and presently the world
heard of him in Jerusalem. This
was a ray OF light in q dark period
But Allenby's triumph was to come
when last September he crushed two
Turkish armies in Sanlaria, captured
the bulk of their forces and made
the surrender of the Turk inevitable
This was one of the most complete
victories in history 1t resulted III
the clearing OF Palestine and Syria
the fail OF Damascus. Aleppo and
Beirut, and the elimination OF Turkey
from the war. 1t win stand side. by
side with D'Esperey's success In Ma
/ cedonia, won at the same moment
/ and resulting in the surrender OF. Bull
garia.
Such, in brief, is the roster OF the
/ more conspicuous British generals
4 who finished the war commanding
armies and still holding the conf.
dence Of their nation and the loyalty
Of their troops. Their place in Brit
/ ish and imperial history is assured
and believe they viii gain rather
than lose as time removes certain
/ uais aisapprehensions ard gives more