Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-15


the Germans. with their explosive
shells and heavy artillery were nre1
pared, and the British were NOT.
Vhe British however. with o,,ia+ do
termination ard bulldog tenacity went
on preparing until the little army Of
1o'o0O that crossed to France in SEN
tember. 1914, was swelled to over
0no0O0 and in heavy guns and mimi
tons outclassed the Germans thoupb
the latter had the advantage of actinp
on the defensive. Sir Douglas Halo
as stated above was made commander
| lh-Chlef IN December, 1915. He at
once began preparation for aggressive
campaign which he launched in the
spring of 1916. Its object was in
cooperation with the French, to drive
the German armies out of France and
Belgium. Tie drive was slow and
often halted by unfavorable weather
But 1t was steady. There was no back
ward step. Little by little the enenv
was forced from his fortified positions.
The immediate objeciVes wer ALWAYS
attained. Hundreds Of heavy gums
were taken from the enemy, and few
were lost. Ten German prisoners were
captured to one lost by the British. It
mas been termed a campaign of nib
bling" Haig proved an adept in
ghaWlng at the vital points in the enc
my's lines, until tn every submarine
bases on the North Sea were threat
ened
Then came the collapse of Russia in
1917 This collapse was due partly to
the treason of high Russian officials
under the Romanoff5. and partly to the
treachey or laundering of Lenine and
TrotslIy. Whatever it's cause. its effect
was to release about 5000 900 German
soldiers for transference to the western
front. Part OF these troops were hurled
upon Italy, but the larger portion were
maSsed in Belgium and France, giving
the German decided preponderance
over the allies. On March 81, an at
tack was made all along the line. but
the especial drive was against the Brit
ISL army with the avowed purpose of
breaking through. if not destroying it.
Here General Haig's ability as COM
mander was magnificently demonstrat-
ed. He conducted a mastely retreat in
presence of an outnumbering f0e and
he did 1t in such a manner as effeC-
lively to weaken the enemy through
loss of men Finally, he made a stand
on most favorable ground and at this
writing he is holding the German army
in position disadyantageous for
meeting any offensive movement,
Which ttIG dttt6S may MAKE.
1t is interesting to note the charac-
teristics of the man who has accom-
plished SO much and from whom fur
Their great things are expected.
Physically, he is slender but muScu-
lar, with clean-cut features and strong
shapeiy chin. and lips that compress
with firmness when he issues an or
der. His blond hair and mustache are
becoming grizzled. He has steel-blue
eyes and a complexion swarthy from
| exposure to African and Indian trop-
ical suns. He is a graceful rider. an
expert horseman. His walk is rigid
his bearing erect and he does not touch
the back of the chair in which. he sits
His literary tastes continue. He is
! great reader-but of solid literature;
Burns is his favorite poet and it is said
that he never reads novel. He is a
sturdy Presbyterian. attends services
regularly and particularly likes long
doctrinaI sermons. He believes in the
| Perseverance of the Saints" and evil
IDENTIFY applies the doctrine to military
strategy. When after a brush with the
Beers, he was asked by the quarter
master if he had lost any property, he
| replied. Eyes, my Bible"
| In every emergency Sir Douglas Haig
| has manifested the very characteristic
| prescribed by ISdpoicOA AOt HiiiA Niio'
with a perfect sense of it's significance,
/ must wage the kind Of battle that his
tory records as decisive in great crises:
He must know how and when to de-
eide Once determined to do thing,
he does it. But he never starts job
until all the spade work. is completed,
the most minute preliminary details
are arranged That is the "Haig
way"
Like successful captains of indus
try" he believes in experts, Some old
campaigners and some gifted young
men have been rapidly promoted by
him. One Of his sayings is Every man
in this war has his chance. 1t is eff
ficiency that counts" This spirit ami
mates his whole army from the chlef
of staff to the private in the trenches
inspiring each to do his best.
Haig's personality is an extraordi-
narily human" one. His voice is low
and musical, with just touch of the
Scotch bzrogue. and he is sparing of his
words. He manifests extreme defer