The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-26

with him in the operation at Yprcs and ,
aftrrward. when he commanded tho
French troops m tn" Arms front. and l
can testify to his remarkable powers or
command. his fin" courage and his oX-
traordinary tcnacity. We w"r" together
in many critical situations. and | have
passcd some anxious hours in his COM
many: but ! never knew him other than
helpful in the highest degree. Nothing
over ruffled tho calmDess OF his demca-
nor or prevented him from exercising
that deliberate and we'll weighed judE-
mrnt which was a remarkable feature OF
his truly soldicr-likc character.
Downey came back from the First
Corps on this night and told me that
late on the previous day the enemy had
delivered a succession OF counter-at-
lacks against the front OF the Second
Division lust as they were being re-
,icycd. The Germany infantry came on
in dense columns singing "Th" Watch
on the Rhine" They were simply
mown down by our artillery and rifle
fire. The ground was v"r,ablc sham
blcs. and the First Corps estimated that
in The last three or four days they had
mi at least 5000 Germans hors-de-com-
bat.
Foch with whom had long inter-
view of Casscl on the morning or the
18TH appeared to be quite hopeful ana
sanguinc about the situation on the
canal north Of Ypres. He told me that
another French regular division was TO
be brought up on either flank at Nicu-
mort and Ypres, and he proposed later
10 move Conneau from the neighborhood
Of Rethunc told him ! could hardly
do without Conneau for the moment.
and he agreed 10 leave him as long as l
wanted him.
|, is Interesting TO recall that General
Conneau was once cadet at the Royal
Military Academy at Woolwich. He
proved himself throughout the war TO
he q distinguished and able cavalary
leader.
The first phase Of the battle Of Ypres
may he briefly summarized as the con-
cIusion of the successive attempts. be-
gun month previously. in effect
great turning movement round the Ger
man right flank. The operations up 10
the night Of the Goth certainly failed IN
their original intention OF clearing the
coast line and driving the enemy from
Bruges and Client. but they succeeded
in establishing q line 10 III" sea which,
if il could be held, brought the Ger
mans fact to face with the challenge
This far shalt thou 60 and no far-
thor"
What this meant to them is proved
bvthe desperate but abortivc attempts
they made 10 break through in the sec
ond phase of the battle.
regard the operations which were
carried on by the British forces IN
France during thr second phase or the
battle of YpreS as NOR" m"meniouS ana
fnteful than any others which direct
ed during my period of *"rrir" as COM
lmGnder-in-Chri"f in the field octoncr
81 and May /. will remain forever mem
orablc in the history Of our country. Tor
during those two days no more IMAM
one thin struggling line OF iir"d out
British soldiers stood between the EN-
pire and its practical ruin as All indc-
pendcnt, first class Power, | still look
bnck in wonder on that thin line Of de-
tense. stretched. out Of sheer necessity.
far beyond it's natural and normal
power for defense. Right. center and
left our ment were tried and pressed
as troops were never tried and pressed
b, fore.
lofty tower of some antiquity still
stood by itself on top Of commanding
| hill Just east of KENNEL. It's days even
then were numbered. and after beng
heavily SHIELDED ii was completely de-
stroyed later in the battle. While THIS
, tower renamed IL llldON on 'N'' -
lookout post. I spent some time there on
the 27th. when the crisis of the battle
was approaching.
A glance al tho map will show mat
from this point OF Wow and observer
with strong glasses can compass almost
the whole battlefield OF YprcS. whero
seven British infantry and three cavalry
divisions were extended on n front OF
from twenty-five To thirty-SiN miles
1t was bright October day. with
brilliant sunshine and the line OF IRE
could be seen all along the high ground
encircling the Ypres salient 10 inc norlh'
the Observation-Disclosures ridE" 10 the
east, and away to tho southeast down 10
the Lys Valley. almost as far as Armcn-
there's beyond which place tho he'll
bursts in tho sky brought the right OF
the British line well into the picture.
For four or five days this line was
being still further reduced in strength
by the successful efforts of our troops
to stem the tide Of the encmy's advance
while on their side the Germans were
being gradually rinforccd TO strength
which by tho %Oth, reached a'mo&
double our numbers.
In the great onslaught made ny IN"
enemy on October II and November
sufficient recognition has never yet been
cavalry CORPS under Allnnby. And when
I speak Of the Eallantry OF tho cavalry
T hasten TO add that the splendor OF
their work was equally shared by
Shaw's Ninth Brigad" Of the Third di-
vision (First Battalion Northumber-
land Fusiliers. Fourth Battalion Royal
Fusiliers. First Battalion Lines RcBl-
ment and First Battalion Royal Scots
Fusilicrs). Egcrtons' Brigade Of IN" IN
dian Corps. the London Scottish and the
OXfordShire YOcmanry.
For close upon rortyy-cight hours
these troops held the Wytsrhn"t"-M Mes
sincs Ridge gainst the utmost efforts or
no less than two and half German
Army Corps TO dislodgr ihcm. Her" was
the center Of four line OF battle. and had
II given away disaster would nave re-
suited to tho entire loft wing "r the
Allied line.
In almost tho same d"Rr"" would