The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-05-22
BRITISH WAR
HERO is DEAD
Field Marshal French Fails to
Rally From Operation
(By The Associated Press)

Soon thereafter he was reported to
be recovering but subsequently his
condition became worse.
Rising to the highest places and
honors in British military circles, the
Eall of Ypres often was character
ICED as the luckiest man in the
army" and French luck became al
most proven bal, among the British
soldiers Later events, however.
caused IA difference of opinion as To
whether the luck had been on the
soldiers side or on that of the Brit
ish Army and the British Empire.
Perhaps the most important event
Of his career which had to do with
these two ideas was the historic bat
tie Of Ypres in the Vtrld War, the
winning of which barred the channel
ports from the Germans and saved
England from probable invasion. 1t
was at Ypres that the Germans first
lesorted to their deadly gas attacks,
form of warfare that impelled the
British commander to deplore the
fact that an army would stoop SO
low.
What was termed the earl's biggest
piece of sheer luck occurred in 1895
when the British military authorities
decided to revise the cavalry drill
book as prelude to reorganization
Of the mounted arm. At that time
he was Colonel French, on the re-
tired list at half pay and had been
for two years, having been shelved
at the age of al to give younger
men chance for promotion. HIS
career apparently was ended.
1t happened that the inspector gem
eral of cafalry was Sir George Luck,
under whom French had served in
India, where he performed brilliantly
in bringing cavalry commands up to
high point of eficiencp. Sir George
brought Colonel French out OF re-
trement to write the new cavalry
book. The result was characterized
as "a masterpiece of lucid explana
ton and terse precision Then the
question arose as to who was to
carry out the alterations called for
in the book. Some answered 1.-The
one who suggested them French
was made assistant adjutant general
of cavalry and proceeded to climb up
ward to the command of the first
lot, coo British soldiers who met the
first terrific onslaughts Of the Ger
mans in the World War.
In the meantime French had made
extensive reforms and WAS given
command of cavalry brigade. In
the maneuvres of 1898 he attracted
the attention of the entire British
army. In these, through extraordi-
nasily daring operations Ike COM
pletely baffled his opponent, = gen
eral using methods which had been
regarded as efficient and necessary
until French's genius made them an
tiauated. French became u major
general the next year.
The Boer War was to French only
another opportunity to show the abil-
ity which the British military auth
critics had shelved seven years be-
fore. He was given the chief cav
airy command and in numerous bp-
erations he proved himself great
strategist and a superior tactician
He was mentioned in many dispatch
60 and went back to England at the
close of the war to be knighted and
gwen the command of all the troops
at Aldershot with the rank of lieu
tenant general.
In 1907 French was appointed in
spector general of the forces and five
years later he was made chief OF the
imperial general staff. He was made
field marshal in 1913 and as such
went to France at the beginning OF
the World War as commander II
chief of the expeditionary forces
Here again he displayed extraordi
nary ability as military leader. HI
was, in Q way, responsible for thu
change in the British cabinet result
ing in the creation of the ministry o.
munitions, at the head of which
former Premier Lloyd George sue
ceeded in awakening the munition:
manufacturers to the necessity o,
rallying to the aid of the soldiers il
the field.
In the early engagements il
France, French's army was out-num
bered by the enemy and short O.
high explosives to halt the German
advance. To The latter was attri
buted the necessity for TIT
strategic retreat from Mons, in which
he handled the sorely tried British
army in mastery fashion. Later will
10000 men under his command h
scored his great victory at Ypres.
Reporting on his operations tn
field marshal wrote: 1.-THE gloriou
troops under my command had gon
valiantly to their death when few
more guns and few more she'll
would have many times saved thei
sacrifice And still no sufficient sup
plies CAME Criticized at home TO
permitting the Germans almost i'm
pregnably to entrench themselve:
French became involved in con
troversy with Lord Kitchener, hi
former South African commander
then secretary of state for war.
The late Lord Northcliffe made
visit to the British front and upo
J his return bluntly told the facts Q
the shell shortage. 1t was then tina
the change in the cabinet was mad
with the result that the factOrie
speeded up and turned out an in
niense amount Of shells and othe
swar implements.
After 16 months Of intensive Wal
fare in France, French relinquishe
command Of the British forces
Field Marshal Haig and returned
England. He was created viscour
and made commander in chief Of tn
troops in the United Kingdom,
post he held until l8l8, Then h
was made Lord lieutenant Of Irelan'
and served until April 80, 1921. whe
the Home Rule Partition Act took e1
feet and viscount Fitzalan becan