The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-20
INDIANAPOLIS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1929
DEATH IS VICTOR
IN MARSHAL FOCFI'S
GREATEST BATTLE
End Comes to Commander
of World War Forces
After Valiant Fight.

PARIS, March 20.-Field Marshal
Ferdinand Foch, supreme COM
mander Of the allied armies In the
World war and probably the worlds
most brilliant modern military
strategist, died at his home here to-
day. He was ~ years old.
The mild little Frenchman who
never before had known actual de-
feat, surrendered to death only after
he had battled to the last ounce of
strength in his slender, shrunken
body. Heart trouble and conplica-
tions which developed into uremia
caused his death.
Only short time before his death
a priest had been summoned to give
him the last sacrament.
Death came at 5:55 p. m.
Earlier in the day it had been
announced that the marshal passed
a more comfortable night, but that
his heart had proved troublesome
after weakening considerably for
some days.
Fought Death Valiantly
The generalissimo of all the allied
forces in the World war fought vail
antly against the great adversary,
death until the final moment.
Not until all hope had finally been
relinQuished was the priest sum-
moned to administer the last sacra-
ment.
Observers saw the priest enter the
marshars home and leave again sew
eral minutes later.
simultaneously almost the an
nouncement sped out to the waiting
world which has for several months
watched news dispatches anxiously
for signs of improvement in the
great soldiers condition.
Madame Foch, General Barretier,
and Major Bugnet were at the bed
side when the end came. The gen
eraI and major had just called to
pay their respects.
The priest who had been sum-
moned arrived and stood at the
bedside for only two minutes. He
turned and walked out, shaking his
head
"It's too late" he said. HE is
dying"
Escaped Being German
He had given absolution and then
departed from the house.
Born at Tarbes, Oct. 2, 1851, Foch
narrow escaped-"by the grace OF
God" he said-being a German.
His father was ciyil official OF
Tarbes and his mother the daugh-
ter of an officer of Napoleon's army.
He was educated at Metz, in Lor-
raine.
After the Franco-Prussian war,
Lorraine was annexed to Germany,
but young Foch Immediately moved
from his home to French territory.
He lived to see Lorraine returned
to France.
Although he joined the army in
the Franco -Prussian war, he did no
fighting. He actually started his
military career when he received his
commission in the army in 1873 and
Joined an artillery group.
His rise was rapid and soon he
was working with the general staf
of the army. In 1898 he became q
lieutenant-colonel and professor OF
military history and strategy at the
college. Then in 1905, he became
commandant of the Ecole de Guerre
and a corps commander in 1912.
Head Allied Forces
He took command of the TWenti-
eth corps the next year and when
the World war broke out a year
later, he led his men into the first
conflict of a four-year struggle.
Foch, an expert strategist, was in
demand all along the front. After
the battle of Ypres, he was put at
the head of all the French armies IN
the north in 1915 and 1926. In the
spring of 1917, Foch was sent south
and to Italy to aid the allies there.
Summer months forced his quick re-
cal and he was placed in command
of all the allied armies in France in
April, 1918.
Under his single command, the
allied armies moved steadily for
ward until the armistice was signed.
1t was Foch who dictated the terms
of the arrnistic to the German plen-
ipotentiaries as they sat in a rail-
road car in the Compiegn9 forest
in November, 1918.
Gentlemen" Marshal Foch told
them, you have seventy-two hours
to make your reply"
nsa~