Sir John French: An Authentic Biography

ome and R

French is "fairly" well pleased-Strenuous Man?uvres-Chi

y added a few leaves to his laurel wreath, but French brought back a complete new crown of his own. His return home

e was the most retiring of lions; and, like Kitchener, he allowed London to idolise him only at a distance. A knight

just to see how they looked!" Such a thing had scarcely ever happened before; and the order sent desolation to the hearts of some of the officers. For it meant that the whole force, every man, horse and gun had to turn out for

s methods in use abroad were used and bettered. The result was the production of a body of me

" WELL

succumbed to a gruelling day of fierce exertion. But French expressed himself as "well pleased." One does not remember his ever going farther up the giddy incline of the superlatives. Probably his exacting eye never yet met the corps of his dream. He had a terrible word with which he was wont to emphasise the fact of disenchantment. How often did one read "General Fre

of the efficient German General Staff. Of the nature and value of the reforms instituted under his direction it is too early yet to speak. Suffice it to say that in the Europ

ficers by frankly seeking critical contributions for a new service journal,

is soldier's life, and ended its usefulness for the time being. At this early date it is extremely difficult to disentangle the rights and wrongs of the Gough incident.

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before his officers a certain choice of action. He accordingly called a meeting of his officers, whom he informed that "Active operations were to be begun against Ulster; that he expected the country to be in a blaze by Saturday (March 21); and that he was instructed by the War Office to allow officers domiciled in Ulster

nstructions. Brigadier-General Gough was therefore asked to return to his command, finally obtaining a written undertaking, signed by the Secretary of State for War, that the troops would not be

tioned by the Cabinet. The paragraphs in question ran: "His Majesty's Government must retain their right to use all the forces of

ntage of this right to crush political opposition

itly whether they could be taken to mean that he could not be called upon to order his brigade to take part in the coercion of Ulster to the

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reatened resignation. On Friday, March 26, it was known that both Sir John French and Sir J.S. Ewart had resigned their positions. Every effort was made to induce these distinguished officers to reconsider their decision, but without avail. To remain in office would mean repudia

rict and whose ideals of loyalty are notoriously so high. To have remained in office would have been to impair the authority of the Imperial G

the army is well known. Mr. Asquith's famous dictum on taking up the office of Secretary for War is an echo of Gener

sly lack authority. Sir John French is much too discreet an officer to babble his views abroad on such a point. All we know is that at the time he strongly deprecated politics in the army in several speeches of considerable

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or physical and mental freshness. Now he gave himself to the walking, the riding and the yachting he so keenly enjoys, and so rarely indulges in. For the General has, at least, taken the love of the water from his otherwise tedious days in the Navy. He is an expert yachtsman and has expl

edom. When the call came, it found him feeling better and fitter than he had done for