1940-06-19 — Page 10

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BY GOLLY-I'LL BET MAGGIE WILL BE SORE FOR KEEPING HER WAITIN' HOPE DON'T MISS THE TRAIN -

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 19, 1940

GREATEST RETREAT OF ALL

Great retreats and rearguard actions columns. They were boldly beaten have written some of the most glorious back, and Moore's army, now reduced pages in the. history of the British to 15,000, a large proportion of whom were wounded or sick, were safely Army. And to them another has now

embarked; but Moore himself was to be added,

mortally wounded in the hour of vic- tory, and was buried that night "with his martial cloak around him.”

But, glorious though they are, they carry with them an unmistakable re- flection on our traditional peace policy | and our habitual unreadiness for war; and the pride which the British people may justly take in them must be tem- pered with deep humility.

Almost invariably when our vital and interests have been threatened, against our will we have found our- small selves plunged in war, our regular forces have been called upon at the outset to act as our shield and buckler till the country was fully arm- ed.

SUBLIME COURAGE Trusting in their valour and prow- ess, we have called upon them for unexampled efforts and let them be faced with trials almost beyond en- durance. But they have always con- firmed our trust. Time and again in history our armies have had to retreat] in the face of tremendous odds, and hence our military annals are ablaze with glittering stories of the sublimest of all forms of collective courage a courage required when carrying out a withdrawal in face of a victorious

enemy.

One of our proudest stories is the story of Sir John Moore's retreat at Corunna.

a

In the autumn of 1809, Sir John Moore advanced into Spain from Lis- to assist the bon with 25,000 men Spanish Army against Napoleon. The Spaniards, unfortunately, proved broken reed, and in November, Salamanca, Moore learned that they were even negotiating the surrender of their capital.

200 MILES FROM MONS Even more remarkable, in 'that it was carried out with complete disci- pline in spite of every disadvantage, was the historic retreat from Mons in 1914-a retreat that was carried on and for 13 days with only one halt covered a distance of 200 miles.

Approximately half the men in the ranks were reservists who had only just come back from civilian life. They had been hurried forward to the area of concentration. Arrived there, they were hastened by forced marches to the battle, and it was at that moment when, already exhausted by lack of food and sleep, they were suddenly confronted by the severest ordeal that army can be asked to face. an

the physical Throughout the retreat

-By- Brigadier-General C.F. Aspinall- Oglander, C.B.

at and moral endurance of the men was

superb.

THE CORUNNA EPIC Nevertheless, with great boldness, Moore decided early in December to strike at the French Army under Soult on the Carrion River and so to threat

On en the French communications. arriving in close touch with his enemy on December 23, he learned Napoleon himself was against him and that his munications with Portugal had been severed.

that advancing own .com-

Thereupon Moore-decided to retreat

"I would never have believed,” said. an officer (as quoted by General Ed- monds), "that men could be so tired and so hungry and yet live.”

The Retreat from Mons was follow- ed, in 1915, by the evacuation of Galli- poll, where the primary cause of the expedition's failure had been lack of preparations and lack of sufficient numbers in its initial stages.

came the ever In March, 1918, memorable and ever glorious retreat, in the face of overwhelming numbers, of Gough's Fifth Army.

Then, in the summer of 1918, when Britain at long last was fully armed, to the Spanish coast at Corunna, 250 | when her ammunition factories were miles to the northwest, where trans-overflowing and her tanks all-con-P ports could be sent to embark him. quering, when her Army had arrived Napoleon, at the head of 42,000 men, at Continental proportions and flung himself forward in pursuit, and Junot and Soult, with 40,000 more, were ordered to join the chase and try to encircle Moore.

her

Air Force had established complete command of the air, the tide at last turned.

TIME TO STRIKE

The time to strike had arrived, and in company with their gallant French, Belgian and American allies, the Brit-

to win. ish advanced

And so will it be in the war that is now raging.

from Moore escaped the net and January 1 Soult alone continued the pursuit. Day after day the British troops had to fight severe rearguard action in face of increasing hardships, and the discipline of some of the units But was unable to bear the strain.

There can be little doubt, alas, Moore never lost heart, and thanks that, when the full details of the pre- come to in particular to the gallantry of his sent retreat to the coast own light regiments, whom he himself light, the trials of all previous armies had trained at Shorncliffe years be- in retreat will pale into insignifi- fore, the Army reached Corunna on cance in comparison with the grievous January 12.

sufferings of the British. Expedi- The transports were late in arriving,tionary Force and their French com- but on the morning of the 16th, as the rades in the heroic struggle of the 21 troops were about to embark, the days. French under Soult attacked in three

(Continued on Page 11)

TO THE

TRANS

By George McManus

WE MIGHT JUST, AS WELL. GO BACK TO THE HOTEL - THE TRAIN IS GONE

CORNE BEEF

AND

CABBAGE TODAY

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