Francis Ryan, Northumberland Fusiliers, tells in the Scotsman how young lieutenant Smith-Dorrien pleaded to be allowed to remain with his men in the trenches after a retirement had been ordered.  The South Staffordshires thought they were “getting along splendidly,” says one of the men, “until the General came and told us we must retreat or we would be surrounded.”  The officer spoke very encouragingly, and praised his men; but they were all so unwilling to yield ground that one of them, expressing impatience, made a comment he would never have thought of doing in peace time.  The General only smiled.

This impatience pervaded all arms of the service.  Some of the Highland regiments began to grow grim and sullen, in spite of their play with the bayonet; and the Irish corps became “unaisy.”  It was then that the officers’ fine spirit brought reassurance.  This is how the King’s Royal Rifles were cheered up, according to Private Harman:  “The officers knew we were disappointed, because on the fifth day of retirement our commanding officer came round and spoke to us.  ’Stick it, boys, stick it,’ he said; ’To-morrow we shall go the other way and advance—­Biff, biff!’ The way he said ‘Biff, biff,’ delighted the men, and after that we frequently heard men shouting, ‘Biff, biff!’”

General Sir John French, who is a great favorite with all ranks, and spoken of with affection by every Tommy, makes frequent tours of the lines and has a cheery word for every regiment.  Driver W. Cryer, Royal Field Artillery, relates in the Manchester Guardian that, at St. Quentin, Sir John French visited the troops, “smiling all over his face,” and explained the meaning of the repeated retirements.  Up to then, says Cryer, the men had almost to be pulled away by the officers, but after the General’s visit they fell in with the general scheme with great cheerfulness.

Summing up his impressions of the nerve-strain of these weary rearguard actions, a famous cavalry officer writing home, says:  “We had a hell of a time....  But the men were splendid.  I don’t believe any other troops in the world could have stood it.”

X

BROTHERS IN ARMS

There is a fine fraternity between the British and the French soldiers.  They don’t understand very much of each other’s speech, but they “muddle through,” as Atkins puts it, with “any old lingo.”  The French call out, “Bravo, Tommee!” and share cigarettes with him:  and Atkins, not very sure of his new comrades’ military Christian name, replies with a cheery “Right, Oh!” Then turning to his own fellows he shouts, “Are we downhearted?” and the clamorous “No!” always brings forth a rousing French cheer.

Having seen each other in action since they first met on the way to battle they have grown to respect each other more and more.  There is not much interchange of compliments in the letters from the trenches, but such as there is clearly establishes the belief of Atkins that he is fighting side by side with a brave and generous ally.