THE YPRES SALIENT IN 1918.
Vol. 2. No. 2. Published Quarterly. April, 1924.
I have been asked to write a short article on the Salient in 1918. Having no data of
any kind with me and having had in recent years to concentrate my thoughts on a part of
the world far removed from Ypres, this article cannot aspire to be more than just memories
and impressions of that difficult time through which we passed in the spring of 1918.
I remember so well the day after Passchendaele was taken at the end of a long and
strenuous period in 1917 in the history of the Second Armya period which had com
menced for us with the capture of MessinesField Marshal Lord Plumer (then General)
and I (I was then his M.G. G.S.) had hopes of a little leave. Instead of this a messenger
arrived from G.H.Q., with an order for us both to proceed to Italy immediately.
We looked at each other. I think our thoughts were the same. Not only was our
leave gone, but in a few hours our old association with the Ypres Salient would be gone.
It all seemed horrible. That my Chief, the dominating figure and personality of the
Salient, the man trusted and beloved by all ranks, would be gone, seemed unthinkable,
but there was the order. It admitted of no argument as our respective reliefs. Lord
Rawlinson and Major-General A. A. Montgomery, were on their way.
The Salient had meant a lot to us. Lord Plumer had been connected with it all his
time in France. First with V Corps and then for over two years he had been solely
responsible as Commander of the Second Army. I had similarly been there since we moved
up from the Aisne in 1914 with the III Corps, and subsequently with the 49th Division
and Canadian Corps, prior to joining my Chief in June, 1916.
To Italy we went. Cassel knew us no more. We certainty never expected to see it
again. Within a few days we were reconnoitring positions in Northern Italy on which to
withstand the advance of the Austrians and behind which it was hoped to reform the
Italian Second Army after Caporetto. We spent Christmas in Italywhat a change
from previous Christmas surroundings in Flanders. We got but little news from France.
We were a long way from our old Cassel. The months went bywe had not much
excitement beyond being bombed out of our Headquarters at Paduawhen suddenly we
got orders to be ready to return to France and to hand over to Lord Cavan. Clouds
were gathering in France. It was evident the Germans were preparing for a big offensive.
Where would it come Where should we be sent to Why had we ever come away
We had lost our berth at Cassel. Someone else was therewe envied them. There are,
however, in the Army both good orders and bad orders, and always will be. We were
011 the eve of good orders. What a happy band we were the evening we got orders to
go back to Cassel. How we longed to see the place again the road through Bailleul and
dirty old ArmentièresAbeele, Poperinghe with its Toe. H., Vlamertinghe, Ypres,
A
