The Ypres Times.
27
FAMOUS MEN OF THE SALIENT.
I.
The late Brig.-Gen. Charles
FitzClarence, V.C., who saved the
Salient at a critical moment in
November, 1014. In describing
what this very gallant officer did on
that memorable occasion we cannot
do better than quote (by kind
permission) from Colonel Beckles
Willson's Ypres The Holy
Ground of British Arms." Here,
describing the dramatic first battle of
Ypres, Colonel Beckles Willson him
self quotes Earl French as follows
The worst news was that the 1st
Division had broken back and were
in full retreat, only a mile or so to
the east of where we were standing,
with the Germans at their heels.
I felt as if the last barrier between
the Germans and the Channel sea
board was broken down and I viewed
the situation with the utmost gravity
The Late Brig.-Gen. Charles FitzClarence, V.C.
(A hitherto unpublished Portrait.)
It was a dramatic half hour, the
worst I ever spent.
It had a truly dramatic climax. At about 3 p.m., a staff officer galloped up to the
front of the chateau with the news that the 1st Division had rallied and again moved
forward. Gheluvelt was once more in our hands
At 3.30 p.m. Gheluvelt had been retaken at the point of the bayonet by the 2nd
Worcesters, who were in reserve to the 2nd Division. Grasping like a flash the gravity
of the situation, Brig.-Gen. Charles FitzClarence, V.C., commanding the 1st Guards'
Brigade, seeing how badly the battle was going on on the right of the Scots Guards, borrowed
the 2nd Worcesters from the 2nd Division on his own responsibility to counter-attack.
By shoving us in at the time and place he did,' afterwards declared the battalion
commander, the General saved the day. If he had waited, I don't think I could have,
got the battalion up in time to save the South Wales Borderers and fill the gap."
A week later this brilliant officer FitzClarence was killed in another part of the Salient.
This dramatic restoration of the British line set free the 6th Cavalry Brigade who.
after clearing out the chateau woods east of Gheluvelt, filled the breach between the 7th
Division and the 2nd Brigade. Before night the dents in the Salient had been made good."
You did your bit gallantly to hold the Salient in the Warare you doing your best to
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