s. c. allen-olney,
PROMOTION OF SIR C. JACOB.
132
The Ypres Times.
uien jump the lorry for a lift.- But as soon as the shells come over, over the tail board they
go with with a Let's get out of your rat-trap mate while you stick to the wheel
and wonder whether you will get through or go west like poor oldlast night. The
next day, for a change, may be spent in three or four journeys with timber to mend the
plank road. Being a day-time job Fritz used to amuse himself sending over 'planes to
machine-gun the road. To my mind this was far worse than bombs or shells. You
daren't leave the 'bus and envied the chaps who drop into a ditch. Forty hours on end
was no uncommon spell without turning in. I myself once had 52 hours on end, includ
ing eight hours unloading an ammunition train during the Vimy Ridge affair. I have said
nothing about supply columns, as I was always attached to a battery, but we always used
to envy themperhaps unjustly.
Yes, we used to laugh at ourselves and say
We cannot fight, we cannot shoot,
What earthly use are we?
But I think that any unbiased critic will own that the M.T. did do its bit in the
Salient in keeping Fritz back from his great objective.
Late Cpl. 3rd Can. S.B.A.C.
The King has approved of the promotion to the
Jacob, G.C.B., K.C.S.I.K.C.M.G., Indian Armj',
GENERAL SIR CLAUD W. JACOB.
rank of Field-Marshal of General Sir Claud W.
in succession to the late Field-Marshal Sir Arthur
Af Barrett, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., K.C.V.O.
*4* Two field-marshals are allotted to the
Indian Army out of a normal eight. When Lord
Rawlinson died, Sir Claud J acob was one of tx\ o
officers who were considered for the appointment
as Commander-in-Chief in India, which was given
to Sir William Birdwood, with concurrent pro
motion to field-marshal. Sir Claud Jacob was
then G.O.C. Northern Command at Murree, and
an exchange was effected with General Sir
Alexander Cobbe, who was serving as Military
Secretary at the India Office. It is unusual for
the Military Secretary to be, as at present, of
the highest rank.
Sir Claud J acob belongs to a Devonshire family
which has served India for 100 years. He is
63 this month, and it is 44 years since he joined
The Worcestershire Regiment, before transfer to
the old Indian Staff Corps. In the Great War
he went to France with the 7th Meerut Division,
and after commanding the Dehra Dun Brigade,
succeeded to the command of that division, later
taking over the 21st Division. He was given
command of the II Army Corps in 1916, and was
afterwards promoted in the field to lieutenant-
general.
After the Armistice he took his corps to the
Rhine, but soon left for India to become Chief
of the General Staff to Sir Charles Monro. In
1920 he was promoted general and appointed
A.D.C. General to the King. When Sir William
Birdwood became Commander-in-Chief, Sir Claud
J acob completed the overhaul of Northern India,
"The Times," November 30th, 1926.
