§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (EARL KITCHENER)My Lords, there has been no marked change or decisive action in the various theatres of war since I last addressed your Lordships on the military situation. In Flanders the drying up of the ground and the improvement in the weather have enabled our troops, which have been strongly reinforced, to take the offensive. The action at Neuve Chapelle was fought with great gallantry and enabled us to occupy a considerable and, from a military point of view, valuable position which had hitherto been held by the Germans.
Towards the end of last month the Germans carried out a violent attack on that portion of the Allied front held by the French to the North-east of the Ypres salient. In order to succeed in this attack the enemy employed vast quantities of poisonous gases in defiance of the recognised rules of war and of their pledged 1018 word. Our soldiers and our French Allies were utterly unprepared for this diabolical method of attack, which had undoubtedly been long and carefully prepared by the enemy. Full accounts have been published in the newspapers of the effect of the gas and the agonising death which it produces. The Germans have persisted in the use of these asphyxiating gases whenever the wind favoured or other opportunity occurred, and His Majesty's Government, no less than the French Government, feel that our troops must be adequately protected by the employment of similar methods so as to remove the enormous and unjustifiable disadvantage which must exist for them if we take no steps to meet on his own ground the enemy who is responsible for the introduction of this pernicious practice.
The forced retirement in front of the heavy clouds of gas which preceded the German advance at Ypres resulted in the left flank of the Canadian Division being exposed. The Canadians suffered severely from the poisonous fumes, but notwithstanding held on to their position in the most determined manner. This was, indeed, an ordeal to try the qualities of the finest army in the world, and all the more credit is due to the soldiers of Canada who, unprepared for such an attack and exposed to a withering fire, reluctantly and with perfect steadiness withdrew their left flank to conform to the new alignment of the Allies' position. The Canadians, however, were soon supported by British Brigades pushed up, and the enemy's advance was thereby checked, and the Germans, whose efforts had cost them dear, were unable to press forward any further in this quarter. As a result of this retirement Sir John French decided to draw back his line from the salient at Ypres which we had occupied through the whole winter. This withdrawal was carried out with masterly success on May 3, and it was satisfactory to note that though an operation of this sort, in immediate contact with the enemy, is a difficulty military achievement and usually fraught with heavy losses, no serious casualties attached to it. The Germans have since attempted furious onslaughts on our positions in front of Ypres, each of which has been repulsed with severe losses to the enemy.
In pursuance of concerted plans between General Joffre and Sir John French, a 1019 vigorous offensive was taken by the French Army South of La Bassée and from Arras in the direction of Douai, while at the same time the British Army co-operated towards the Aubers ridge. We have all followed with admiration the forward movement of our brave Allies in their offensive operations, which have been marked by complete success and which are still proceeding with every promise and indication of further wholly satisfactory results. The attack delivered by our forces was at first not attended with the same immediate success owing to the elaborate arrangements that had been made by the Germans to defend their lines after their experience of our attack at Neuve Chapelle. But on the night of May 15, by a renewed effort, the British Forces drove back the enemy on a front of approximately two miles for a considerable distance and captured more than 500 prisoners. This action is also proceeding, and we hope, in conformity with the French operations, will achieve important results.
Offensive operations against the enemy's trenches demand, as we have known for some time, an enormous expenditure of ammunition, both of our usual type and of the high explosive pattern that we are now making. Your Lordships and the country are aware of the energetic steps that have been taken to produce a sufficient amount of ammunition to supply the Army in the field. There has been undoubtedly considerable delay in producing the material which we at an early stage in the war foresaw would be required. This delay is due mainly to the unprecedented and almost unlimited calls that have been made on the resources of the manufacturers of this country. Strenuous efforts have been taken by all concerned to reduce as far as possible this delay in production, and I am glad to say that already a very considerable improvement in the output has been the result of the energy and good work of all concerned.
High explosive shells for field guns have recently been brought into prominence by comments in the Press. At an early stage in the war we took the preliminary steps to manufacture these new projectiles, and though the introduction of any new departure in munitions of war naturally causes delay and difficulty to manufacturers, I am confident that in the very near future we shall be in a satisfactory position with 1020 regard to the supply of these shells to the Army at the Front. In these recent offensive operations our losses and those of the French have been heavy, but the task that our Armies have accomplished necessitated great sacrifices, and the spirit and morale of our troops have never been higher than at the present moment.
In the Eastern theatre a concentration of German and Austrian forces, which took place during March and April to the south of Cracow, developed into active operations against the position held by the Russian 3rd Army on the line from Tarnow through Gorlice to the Rostoki Pass. These offensive operations by the German and Austrian forces were necessitated by the Russian success, after the fall of Przemysl, in the Uszok Pass and in the Carpathians, which threatened to give entire access on to the Plains of Hungary to a Russian invading force. The Austro-German offensive began on the night of April 26 by an attack in the Gorlice region, and a desperate battle raged for several days along the Russian front. The enemy's Artillery fire, especially that of their heavy guns, was overwhelming, and the Russians, despite the greatest gallantry, were compelled to fall back. Further German forces were poured in to press the Russians, who, fighting with their well-known tenacity, retired steadily towards the positions on the River San which had been previously prepared. This retirement in West Galicia led to a Russian withdrawal from part of the Carpathians, and the Russians now hold a strong line from the Eastern Carpathians to Przemysl, which place forms the pivot of their line, and thence along the San to the Vistula.
In Bukovina the Russians have made a counter offensive, and have driven the Austrians back from the River Dniester to the River Pruth. The German losses in killed and wounded in these operations have been undoubtedly enormous, and many thousands of unwounded prisoners have fallen into the hands of the Russians.
In connection with the attack on the Dardanelles forts a body of troops, comprising British, Australian and New Zealand soldiers, with a Naval Division, and in co-operation with a French force, landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula. With the assistance and co-operation of the Navy they have been able to consolidate 1021 their positions and to advance further on the lines they immediately captured. The landing itself, effected in the teeth of great natural difficulties, skilfully prepared obstacles, and armed opposition, was a masterpiece of organisation, ingenuity, and courage which will long be remembered. The progress of our troops is necessarily slow since the country is most difficult. But the Turks are gradually being forced to retire from positions of great strength, and though the enemy is being constantly reinforced the news from this front is thoroughly satisfactory.
The recent operations under the command of General Botha in South-West Africa have been brought to a most successful stage by the occupation of Windhoek. The military ability displayed by General Botha has been of a very high order, and has confirmed the admiration felt for him as a commander and leader of men. His task was carried out under conditions of considerable difficulty, especially as regards transport, water, and supplies. All these have been successfully overcome, and the campaign has now, happily, entered its final phase.
In Mesopotamia our Indian soldiers have shown their value and bravery by attacking and utterly routing the Turkish forces sent against them. Sir John Nixon is following up the results of his victory, and the whole country is gradually being cleared of all hostile forces.
In my first speech in your Lordships' House I pointed out that this war would be a long one and would demand great sacrifices. Those sacrifices have been cheerfully made by the people of this country, who not only immediately responded in vast numbers to the summons to create the new Armies required, but have since continuously supplied the constant stream of recruits which has enabled us to maintain the forces in the field and in training at their full strength and with effective men. Your Lordships have watched the growth of the new Armies, and have noted, doubtless, the difficulties which have confronted us in providing them with all the material of war they require. I cannot speak too highly of the men and of the devotion to duty they have displayed during the long months of training, or of their cheerful acceptance of hardships incidental to an inclement 1022 winter, which have provoked the admiration of the expert officers who have reported to me as to the wonderfully rapid progress made in their training to become efficient soldiers. I am certain that in the activities in the field which immediately await them these men will worthily sustain the reputation they have already attained at home.
I have said that I would let the country know when more men should be wanted for the war. The time has come, and I now call for 300,000 recruits to form new Armies. Those who are engaged in the production of war material of any kind should not leave their work. It is to men who are not performing this duty I appeal, and I am convinced that the manhood of England still available will loyally respond by coming forward to take their share in this great struggle for a great cause.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, most of us were not prepared for the extremely interesting statement which the Secretary of State for War has just made to the House, and neither he nor your Lordships will, I think, expect that I should follow him by any attempt to review the operations which have been lately in progress in the different theatres of war. I will make one or two observations only on what he has said to us. We noticed, in the first place, with satisfaction and not without relief that the account which he was able to give us of the progress of those operations was upon the whole satisfactory and characterised by a feeling of confidence. But the noble and gallant Field-Marshal said enough to show us what kind of a struggle it has been in which our troops have been engaged. He used language which was certainly not that of exaggeration when he told us that they had passed through an ordeal sufficient to try the finest Army in the world. We rejoice to think that they have emerged from that ordeal with credit. And may I say I noticed in particular with pleasure the high compliment which the noble and gallant Field-Marshal paid to the conduct of the Canadian troops at a very critical moment in these operations.
I do not think your Lordships can have been unprepared for the announcement which the Secretary of State made to us as to the intention of the Department over which he presides to take efficient steps to 1023 meet the use of poisonous gases by the enemy. We have all read the ghastly accounts of the results produced by the use of these gases upon our troops, and much as in our hearts we must abhor resort to such expedients I think we shall most of us be agreed that it would be impossible for us to allow our Army to be destroyed by such agencies as these without ourselves resorting to suitable reprisals.
The Secretary of State touched briefly upon the question of ammunition, and he admitted with great frankness that there had been considerable delay in the supply of the most essential munitions of war. I am afraid, my Lords, that those of us who have followed the course of events at the Front, who have read the documents which are open to the inspection of us all, and who have paid some attention to the other sources of information which are available, can have come to no other conclusion but this—that on many occasions and at more than one point the success of our troops has been gravely impeded by a failure to supply them with an adequate quantity of these munitions. I will not attempt to say where the blame lies. There has been failure on the part of the trade; there may have been miscalculation on the part of the military authorities; but we do rejoice to learn from the Secretary of State that he looks forward to a considerable increase in the output, and that in the near future he believes there will be a satisfactory supply of these most essential munitions of war.
I am sure that I voice the feelings of every member of this House when I say that we listened with great satisfaction to the Secretary of State's announcement that the position upon the Gallipoli Peninsula was now thoroughly satisfactory. Many of us have watched those particular operations with grave anxiety, and to us it must be a great relief to know that the noble and gallant Field-Marshal is able to speak of them as he has this evening. Will he also permit me to associate myself with him in the tribute which he paid to the military skill and patriotism of General Botha, who will emerge from these hostilities with an added reputation.
Then the Secretary of State came to what was infinitely the most important part of his statement—that in which he told the House that the time had come 1024 when he should be obliged td ask the country to give him 300,000 more soldiers. I believe the country will give him all the soldiers that he wants, certainly all the soldiers that it can give. But may I be permitted to make this remark, that this question of adding to the strength of the Army appears to me to be not merely a question of additional numbers. At this moment there is every reason to believe that a great number of men do not join the Army who might join it. There are other men who do join the Army and who probably would be even better employed if they were to remain engaged in their civil avocations—I speak particularly of those men who are engaged in the manufacture of military stores and of munitions of war. It has therefore for some time past seemed to many of us that the time had come when the whole of this question required to be reconsidered, and it was for that reason that we noted with much interest an observation that fell from the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack the other evening when, if my memory does not fail me, he told us that His Majesty's Government were ready to reconsider the whole of this question of recruiting. What we want is some better organisation of our resources, some organisation which will enable us to use every man fit to serve the country in such a manner as to turn his qualifications, whatever those qualifications may be, to the best use possible in the interests of the country, and if that desirable result is to be brought about something more than mere exhortations and appeals will, it seems to me, be inevitable.
I will add only this one further observation. I venture to express my humble concurrence in what the Secretary of State told us with regard to the new Armies. He bore testimony to the fine temper which they had shown, to their devotion to duty, to the manner in which they had stood the fatigue and the hardships of the winter. It is my fortune to live in a part of the country where a great number of these new troops are in training, and I have had some slight opportunities of judging of their fine physique. I feel sure that the Secretary of State is right when he tells us that these men who have made such excellent progress in their military training will adequately represent this country whenever the noble and gallant Earl calls upon them to take their place in the field.