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Description: | British officer served as liaison officer with French Headquarters, Fifth Army on Western Front, 1914; served as head of British Military Mission, Paris, 1917.
REEL 1 Story illustrating Joffre's confidence in British high command. Recollections of period as head of British Military to French Government in Paris, France, 4/1917: strategic situation, 4/1917; story of commandeering transport on journey back to London, 1917; interview with Lloyd George over state of French Army and question of France signing separate peace. Recollections of period as staff officer serving as liaison officer attached to Headquarters, Fifth Army on Western Front, 1914: meeting between French and General Lanrezac; reception on visit to General Headquarters, French Army on 4/8/1914; opinion of Joffre; situation during Battle of Marne; role as liaison officer during advance into Belgium; role in advising Sir John French not to continue planned advance during meeting at GHQ; difficult meeting between British and French high command and question of subsequent suspension of liaison duties; story of Joffre's briefing Sir John French with plans for Battle of Marne including emphasis on crucial role of BEF and French's response.
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Sir John French, Sir Henry Wilson and General Lanrezac; story illustrating language problems during meeting between Lanrezac and Sir John French; first impressions and opinion of Joffre; opinion of low fighting strength of Fifth Army and role in advising Sir John French not to continue planned advance during meeting at GHQ; story of difficult meeting between Sir John French, Joffre and Lanrezac; story of Joffre's briefing Sir John French with plans for Battle of Marne, his emphasis on crucial role of BEF and French's response; opinion of General Franchet d'Esperey. Recollections of period as head of British Military to French Government in Paris, France, 4/1917: strike amongst French civilian dressmakers supported by French soldiers on leave in Paris, 4/1917; reports of French civilian attacks of French Indo-Chinese soldiers; reports of French Army mutinies and Spears' advice to Chief of Imperial General Staff, Sir William Robertson, that British troops should not be involved in re-establishing order .
REEL 3 Continues: visit to Soissons area to check reports of French Army mutinies; signs of mutiny and attitude of French mutineers; nature of French attempts to re-establish order; losses suffered by French Army, 1914-1917 and sympathy for French mutineers; role of Petain in re-establishing morale in French Army, 1917; French success in concealing mutinies from British liaison officer attached to French headquarters; visit to front to assess state of French Army; account of interview with Lloyd George over state of French Army. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | BBC | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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