General Haig issued the following proclamation to his troops on April
12:
Three weeks ago today the enemy began his terrific attacks
against us on a fifty-mile front. His objects are to separate us
from the French, to take the Channel ports, and to destroy the
British Army.
In spite of throwing already 106 divisions into the battle, and
enduring the most reckless sacrifice of human life, he has yet
made little progress toward his goals.
We owe this to the determined fighting and self-sacrifice of our
troops. Words fail me to express the admiration which I feel for
the splendid resistance offered by all ranks of our army under
the most trying circumstances.
Many among us now are tired. To those I would say that victory
will belong to the side which holds out the longest. The French
Army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support. There
is no other course open to us but to fight it out.
Every position must be held to the last man. There must be no
retirement. With our backs to the wall, and believing in the
justice of our cause, each one of us must fight to the end. The
safety of our homes and the freedom of mankind depend alike upon
the conduct of each one of us at this critical moment.
The situation on April 17 was summed up by General Maurice, Director of
War Operations in the British War Office, in these words:
The British Army is playing the rôle which it often has played
before. It is fighting a Waterloo while Blücher is marching to
the battlefield.
The British Army is under a terrible hammering, but, providing
we stand that hammering without breaking down, and providing
Blücher is marching to the battlefield, there is no reason for
discouragement.
The enormous task which the British Army has performed and still
is performing may be shown by a few figures. In this battle of
Armentières the Germans thus far have engaged twenty-eight
divisions (392,000 men) and since March 21 they have engaged 126
divisions, (1,764,000 men.)
Of these the British Army alone has engaged seventy-nine,
(1,106,000 men,) the French alone have engaged twenty-four,
(336,000 men,) and the remainder, twenty-three, (322,000 men,)
have been engaged by the British and French together.
Of the German divisions which the British engaged, twenty-eight
have been fought twice and one thrice. Of the German divisions
which the French engaged, four have fought twice. Of the German
divisions which the French and British engaged together, fifteen
have been fought twice and one thrice.
It is unpleasant business standing the hammering, but so long as
we can stand it the only question to be asked is, What is
happening to Blücher--what has become of the reserves?
Thus the perilous situation stood at the time when this magazine went to
press--April 19--with the British fighting fiercely in Flanders and
waiting for Foch to strike with his reserve forces and relieve the
strain.