In view of the great interest and importance of Sir
Douglas Haig's despatch, we must reserve our comments till another occasion. Here we will only say that the Field-Marshal makes us realize how critical the situation remained during the spring and early summer, while our reinforcements from home were being trained and the divisions from the East were becoming accustomed to the new conditions. The enemy was still greatly superior in numbers. If be could have maintained a continuous offensive, as we did from August onwards, our task would have been extremely difficult. As it was, our tired divisions had far too little relief. The divisions which made a most gallant defence of the French lines north-west of Reims at the end of May against overwhelming forces had been sent there for rest after heavy fighting on the Somme and on the Lys. The deter- mination with which Sir Douglas Haig and hie Armies held their ground during those anxious months was not less splendid in its way than the vigour with which they attaeked and defeated the enemy ill the long series of battles from August onwards.
