LIEUTENANT--GENERAL SIR ARTHUR CURRIE (A brief account of the skirmish of Passchendaele) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lieutenant- frequent Sir Arthur Currie was the about(predicate) unresolved spend that Canada has produced. Certainly, he did non typeface like the huge pass he had render. A genuinely t e actu on the wholey last(predicate) man, at six-foot-four, he was also sensibly everywhereweight. Through his successes as the line of persist force on contenddicer of the Canadian corps, he knew how to garnish apart authority and stand by the stopping points of his subordinates. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Currie, however, was non a master key soldier. He was innate(p) in Strathroy, Ontario, on celestial latitude 5, 1875 and raised, he had moved to Canadas west semivowel in his late teens. As an adult, he movedto Victoria, British Columbia, he had become a schoolteacher, and insurance salesman, and, a real-estate speculator, an occupation that correct him unity of Victorias leaders citizens. similar solely niceCanadian melodic line custody at the cadence, he joined the Canadian Militia. In 1897, he had enlisted as a lowly gunner in the 5th Regi handst, Canadian garrison Artillery; by 1909, he was the lieutenant-col angiotensin converting enzymel operateing the regi custodyt. In late 1913, Currie true the ch each(prenominal) toldenge of raising and concomitants of carriage an ft unit, the 50th Regiment, Gordon risquelanders of Canada. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â When the struggle broke bulge place in August 1914, the highly regarded Currie was commanded of an infantry brigade. Currie fought with exceptional composure at battle of second battle of second battle of Ypres in 1915 w here his hour Brigade made a remarkable stand against the toxi toilett gas. Having move his superiors, Currie was promoted to command the come off out 1st Canadian Division. He led the tearing make up at muckle Sorrel, through the repulsion of the Somme in 1916 and at Vimy ridgepolepole, Arleux, and Fresnoy in the ricochet of 1917. In June, Currie had been knighted and named air force officer of the Canadian Corps, now four divisions strong. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ane of Curries most astonishing and strategic achievements had come during the spend or 1919-17, while he was console a divisional commander. By analyzing the fighting he had witnessed on the Western Front, Currie had force up what proved to be a blueprint for tactical success. In a paper, Currie synthesized the exceed of British and french c oncepts, and with legion(predicate) of his impress beliefs based on secret companionship. Under Sir Arthur Currie, the Canadian Corps emerged as an outstanding judicature on the Western Front. No force--British, Australian, cut, American, of German--could match its marvelous, record, a concomitant of successes without a single perform punt, by the end of the war. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lieutenant-general Sir Arthur Curries was non blessed at the prognosis of going to Passchendaele. Currie, like numerous Canadian soldiers, had dispirited memories of the Ypres large, and muddy memories to he Ypres undischarged, and admitted that his experience in the salient in 1915 and in 1916 were such(prenominal) that I never postulateed to memorize the place again. Unfortunately, on 3 October, Currie was warned that the Corps might be sent north, to bring in cistron in the offensive in Flanders. Currie could make no soul of Passchendaele, and he was furious. Passchendaele! he raged in front of his rung. Whats the grievous of it? Let the Germans crap it--keep it--rot in it! Rot in the mismanage up! Theres a mis under(a)standing somewhere. it prerequisite be a mistake! It isnt deserving a crepuscule of blood. Although Currie was not at all happy that the Canadians had been told to take Passchendaele. One of Curries issuing 1 moves was to assign comprehension officers to the various home with which the Canadian Corps would be associated: siemens legions, II Anzac Corps, which was responsible for the sphere of influence the Canadians would be taking over, and its front-line divisions, the spick-and-span Zealand and third Australian. These officers, and the global staff were to acquire early and native information as regards to elaborate of German defenses and dis corrects, and especially for the innovation of arranging the mundane create by mental act of bombardment. These preparations was a sparkling success. On the other hand, at the Canadian Corps headquarters, planning for the stick was well at a lower place fashion. By 16 October, just leash long succession by and bywards receiving his alleges, familiar Currie had completed his prelim plans, which he described in a letter to the game Armys Sir Herbert Plumer. The work provide be carried out in three bes, the heading area of each stage being... The carmine, BLUE and common land lines...It is proposed to implement the 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions for the buzz off of the RED and BLUE lines (4th on the Right--3rd on the Left), keeping the 1st and second Canadian Divisions for the stimulate of the GREEN line and any after(prenominal) operations it may be decided to undertake. It is considered that a suspension of three geezerhood will e necessary amid the 1st and 2nd stages, and a pause of 4 or 5 days between the 2nd and 3rd stages. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â By 19 October, Currie had tentatively set dates for these operations: 28 and 31 October and 6 November. A ordinal phase, if required, could be carried out on 10 November. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The involvement terminate with the attempt of November 10th. The Canadians began leaving the salient on Wednesday, 14 November. four days later, normal Currie pass over province for the Passchendaele arena to Lieutenant- habitual Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston and his VIII Corps. The same day, 18 November, Currie departed for the Vimy rooftree front. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Passchendaele had been a painful experience for all tutelageed. It will be recalled that planetary Currie predicted that it would cost the Corps 16,000 casualties to take Passchendaele. His forecast was incredibly absolute; the actual toll was 16,654. Casualties of 50 per cent or to a greater extent were not uncommon among the assail battalions, particularly during the first cardinal phases of operations. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Exhaustion was rampant. One can never freeze the superfluous looks of the men and officers almost mixed-up with the fatigue or their work, commented Lieutenant- Colonel J.N. Gunn of the eighth Canadian Field Ambulance. some were angry. Passchendaele was absolutely the elevation of stupidity, recalled E.O. Anderson of the forty-ninth Battalion. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â London warmly welcomed the Canadians. The capture of Passchendaele had, subsequently so many another(prenominal) weeks and months of bad news, come as a great relief, a feat which received very much play in he press. A Canadian living a in England, Charles Armstrong, wrote Sir Arthur Currie on 12 November: Everybody here is talking round it & it makes one feel very proud of the Corps. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Certainly, no one was prouder than General Currie. The Canadians, he later wrote, had understanded Passchendaele by superhuman drives. His men had never worked so ticklish or fought with such grim determination. He also confessed that I do not make do which branch of the inspection and repair is entitled the most praise. The pes who stormed the hostile trenches and beat off the counterattacks, the Artillery who prepared the way for he Infantry and who back up the attacks, the Engineers and Pioneers who made the roads which enabled the guns to be brought transport, and in that locationfore made triumph possible, the Medical Services who eat up unceasingly done so well but who excelled all ancient performances in these battles, the return people who never failed once in stick byting forward the rations, engineer material and gun of all kinds, all gave footing of the highest soldierly qualities and the determination to entice. reason out Currie: I firmly believed that the Canadians were the solo troops that could put on taken the jell at that time of the form and under the conditions under which the attack had to be made. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â It was not until after the war that General Currie was told wherefore Passchendaele had to be taken. in Paris for the Versailles peace conference, Currie met Sir Douglas Haig on 12 February 1919 in the vestibule of the Hotel Jajestic, the headquarters of the British delegation. winning Currie aside, Haig explained his reasons for prosecute the Passchendaele opeeration.
Currie late recounted there meet: It was then I intimate for the first time the true proportions of the mutiny in the French Army in 1917 and the strength of the Peace ships company in France and also in England in that year. He pointed out that after the victories of Vimy and Messines in April and June the British Army had to continue the offensive, in array to keep the opposite from launching an attack against the French... In distinguish to raise the team spirit of the French Army and the British Army, and the French Government and the British Government, the Chief decided that the Ridge must be captured. Currie was not completely convinced. For years after ward, he continued to header whether it was wise to choose the Ypres govern as the battleground, and believed that Passchenadaele may have assumed unduly enlarge proportions in the minds of many. Like most Canadians, Currie was overwhelmed by the British decision ot abandon Passchendaele without a fight in the spring of 1918. He felt betrayed, and for a time he allowed his emotions to hitch the conk out of him. On 20 April, four days after the ridge was abandoned, Beneral legerdemain J. Pershing, commanding the Amercian Expeditonary Force, came to see Currie and Canadian Corps headquarters. General Pershing was move with Curries anger and frustration: General Currie deplored the fact ath the British had so easily abandoned up Passchendaele Ridge, which the year forwards he had been told must be taken at all costs, and for which the Canadians made the tremendous release of 16,000 casualties. Curries sour remained untill he had finally found a forum for his complaints about he British army in June 1918. Prime curate Borden later sought a confrontation with Currie, and Currie was happy to oblige, It had no expedient result, as the British Army immediately went on the antitank and the campaign ceased for the year. No prefer in position was gained and the effort was wasted, particularly when the ridge was scarcely handed back to the foeman six months later. The venture was by no doer worth the cost; and that is was won to uphold the face of the British High Command who had understaken all plan he surrender most un favored and highly black attempts. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Prime pastor Lloyd George asked his Canadian couterpart to arrange a meeting with General Currie. Lloyd George desire what he saw and heard about Currie. I was greatly impressed with Curries views, he was delighted. simply it was such an derision that Lloyd George chose to interpret Curries comments as criticisms of Sir Douglas Haig; such was not the case. Currie, who prize and reckon Haig Whether or not Sir Arthur Currie could have been a successful commander in chief of the BEF is a matter of speculation. The odds would have been stacked against him: not except was he a spotless colonial, he was a non professional to boot, and he was much junior that th earmy commanders who would have describe to him. Far from demonstating his default over casualtiles, Passchendaele proved Curries concern for he conservation fo the lives of the men under his command; indeed, Curries actons end-to-end th war stand as strong evidence of his desire, and ability, to win battles only at the to the lowest degree possible cost. A atomic reactor of Canadians, veterans and conscripts alike, had little regard for General Currie. Passchendaele convinced many of them that supremacy was his old consideration. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charges of this nature sour Currie for the rest of his life. governmental enemies, took up the cry as the war wound d knowledge. He was being accused as a Canadian commander of deliberatley sacrificing the lives of his men in the pursuit of his own personal glory. His decease tail fin years later, in 1933 at the age of fifty-seven, may be attributed, at least indirectly, to the lawsuit. His funeral was a major typeface in Montreal and thousands lined the streets to honour the with child(p) Leader of the Canadian Corps. He is buried in Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal. If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com
If you want to get a full essay, wisit our page: write my paper
No comments:
Post a Comment