Letters received by Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood, 3 January 1917 – 14 December 1917 - Part 9

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000018
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

Af t May dear Bridie. Trank yon mery munt for the think account of the attack. The Brigtals oid apenctally &o the 7 am very. mon hare maghifleen Wores & I hope piened about the Thi are not too deplssed & whark Wire me Aits jnt tte Whek Whro fuirly dron thak it Stow Whe have seumid a ghet Holenes t meny liker & grined at the seoe he time an aromous suucers. Y10t
AU. & rescdutaly Buha had promptly. on his Resirus. He had 5 Think uuetplayed Battalions J had Brigade 56 These (a 1 8 Miniita. gone & se on within. stiaight of the attack staition fo to Riiucount & wh flick hunk Think he would he there now. t . it is an old to is not it ngwin a Holdien & Wiahs Init. porsible to thmm wit MORIs
trained commanden in a ler they the wondee is the mouitr must a done. porce filked up s as well as they have. 1e 1 dey L I saw Sir D. miaring. it & the eut Meees of runfeltes omr thl to dots not. dir appo intmrent. th in till. uo to a Want 9 Quing has ast Tenig there to things wes me got much chance of omr. Wont hex RIt
attacking before Tuurd uf Awever that with make more lie. t a antainting. 2 Wen. Tutk. DUAED TEOEDS [13] 3378 3rd Senics 9
RESIDENCE GENERAE DE LA REpUSLIAUE FRANCAISE AU MAROC Bridwood General Corps & Anzac il Autralis at . Jehenin 1E saces. trance. 1E RESDEM GENERAY eeve
DONATED DECoNDS [157 7 3375 3rd Seits (9] Ns 11 H NAC. Q. 73
April My dear Bridre. I am my alad fon think te Cdee is on Jolind sme. Gor hellow We lat an fy ladl mito, hilt than most- & Woll fine Fib 2 4 They hame had the hinia s have ofo the lighting. Thore is a lot more lefore us & Jstore of it will he of a ver Relions tipe a forve men are just the they are great work them of lot to I aso sure dicently bresh & witid so to hnt t t ptarnt wt o te Wile sie for with a te wichs training & ust nov. I think we can manage it but pulef.
it so I think we would but y.t. i Div & get the t. Whlk he latter not te wive to fut in the 11 1t A.D. back. Australia till we hwre hore the I am thinking tha dinilly the allack io fie fof Celey, by Situation f am out as things are at present the tet Mondery o Mesday - youn clal Corp & the 5th Ariny are Iepelant tould dist back t penencount sticky & Ard hur wher thes will & Saushame would take out the come in. I gather that the rituation 7he Ft Aliny whole line. has ast vry atrained wilt G.H.Q. Woutd relwme both the 63" in & I should not wonder of oue in Went munt & Suythe in too Gentlnth ast a cinale tichitt & the latter wourld Reintoust England Post. Oir attack on Lundery at presturt do back &nevlu yon. Alron traity t C even fhik foost & mll Our nent.
operation would pulatly be an attack towards Meenures on treaches & in rither case d Hakrincourt. Would he all me 1S comple & hir could easily. 7 would drplor. hs. of buf. he Mndritahon. After That as- nol advanced In Toow it. yon wort. cambian. . Woned tuik it. 5 Afain. But week before 4 arly. itly. he & which doe all thm would &dril would give yon all a a Those are owtrt. ut & cauge. hope theng cat he ideas, but at N.. Arulenfle.
THE RESIDEACY. QaMeh heeney CAIRo. Mctated. 2nd May 1917 My dian Bundroosd 1 hope, before Jon recelve thls Letter news wl 1l have reached yon that all has been satisfactor -11y arranged with regard to your Mile Decoration and 1 marmly congratulate yon on being given the Grand Cordon. 1 was delighted to get your interesting letter of the 11th Pebruary. Since 1t was prltten 1 expect Jon have been at 1t harmer and tongs and we are all anared and delighted at the Splendid successes which have been achieved by the British Troops in prance. 1 have not the slightest doubt that the 1st AN2AC Corps has taken a very brilliant part in this terrifle fighting and 1 hope your casualtles have not been very heavy. The French offensive in the South nust also be very disconcerting to the bosches and 1 earnestly trust that the combined efforts of the Allles w 11 30 shake the Hindenbery line as to make it untenab le. Please ive my best regards to Sayth and any Other 0ld Friends in the Corps.

14th April 
My Dear Birdie 
Thank you very much for the 
account of the attack. I think 
the Brigades did splendidly & the 
men were magnificent I am very 
grieved about their losses & I hope 
they are not too depressed & upset. 
When he goes goes into the whole 
story, it seems fairly clear that  
Holmes would have saved a great 
many lives & gained at the same 
time an enormous success, if he 

 

had promptly & resolutely pushed 
on his Reserves. He had 5½ 
Battalions I think unemployed_ 
if 4 of these (a Brigade) had 
gone xx on within 30 minutes 
of the attack starting straight 
on to Riencourt & even Hendecourt 
I think he would be there now! 
It is an old lesson, but it 
requires a soldier & it is not 
possible to turn civilians into  

 

trained commanders in a few 
months,- the wonder is that they 
have picked up so much & done 
as well as they have! 
I saw Sir D. H. today; he 
sent you & the 4th Divn many 
messages of sympathy over their 
disappointment . He does not 
want us to go in till, the III 
Army has got cherizy. 
As things now are going there 
won’t be any much chance of our

 

attacking before Tuesday - 
However that will make more 
of a certainty of the wire. 
Yrs ever 
HP Lynch. 
Donated Records list 
3376 
3rd series 9

 

RÉSIDENCE GÉNÉRALE 
DE LA 
RÉPUBLIQUE  FRANÇOISE
AU MAROC
  
MARRAKECH-MEDINA 
6 50 
7 - 1 
17 
MAROC
  
General Birdwood 
1 Corps a' Anzac 
(Australia et NW Zeland) 
France
  
RÉSIDENCE GÉNÉRAL DE FRANCE                                                                               
 AU MAROC 
LE RÉSIDENT 
GÉNÉRAL

 

FIELD POSTAGE OFFICE 
X 18 JA 
17
  
DONATED RECORDS LIST 
3376 
3rd Series (9)
  
ARMY RO2 
X 
17 JAN 17

 

17th April 
  
My Dear Birdie. 
I am very glad you think the 
idea is a sound one- Your fellows  
have had a very hard winter,_ harder 
than most _ & ever since Feb 24th 
they have had the lion's share of the 
fighting _ There is a lot more before 
us, & some of it will be of a very 
serious type & your men are just the 
lot to do great work then, if they are 
decently fresh & rested, so I am sure 
it will be a national asset if we 
could give you even a few weeks 
training & rest now- 
I think we can manage it, but 
perhaps

 

it would be better not to wire to 
Australia till we know  how the 
situation pans out. 
As things are at present, the VII 
Corps & the III Army are hopelessly 
sticky & God knows when they will 
come on. I gather that the situation 
has got very strained with G.H.Q. 
& I should not wonder if one or 
two gentlemen got a single ticket to 
England soon ! 
Our attack on Sunday, at present, 
seems likely to be even further postponed !!
  
If so, I think we would let you 
put in the 11th Divn & get the 
1st A.D. back. 
I am thinking that directly the 
attack is over (if Sunday, say 
Monday or Tuesday) - your Staff 
could drop back to Henencourt 
& Fanshawe would take over the 
whole line. The III Army 
would releive both the 62nd in 
Hendecourt, & Smythe in 
Reincourt, & the latter would 
go back & rejoin you - 
Our next

 

operation, would probably be an 
attack towards Moeuvres or towards 
Havrincourt, & in either case, a 
couple of Divns would be all we 
would employ. This could easily 
be undertaken by the V Corps- 
After that , as we advanced on 
Cambrai, - you would come in 
again. But I think it would 
be pretty nearly 4 weeks before 
all this would be done, which 
would give you all a goodish 
rest & change. These are only 
ideas, but I hope they can be   
carried out.. 
Yrs ever. 
HP Lynch 

 

THE RESIDENCY. 
BRISTISH AGENCY 
CAIRO 
Dictated 
2nd May 1917 
My dear Birdwood 
I hope, before you receive this letter, 
news will have reached you that all has been satisfactorily 
arranged with regard to your Nile Decoration and I 
warmly congratulate you on being given the Grand Cordon. 
I was delighted to get your interesting 
letter of the 11th February.  Since it was written I expect 
you have been at it hammer and tongs and we are all amazed 
and delighted at the splendid successes which have been 
achieved by the British Troops in France. I have not the 
slightest doubt that the 1st ANZAC Corps has taken a very 
brilliant part in this terrific fighting and I hope your 
casualties have not been very heavy. The French offensive 
in the south must also be very disconcerting to the bosches 
and I earnestly trust that the combined efforts of the 
Allies will so shake the Hindenberg line as to make it 
untenable. 
Please give my best regards to Smyth and 
any other old friends in the Corps.

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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