ly on the Hindenburg line,
had we allowed the enemy any chance of it, might have prolonged the
war for months. But there was no failure, and there was no rally.
Never had our tried Army leaders, General Horne, General Byng, and
General Rawlinson carried out more brilliantly the general scheme of
the two supreme Commanders; never was the Staff work better; never
were the subordinate services more faultlessly efficient. An American
officer who had served with distinction in the British Army before the
entry of his own country into the war, spoke to me in Paris with
enthusiasm of the British Staff work during this three months'
advance. "It was simply _marvellous!_--People don't understand."
"Everything was ready," writes an eye-witness of the First Army.[7]
The rapidity of our advance completely surprised the enemy, some of
whose batteries were captured as they were coming into action. Pontoon
and trestle bridges were laid across the canal with lightning speed.
The engineers, coming close behind the firing line, brought up the
railways, light and heavy, as though by magic--built bridges, repaired
roads. The Intelligence Staff, in the midst of all this rapid movement
"gathered and forwarded information of the enemy's forces in front,
his divisions, his reserves, his intentions." Telephones and
telegraphs were following fast on the advance, connecting every
department, whether stationary or still on the move. News was coming
in at every moment--of advances, captures, possibilities in new
country, casualties, needs. All these were being considered and
collated by the Staff, decisions taken and orders sent out.

[7] The following paragraphs are based on the deeply interesting
account of the First Army operations of last year, written by
Captain W. Inge, Intelligence and Publicity Officer on Sir Henry
Home's Staff.

Meanwhile divisions were being relieved, billets arranged for,
transport organised along the few practicable roads. Ambulances were
coming and going. Petrol must be accessible everywhere; breakdown
gangs and repair lorries must be ready always to clear roads, and mend
bridges. And the men doing these jobs must be handled, fed, and
directed, as well as the fighting line.

Letters came and went. The men were paid. Records of every kind were
kept. New maps were made, printed, and sent round--and quickly, since
food and supplies depended on them. "One breakdown on a narrow road,
one failure of an important