to take over positions
at the moment held by the 3rd Division; the 3rd Corps to take over
those held by the 5th Division.

I certainly entertained sanguine hopes at this time, in spite of the
bad news received as to the condition of Antwerp, and although such
hopes were never realised I still think they were justified. These
optimistic anticipations were grounded entirely upon the
advance which the Russians were then making through Galicia, and the
splendid fights they had put up in East Prussia and Poland. We
estimated that they were not far from Cracow, and if that fortress
were taken, and the Russians maintained their position, I looked
forward to a great reduction of the German forces opposed to us on the
Western front.

The Grand Duke Nicholas had proved himself to be a commander of high
courage, energy and skill, and we all hoped for great things from his
leadership.

At this time we never had the faintest idea of the actual political
situation in Russia, and knew nothing of the terrible dissensions and
intrigues which were destined to nullify all the magnificent
self-sacrifice displayed by the Russian troops, and to ruin every
attempt made by these great armies of the East to assist and support
the Allied operations.

I feel sure that the British Army officers and men alike will ever
hold these Russian soldiers and their loyal leaders in honour and
grateful memory and admiration. Their prompt invasion of Eastern
Prussia did much to make the victory of the Marne possible.

As a matter of fact, however, in depending upon our Eastern Allies to
the extent that we subsequently did, we showed as limited a mental
prevision in the "political" as we did in the "military" outlook.

Just as we had failed during the past to read accurately the lessons
as regards the fighting of the future, which modern science and
invention should have taught us, so we had never foreseen how unstable
and unreliable a country must be whose ruler and Government are
absolutely despotic, and in no sense representative of the will
of the people. Worse than this, the governing classes in
Russia were saturated with disloyalty and intrigue in the most corrupt
form. But for their black treachery the war would have ended
successfully at the latest in the spring of 1917.

How could such a people successfully withstand the strain of so mighty
a clash of arms, especially when the immense foreign loans and the
placing of enormous contracts broug