100 Years Ago

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/confidence-in-sirdouglas-haig-vrsnt5bhb

January 25, 1918

Confidence in Sir Douglas Haig

The Cambrai debate in the House of Commons last night had a resounding echo in the House this afternoon. Mr Bonar Law took the earliest opportunity of assuring the House that Sir Douglas Haig and Sir William Robertson retained the confidence of the Government.
In reply to challenging questions, Mr Bonar Law strongly deprecated discussions in the Press, based on questions of strategy and of the qualifications of individual officers. He reminded the House that there had been quite as much criticism of politicians for interfering with soldiers as of soldiers for the way in which they had carried out their duties. The responsibility, he declared, must rest with the Government, who alone were in possession of the facts. He appealed to the Press to refrain from such criticisms, which were not merely unfair to public servants, but detrimental to the national interest.

Mr Faber asked whether any member of the present Government was behind the Press attack. “No, so far as I am aware,” Mr Bonar Law replied. “Then why,” Mr George Lambert asked, “was no member of the War Cabinet here last night to defend Sir Douglas Haig?” Mr Bonar Law pointed to his public statement that such a discussion was not desirable; he failed to see why he should be called upon to listen to it. Finally, Mr Kennedy Jones asked what had happened since 1917 to establish the confidence of the Cabinet in Sir Douglas Haig, seeing that last January he was made, by order of the Cabinet, subordinate to General Nivelle. Mr Bonar Law declined to admit the accuracy of that statement. He ended the incident by deprecating the idea that it was necessary for the Government to give continual testimonials as to the character of their servants.
Mr Ronald McNeill asked Mr Bonar Law if he would give an early opportunity for the discussion of a motion expressing the confidence of the House in the competence of the General Staff and Sir Douglas Haig, and disapproving of attacks on them in Parliament and the Press. Mr Bonar Law rejoined that it would be a very bad precedent for the House to take into its hands the declaration of whether or not particular officers should be retained. “That,” he said, “must be the responsibility of the Government.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lives-saved-by-homing-pigeons-lvngvt326

January 24, 1918

Lives saved by homing pigeons

During the last few weeks many homing pigeons have been shot by farmers and others who have mistaken them for wood pigeons, and in view of the serious results of the destruction of trained birds employed by the Government, whose homing pigeons are at work in all parts of the country, it has been found necessary to repeat the warning given some time ago against careless shooting, which may lead to the loss of birds engaged on service of the highest importance. It is pointed out, in fact, that the work of the Government pigeons is sometimes literally a matter of life and death to our fighting men, many of whom owe their lives to the speed of the birds. A notable case is that of Skipper Thomas Crisp, VC, who died at the wheel under fire from a German submarine, but lived long enough to send a message by pigeon. The bird flew away with his appeal for help for the crew, and, thanks to the timely arrival of the messenger, they were saved. On another occasion a flying boat and a hydroplane got into difficulties in stormy weather, and it was feared that all lives would be lost. A pigeon was sent out with a message calling for help, and in the face of a fierce wind the bird managed to make its way home. It died from exhaustion on arrival, but its message had been delivered, help was sent to the crews, and the lives of all were saved. The official warning to the thoughtless to avoid shooting homing birds is backed up by a reminder that heavy penalties may be, and in some cases have been, inflicted by the magistrates on offenders.
• News in brief
While flying near Rugby Second Lieutenant Harold Griffith Nelson was killed through falling from his machine at a height of 3,000ft. The aeroplane continued its flight and came down a few fields away.

At a police court in a Kentish raid area James Kendall was charged with selling adulterated milk. He urged in defence that the milk was sold exactly as it came from the cows, which were suffering from shell shock. A fine of £8 3s, with costs, was imposed.
The “Personal” advertisement column in page 1 of The Times today contains an offer from an officer to sell a Cremona violin which he has played in the battles of the Somme, Arras, and Messines.