They all say,
'What lovely horses you have,' to us, and they do look fine beside
theirs, but we look after ours so well. We always dismount and feed them
on all occasions with hay and wheat found on the farms and in stacks in
the fields, also clover. The French never do."
As a result of these observations the French appear to have been
applying themselves to the study of the British fighting force. "I know
for a fact," says Trooper G. Douglas, "that French officers have been
moving amongst us studying our methods. The French Tommies try to copy
us a lot, and they like, when they have time, to stroll into our lines
for a chat or a game; but it's precious little time there is for that
now."
But it is in character and temperament that the chief differences of the
allies lie. "Brigadier" Mary Murray, who went to the front with other
members of the Salvation Army, records a conversation she had with a
French soldier over a cup of coffee. "Ah," he said, "we lose heavily, we
French. We haven't the patience of the English. They are fine and can
wait: we must rush!" And yet Tommy Atkins can do a bit of rushing too.
Private R. Duffy, of the Rifle Brigade, sends home a lively account of
the defense of the Marne in which a mixed force of British and French
was engaged. The object to be achieved was to drive back the Germans who
were attempting to cross the river.
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