# XIX explained — Now It Can Be Told

> Chapter companion for Now It Can Be Told by Philip Gibbs.

## What happens

The narrator reflects on several British generals of World War I, including General Allenby, General Byng, General Hunter Weston, and divisional commanders like General Hull, General Hickey, and General Harper. He recounts anecdotes about their personalities, leadership styles, and the costly battles they oversaw, highlighting the disconnect between high command and the grim realities faced by soldiers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Betrayal by Leadership

The narrator describes attacks ordered without forethought, bitter complaints from officers, and generals who dismissed warnings of the German offensive, leading to tragic losses.

### Class and Inequality

The contrast between high-ranking generals (like Hunter Weston with his theories) and the common soldiers who bore the brunt of costly battles is highlighted.

### Futility of War

The chapter emphasizes the senselessness of attacks, the cheapness of life, and the 'ghastly tragedy' of battles like Gommecourt and the decimation of the Irish Division.

## Character check-ins

### General Allenby

Mentioned as commanding the Third Army before being succeeded by Byng; known as 'The Bull' for his burly size and deep voice.

### General Byng

Succeeded Allenby; called 'Bungo Byng' by troops; admired for commanding Canadian Corps and later the Cambrai advance.

### General Hunter Weston

Commander of the 8th Corps; described as a man of airy imagination and dramatic eloquence; subject of a famous anecdote about a drunken soldier.

### General Hull

Commander of the 56th (London) Division; described as handsome, straight-speaking, and ruthless; gave account of 'the battle in the dark'.

### General Harper

Commander of the 51st (Highland) Division; called 'Uncle' for his white hair; known for his skepticism about bayonet training.

### General Hickey

Commander of the 16th (Irish) Division; an Irishman with a love for his troops; saddened when the division was decimated in Flanders.

## Key lines

> The costly fighting that followed the battle of Arras on April 9th along the glacis of the Scarpe did not reveal high generalship.

The expensive battles after Arras on April 9th near the Scarpe showed poor leadership.

_Critique of generalship during the Arras offensive._

> It was a ghastly tragedy, which spoiled the success on the right at Fricourt and Montauban.

It was a horrible disaster that ruined the achievements on the right flank at Fricourt and Montauban.

_Refers to the failed attack at Gommecourt during the Somme._

> No man in this war has ever been killed by the bayonet unless he had his hands up first.

In this war, no one was ever killed by a bayonet unless they were surrendering.

_General Harper's assertion about the ineffectiveness of bayonet training._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se/chapters/xix
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/now_it_can_be_told_se/chapters