WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

488 WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
reequip the Italian Army and to spare. All, therefore, depended
on stopping the panic, ere it became too late to arrest
the process or achieve any substantial results by doing so.
It was in the achievement of this object that France and
Britain could render the most immediate and effective service.
Obviously the most useful means of restoring morale was
to pour at once into Italy contingents of the troops that had
held up the redoubtable German and even beaten him out
of superbly constructed trenches for three years in France
and Flanders. It is no disparagement of Italian courage to
say that they were heartened by the sight and comradeship
of the men who held Verdun for months against the most intense
hail of high-explosive shell that was ever concentrated
on any battle area, and of the men who held the narrow
Ypres salient for years against the most protracted bombardment
to which any fortress has ever been subjected; the
men who, on the Somme, the Chemin des Dames and Passchendaele
had walked through the terrible hailstorm of the
German machine guns in order to come to a deadly grip with
those very Germans, were now pouring across the passes to
reinforce the Italian Army.
As soon as the news of Caporetto was brought to me by
Sir William Robertson, I suggested that he should immediately
arrange to send the necessary assistance. He demurred
at first, but under pressure afterwards communicated with
the French and Italian Staffs in order to put into operation
without delay the plans which had been carefully prepared
in anticipation of this event. They worked without a hitch.
The Rome Conference saved Italy.
On my suggestion, Sir William Robertson proceeded at
once to Italy to place himself in communication with the
Italian Staff and ascertain from them what further assistance
they required from us. In order to enhance further the impression
that the Allies were behind the Italians, and that