ABSTRACT
In South Russia, matters were even more critical than was imagined in London and Paris, and the French now began to reap the whirlwind. French relations with the local Volunteer Army forces were almost at breaking point. There was at Nicolaiev a considerable amount of stores and supplies; and since the Volunteer Army was short of everything, General Sannikov (the local Russian Commander) asked the local French Commander for guns and shells, rifles and ammunition, general supplies for about two divisions, and linen for the wounded, to be brought down to Odessa. This was refused. When Sannikov went to see General d’Anselme (the French Commander), who was harassed and nervous as usual, Colonel Freidenburg (his Chief of Staff) interrupted repeatedly. ‘Impossible-non, non-ne cédez pas, mon General.’ Sannikov told Freidenburg sharply that he was talking to d’Anselme; but he was unsuccessful. ‘They are always contrasting us with the Germans’, said d’Anselme afterwards. ‘Of course, the Germans could keep perfect order here with 60,000 men.’ This frequent excuse never impressed the local Russians, who knew there had never been this number of Germans at Odessa, and were now noticing that the Greek troops were much smarter than the French. Freidenburg replied with a formal refusal on March 8. The supplies at Nicolaiev, he stated, belonged to the Ukrainian Directory, and part had already been distributed to the Volunteer Army. Nor, Reilly reported, would Freidenburg allow Sannikov to mobilise some 5,500 Russian officers and 1,500 men billeted in Odessa.1
