THE WESTERN THEATRE. GERMAN GENERAL'S REPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3575, 7 October 1916, Page 5

THE WESTERN THEATRE. GERMAN GENERAL'S REPORT.

FALLS INTO BRITISH HANDS

AMAZING CONFESSIONS

DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF BRITISH

ASSAULTS

(Received October 7, 9.15 a.m.)

LONDON, October 6.

! Mr Philip Gibbs states that a report i by General yon Araim, who' was corn- ■ manding the fourth Gorman Corps <-against the British front ou the Soriime in July, has fallen into our hands. His analysis is impartial in its canj dour regaining our qualities, weaknesses, and failures, and his . own organisation and leadership. Yon Arnim confesses the utter failure of hia war machine, and aeknow lodges that the British superiority :s ever increasing. The strain upon German organisation, tho effect of oar artillery, the mastery of our Flying Corps, and the demoralisation of the enemy command axe admitted as the bitter fruit of experience. Yon Arnim says:-—"The British infantry learnt much, in the autumn offensive-in 1915. It. shows groat dash hi attack, to which' great confidence in overwhelming artillery contributes. The English showed great tenacity in defence, while the , artillery registration and fire control are -assisted' by well-orgn-nisedi ■ aerial observat.) on. '' He recounts how our far-reaching guns brought the German battle headquarters under fire, causing the officers to become panic-stricken. The- German "artillery, he says, was much hampered by the intensity of the British fire, which also rendered enormously difficult, the task of bringing up reserves. Ho confesses to the utter failure of tho German counter- attacks, which were without method, weight, or numerical superiority, and says thnt '' the fact that tho enemy's airmen and their machines were better was disagreeably apparent; they wore able to successfully fire on our troops at a low elevation,"

Ho admits that • the German equipment and; ammunition reserves were very faulty, that the German machine guns wore too heavy, and that there was an insufficient supply of grenades. Yon Arnim does not suggest that the food supply for the army was insufficient, but,that it was difficult to get food to tho front trenches.

Ho concludes:—"AH other departments of the Gorman organisation wore found wanting, and the war machine was thrown out of gear by the ferocity and continuance of the British assaults."