WITH THE SERBS IN THE FIGHTING LINE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 6

WITH THE SERBS IN THE FIGHTING LINE

WAR-CORRESPONDENT'S STORY

THE-GREAT GERMANrATTACK

DESCRIBED

By -Tilczmjli—Press Aesoclation-Oopyrlght

. London, November 4. Mr./R-enwick, tho correspondent of the "Daily Chronicle,"- has reaohed' Monaster from -Northern Serbia,'after a fort. night's thrilling experiences.. His main impression, is of the supert> courage and endurance of the Serbian Army and ■people, and tjie.magmficent human qualities witli which they face death,- liomelessness, .and . hninger. V, Mr. Renwick concludes his appreciation: "God, but it is a nation worth saving, and that quickly!" . . . Cheok to Von Mackensen. Mr. Renwick .was'with the Shoumadia' Division, ;the : flower; of Serbian lAnuy, which opposed tlie.a,ttack on "the Danube and compelled' General von Mackenseitto ask for urgent;reinforcements. At Semendria tho Serbians resisted three furious onslaughts, and only succumbed to the hellish artillery fire'accompahying the fourth. Tlie Germans showered 10,000 shells on the Serbian position at ■Mala Krana, south of Semendria. After tho position was captured the Serbian infantry, who wero concealed in a .wood, attacked and drove out the Germans. Meanwhile the cavalry got amongst the retreating enemy and did heavy execution, and'oaptured three guns. The Attack on Belgrade. '' Tlie bombardment of Belgrade by 42centimetre shells throw up debris to the height of five-story houses. Every square ■ yard of tlie city was searched by ma-ohine-gun fire, German aviators meanwhile dropping bombs on the ileeing in- . habitants. Despite the rain of death '•and terror, attack . after attack was driven, back-by the Serbians, but at ■length tho enemy gained a footing in the town. " Then the most formidable part of the 'Gorman task began. They were compelled to win the capital street by street, paying the price for every paving-stono at each street corner of the citadel. Before tho Germans were masters of Belgrade it was a ghostly mass of smouldering rains, strewn in the grimmest horror ,with a covering of dead. A littlo.lad.of fifteen years supplied hand: grenades to fire, comrades, who kept a German company at bay for two hours. Tlie boy was promoted to ' the rank of corporal on the field. Tho cap-, ture of the hills behind Belgrade was frightfully expensive; every one was ■covered with dead before it was won. An Awesome Spectacle. - On -the Drina front 500. Germans were ■ fciuncKed across tlio river, but not a single man returned- alive. Motoring from Palanka, Mr. Renwick came to Colonel Ternnitch's division, which was holding an angle oil the Danubo and Morava. The German advance was a wonderful spectacle. In the far distance the purplo mountains were lit up by the,lurid flame of the Germans' artillery, the 'blue Danube winding below. General. von Mackenson battered away for two week's (without shifting the Serbians from . the Danube. 'When a retreat became essential,, the men were cheerful, believing -had so,hampered 1 the enemy's advancefthat vonMackensen would' take months to carry, out his scheme, and ;hoping thus to enable' Anglo-French succour the south to wueck him. ■"''■ ' . 1 ' ; Odds of Five to One. "When I reached "Uslaib on October 24 I found the Serbians being attacked at four points. They were often outnumbered by five to ono in an eleven days! battle with tho. armies often only two.hirndred yards apart. Hand-to-hand encounters were frequent, ancl of the most ferocious character. The little which the Germans have accomplished is due to their almost unbelievable artillery strength. It is now known that von Mackoitsen had only 150,000 men, •but lie has artillery sufficient for half a (inillion.

. "It is evident that Germany is getting .'to'-the end of s:er resources in, men. I liave spoKcn to prisoners from tho 'Flanders, French, Italian, and Russian fronts, and also from garrisons in Germany. Many of tliom are only eighteen. •If the Bulgarians had not entered the war the Germans would never have crossed tho Danube." ■