ENEMY GUN SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2960, 26 December 1916, Page 6

ENEMY GUN SHORTAGE

PEACEFUL FIGHTING SPOTS OX FRENCH. FBONT.

Mr. Henry Wood, the permanent correspondent of the United Press Agency with the French armies somewhere between Picardy and Champagne, writing to the Exchange, says: — . * To meet the gigantic artillery concentration of the Allies on the fc>omme Germany has been forced to call in her guns from various' points, until there are portions of tie German front in France where the war has been reduced to half a dozen cannon shot a day— and 1 even those by' the French alone.

I have just visited three different points of the French, front between ricardy and Champagne where German activity has ceased to such an extent that they can actually be described as the most peaceful spots in the world. Yet all three of these points before the Allies' "big push" on the Somm'e were centres of some of the most efforts the Germans have made to break through the French lines. This remarkable change came. about quickly when, following the "terrible losses, both in men and material; at Verdun, the Germans' found themselves, compelled to cease practically all activity on the rest of the French front in order to concentrate every possible man and gun on the Somme. Not only has it been established that the Germans have taken off. as many guns as can safely he sparedl : in older to augment their concentration cn the Somme, but those that -remain are apparently under orders not to waste a single shot of ammunition that is not absolutely necessary. One of tho spots visited 1 found being' held by one of the most famous regiments in France, one that has participated in every big offensive on tho French front, and which, after playing a heroic part ill the Somme offensive,, had been sent to. repose itself in the trenches at this point. There was abosolutely 110 firing on the part of either the or tho Germans, hut the colonel, in order to show me the perfection of his artillery, ordered a battery of "soixante-quinze" to place four shells on a demolished dhurch behind which the Germans were installed. The shots were fired-without even bo much as a riflo sliot in response from the Germans. At another point, during the course of an afternoon, I did not count over half a dozen cannon shot, and !those all French. The general in charge of the sector explained that his artillerymen were under orders to fire at everything hack of the Germans' lines that might look as though it .was something so as to enablo the men to keep-in practice. To theso shots the Germans have ceased replying almost completely. French regiments that have-distin-guished themselves in battle receive usually as a supreme recompense tlie privilege of acting as guard of honour at General Joffro's headquarters. Since the beginning of the Somme offensive, however, there are so many of these regiments that, other, means of repose havo to be found for them, and ono of these is to assign them to duty on these portions of the front where the Somme offensive has forced the Germans to coa?o all activity. This system has the double advantage not oi\ly of cciving the men /the necessary rcoose, but of makinsr it certain that if the Germans should attempt a renewal of aptsrossiveness tlicv would find themselves facing retrimcnts that proved tlieir worth in the severest fighting of the cntiro war.