WHEN THE CEASE-FIRE SOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 14 November 1918, Page 5

WHEN THE CEASE-FIRE SOUNDED

SCENE 0N THE WESTERN BATTLEFIELD (Rec. November 13, 10.5 p.m.) London, November 12. Mr. Perry Robinson writes:—"A great silence descended at 11 a.m. on an historic; soeno at Mons when 'Cease firing' was Mjiimli'd. A greater I'owur than ours had. willed that we should finish Hie war there. The British and Canadian Iruiips .-uleinnly paraded at 11 o'clock, when the civic authorities addressed thorn. Military hands played 'La*T3rabancomie' and 'God Save the King,' following a moving scene of mutual congratulations and rejoicings. There whs no precise moment when hostilities ceased. The Germans fled so completely that our infantry was not in touch and the guns were silent all tho morning. A pathotic memory of tho war i tvero iho last 6torics ofthoMone people

of horrible German brutality lo residents and British prisoners. Returning villagers kept nocking to our car, cheering, laughing, crying, and asking, 'Is it really true?' Elsewhere on the Britiftli front the tidings were taken quietly. The bugles sounded, and the troops iparaded. The British did not attempt fraternisation. The Germans made some demonstration, throwing away nnd breaking their rifles." An Uncanny Silence. Mr. Gerald Campbell writes:—"An uncanny silence on the French front was tho most striking feature of the cessation of hostilities, which were stopped punctually at 11 o'clock. A thick white mist enshrouded the bntlMold when the last German shots were fired in the air. lt> eeemed incredible, to stand there in that strnngo leaden silence after imv years. Tiie troops felt that it was a solemn moment. They just stopped firing. There was no cheering, no to do except be glad. ])ut a joy too deep for noisy demonstrations was written on every batMe-worn face. Though the armistice had been urranged, the huge war machine worked steadily all day long, iiv fantry, snilisry, and engineers coming away from tho front, and reliefs going back. It was a. wonderful sight, and oh! we were glad!" Huns to the End. Mr. i Beach Thomas writes:—"The enemy remained Huns to tiie end, maintaining the semblance of a clever retreat, getting away large quantities of guns and munitions, destroying roads, river-banks, bridges, and houses. The German commandaturs kept up .their brutality, stealing, bullying, and requisitioning till ears or horses took them away, '(he soldiers acted .differently, A fair number went into hiding, and are now appearing furtively from cellars and dug-outs, crying 'Knmerad!' .On the whole the troops were well picked, the machine-gunners sticking to their iposts. The military machine hung together till the last."—"The Times." THE CEASE-FIRE ORDER (Rec. November 13, 10.5 p.m.) Paris, November 12. Peace came to the Australian and other armies in the field in this form: "At 11 o'clock to-day, November 11, the troops will 6tand fast on the positions reached at the hour named, and lineoutposts will be established and report to/headquarters. All military precautions will be preserved. There will be no communication ,with the enemy." This curt message on a ipink slip was sufficient to end the fighting. It was eent out) at 7.36 a.m., and was known throughout the front within an hour. Among the foremost troops were King Edward's Horse, which reached the outskirts of Afli. The Germans had scurried away without eyen blowing up the bridges. The British troops took no chano.es and continued fighting to the very end."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable , Assn. BEFORE THeIrMISTICE SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S LAST . COMMUNIQUE. London, November 12, 12.25 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Hostilities were suspended at 11 o'clock this morning. We had reached the general line of the Franco-Belgian frontier' eastward of Avesnes,' Jeuinont, and Givry, and four miles eastward of Mops, Chievres, Lesoines, and Grammont.

"Our air squadrons on Sunday dropped nineteen tons of bombs and destroyed sixteen German machines. We drove down one and bombed two others standing in an aerodrome. Nino British machines are missing. Our night bombers dropped twenty tons of bomb 3, their targets including the railways at Louvain, Namur. and Charleroi."—Aus.-N.Z, Cable A ssn .-Renter.