ICE-BOUND FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1917, Page 3

ICE-BOUND FRONT.

Before the Big Push Deadly Earth Clods fling Up By Shells; (By 11. M, Tomlimon, in “ D.,i!y Nrw-.”) With the British Army in the Field, Jan 28 If was certain that a ape!l of hard blight weather this winter won’d undeceive ths Germane, who were rosy in the assurance that, they had bn ill od us on the Somme, as»d *hat I heir period of anxiety was enoed. It is ha>d to believe that anybody could ever have suppo’ed that tho Somme affair wag over. Yet I learn to-day (hat the attack south cf Le Tramloy took the Germans ihere by surprise; wrih the rr-eult that wo captured an exee lent position, three machine-guoa, took six officers and 352 othrr prisoners of a reserve Bavarian regiment, Konigin Olga’s Guards, in the process ; maintained, wired and consolidated the new ground in spite of several connterattanka, and did it all at a cost —I have seen our casualty figures—which ig incredibly low. Our tr.ops concerned were Irish and North British.

THE “ MISSING ” HABIT

Some of his documents which have come our way —because he Lift them behind, being in a hurry—show that clearly enough. His men ou certain sectors got to losing themselves, and then found, to their surprise and annoyance, that they were in British lines. It would be too much to say that this developed into a sort of habit, but it happened oftea emugh for the German local command to note “ the increased number of missing.” Obstacles were then ordered to be strengthened before the German front line, which served the double purpose of making it difficult for U 3 to get in ancLtha Bocha to lose himself.

1 hasten to add—as some irrepressible optimists are always listening for far more than is said —that I do not think the Bocbe is cracking np. Far from it. He is still a bonny fighter i but now and then he does give signs that his heart has bean overwrought, Certainly what he now confronts is bleak enough todauut the best of men. No wonder at times he ardently desires peace ; as we have plenty of proof that he does. the tables turned. What is it that the experienced German soldier know?, and that the people in England only dimly guess ? There was a time, not so long ago, when the enemy made misery for our men. It wps heart-breaking then to realise, as one easily did whenever one was in the line, that the strength of our numbers and the power of our mun't’on works were insufficient for ou? friiowa in any

fire trench to rely on much but tbeir own ability to stick it till they dropped. That is not good for men to know who have already borne the heat and burden of many attacks, and ere becoming numbed through patient endurance) of a dt-uilorubto winter while toe (os lavieberf them hi? absonant muntfcmrmenr. Timmy to k■; .... x to to* ;,ig bit*k‘i;g. end it oatuotilr *ern i»o h m tong m coming. The Boche knew nil that. He ‘‘r.io. ’t h-if tot ti fj get, it eithw,” a o n'oy wn! • s »°. Now, jast at n time wl:e i his leaders BS'-ursd h m tbe end would be, and be

was to go home victorious as the reward for k)3 7a lor, the.enemy findo be ean’t go and has ro idea when he may, because we have developed a perfre - ly prodigal way of making fearful trouble.

At present, too, the battlefields are icebound. Instead of sinking into mire anti bursting deaply, the shells scatter clods widely that are as dangerous aa metal. The mud has conges* lad into concrete. The cold is polar, lbe wind cuts I’ke fhuders of glass. The bombs and rifle grenades bars 1 , as though in narrow corridors of masocry, Tou need the assurance of having the upper hand of your opponent to endure these Arctic conditions on the front lice, especial'y when food is ret eo lavish, regalar, and good as it might

be. And the Booho bas lent Ihit assurance. Perhaps the loss of that aB much as anything, gave our troops the great advantage n9Br Be Transit on the Kaiser’s birthday. Their own assurance, toe, is fine. “We've got him now,'' is their usual comment. They certainly had him there. Moreover, the enemy cannot pretend that he never guessed we should want to take the position we now occupy. It givea us an uninterrupted view into the valley in which the village rests. le tran;loy attack. A.t Ls Transloy attack our men got out of their trenches as soon as our guns began. The eoemy bad not been allowed to wire hia position there. The attack, over a front of about 1000 yards, was carefully planned and balanced. It woiked to perfection. The enemy was • thinking we were giving him the usual morning punishment when he fouud he was surrounded. Thera was no machine-gun fire, the Boche had no time to get the things up. I am told perhaps not one of the enemy was killed in the affair except in two isolated trenches where he fought gallantly but hopelessly. He was taken prisoner in one practically intact parcel, being found sheltering in the dug-outs of a sunken road running south from the village towards Morval. Motor-buses were awaiting for him, and he was at onoa run cut of danger, on sohedu le time. He gave no trouble, no do übt seeing it would be an idle waste of time. These Bavarians were fine fellows who confess they had been fed in a manner rare to-day in the Herman army. They were selected meD, worth more meat and potatoes than the average Geiman. When he thought ha knew how matters stood —though he did not—the Boche got his guns to work, Several times he massed for a counter rash, bat each time he was caught disastrously. We hold what we gained.