The German Soldier

Levin Daily Chronicle, 9 May 1918, Page 1

The German Soldier

HIS fighting QUALITIES.

Writes a Manaia soldier to the local Witness:—

Opinions differ as to the fighting qualities of the German soldier. My experience of him is that in overwhelming force and as a winner he is a masterful soldier. But in a losing fight he makes a poor show. He is, moreover, not a clean fighter at any time. Flushed with success he is a ruthless victor, utterly without mercy. Ab a losor ho abases and prostrate# himself abjectly. But he is at the same time ready to take a treacherous cHance. That is my. personal experience of him. And I have always held by the doctrine that the best German in a dead German. You can't make any mistake if you follow up that principle ,and many men I have met have done so.

I have heard Boldicrs during the last moments preceding an advance discuss this question and there was always a stroiig majority against taking any unnecessary chances with the treacherous Hun. Old soldiers tell of black deeds of treachery in their conflicts with the new lease on life —we were over the vance and occupy a house. The refuse to profit by bloody experience and take no chances.

I have seen some of those Prussian prisoners as they came in throw their helmets on the ground and spit contemptuously on them. They may have meant it. They may have hated the cruelties of war and despised the authors of war. But whether this feeling was genuine ot merely assumed, mattered little to me. I never trust a German.

As to the physique of the German poldier of to-day, I have, before leaving Trance, seen men of Prussian regiments brought in of splendid build and bearing. Again 1 have seen, mere lads brought in, with their clothes a couple of sizes too big for them—comical looking figures, not unlike little sailor boys you see on the stage. They looked nervous and depressed and evidently expected a swift and awful death.