BATTLE WON BEFORE STARTED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1415, 24 June 1915, Page 4

BATTLE WON BEFORE STARTED.

MASSING GUNS IN MYSTERY. SILENT TRAMP AT MIDNIGHT. SHELLS FROM MONSTER GUNS. LONDON, March 21. “If I live for ages I shall never forget the bombardment of the German trenches at Neuvcchapelle,” an artillery officer who lets been invalided back to England, remarked ; “the Germans thought we had gone mad. I know what it is like to bo bombarded. We had many a taste of it at, Ypres and on the Aisnc, but that was merely a trifle to the way we smashed tho Germans on the 10th." Tho more we learn about the fight of Neuvcchapelle. teh more about the fight of Neuvcchnpelln. the more thrilling and hellish does this historic victory become. Month- will have to pass before any of the participants will be able to write the full narative of what, from some point? of view may be rightly termed tho most wonderful battle in history. It was actually won before a shot was fired. Headquarters staff had prepared everything to the most minute detail. Fifty thousand men were concentrated behind a front of not more than 3000 yards. Four ittttidied and sixty guns were gathered in the fine of an arc in the same area. Aviators went up day after day. observing the exact po-iiion and cltaraelcd ot every one of the German trenches. They were tind'-i the impr'--ion that headquarter- were jit-r _ a little more anxious to get precise informal ion titan previously. Uonmninding oflieer- of regiments receiving urgent requests for lullt q particulars ol’ ilteir strength and Illness -li-pccled that the preliminary steps wre being taken to prepare for tie- great ad\an. promi-ed in the spring. The leadet' "I a 1 1 ilk -1 y iigini'iils U"iid.•tel what was. in the wind when they were directed to e--u----centiale in the vicinity of Nt tivecliapelle. By wireless anti gumiid telegraphs and lelt-pitotics. by nii'tor de-patch ml- i'. and by n.minted patrol' (fie oidri' were i,--ued from the nerve centre of the British army, which s,■ ( in motion 1 lii.ii-amls of iiii-ii imi verging up'itt tits' -nuill -piti -■ w lilt it was to lie i lie -| nit r-head of llie I’nili-ii attack. It wa- nece-sa fV that ti"' i-lielil' -li-i"!'l net I'.-Ue i l.e faintest inkling of what was blew ing. and llie British .■maim'.- were -o active in tile air that their übiqnits earned for (licin special tnctilinii in tin' Berlin wireless t-i-p-ir!-. For six da;..? the arrange-tiii-iits went steadily forward, and tin ir “('.niiil old Goit'' left llie Ifiiiiies In llie luicli so that they Inni mil a 'ingle Taulie lip in tie- air fur the whole of this period. The .gulls well- ginnpeil ai-eoiding to (li-'i r power lli.til I-, the llMallce they e.mlil throw projectile.-. The position,', for llie lil-I line of I ft ill) is were lived ill front of iliem. and behind the guns llie ground was 'inaile readv for the reililnn eluent wiiirli wete considered handy enough in bii-|.-1- six miles p, llie l.aek of ill.- adv.lined l ’" 'hiding hundreds ok GI NS. 'J in- gun' wen brought. |o llieli- illlfen-nt parks under llie shroud of night, and were -l.ilfnily i-m.i-eaieil in-liiml improvised earthwork screen-, ami liem-aih heap- of shrubliet\. if a Tailin' had been silificii-nt ly courageous t" make a dash tinouglt (lie British aircraft cm-dmi. llie observer would not have delected anything' new in tin- contour of the country. The artillerymen had established Iheir guns without altering any phv.'ical features to any considerable extern, Mnlv a pt-r-on on font and familiar with i In- connl ty would have In-en made in- < ■ 11 j - i t i\ i- 11\ the I ivqm-in \ of tin- 'Welling mound' of eailli and tin- sudden a ppea ram e of miniature thickets where no trees had pretinllslt existed. Tin- ollitei's in charge ol the gnu- g"l our. tlieii iiist rnmenU and worked mil the range of each of their pets to within a fool. Tin- i omma lll l cr of the infantry familiarised I lieiitseß is with the land over which they would have to lend their (loops Ly coii-tanlly observing it through strung fieldglasses. Every evening small parties went I'n r wart I and dug 'row- ol ireiirlic- into which llie reinforcements could pour on tin- morning of the as-aiilt. By this lime till- senior officer' were alive to llie tact tlial Sir Joint Fn-iicli meditated -nine big and dramatic coup, but ihe\ were left to guess wind it might be until the very la-t miimle. Tin- quickening of excit eineni amongst- llie ofiieers commuiiicaletl itself to tie- miii-rnnis., ami thrmigli them to the men. so that the Tommies without knowing wltv became exhilarated and keyed up to lialile pilch. Is\ Tuesday, the 9tli, everything I hatman could command or human ingenuity anticipate had been done. The troops in their bidets were elated and happy. Tho gigantic arc of artillery was ready to hurl shells upon the Germans with mathematical accuracy. At dusk directio-is were given to pic!; haversacks with an ordinary ration and ati emergency ration, llie out- a fin of beet, biscuits, tea and sugar; the other, bully beef, meal essence, and biscuits. _ To each man an extra pair of socks was given, for there might, lie iinieli marching to be done and days perhaps to lie passed in the oilier fellow's trenches before there could he relief and a change of clothes, and in iin\ event cleanliness is llie most salutary antiseptic known to medical science. Just, -■liter the sun had -nnk. at 7 o’clock. a m-ncral order to patad" at 11 was issued in battalion oideis. The reading of this was accompanied by a great- sigh oi relief. No thoroughbred wailing for tin- chafes hour b> arrive more than Tommy Atkin- ulmii lie lias hi- marching order?. Light hem tedlv the men paraded in mat cling order at the appointed hour under a clear starlit heaven, on a countryJde springy but damp, and with a Bearcle iim wind Vighina through the tree-. Bctil’ witching hour of midnight struck they had nearly covered the Jive miles I hat wa- (It- first stage of their progress, toward Ni iiM'cltapelie. Tim iirm meial road splendidly top-dressed gave liille. il any. indication ol that cndles, -treaiii ot khaki uairiui?. They walked in -ifi-me. neither talking nor singing snatches of popular being permitted. Smoking was -IHerb' forbidden Tim striking of a maleli or Hie glow fioi.i llie bowl if a pipe lustily pulled "might have given warning In German scout?. As limy reached their rende/vons a -ingle printed slip from tho headquarters pinning- presses warn handed to imcli ot them, which read; “ilm attack which Ml- are about to undertake i? ot llie in-t importance to Hie Allied oau-e. 'flic iiiinv and tlie nation are watching the 11 - - 11 11, anil every individual in Hie Fourth Corps' will do lie duty and inflict a < iiele mg defeat oil the German Seventh Corps which i- opposed to it'." Tbi' exhortalion -i” nei 1 bv Sir 11.-nry Raw liiimhi. < oinm,Hitler ot llie l‘ oin I )i Corps, was jiet the appeal that wa- needl'd in blood Hie men 1,1,1 i|m work ill hand. At the '.tme moment a personal iiie-age cmiclmd in,almost ilm sime language and written by Sir .John Eieiieli was handed to the artillerymen. AVIATORS At TI Y E BY STAR I.IG 1 IT . Em-i'V ciiinlitaiidi'i 1 liad by Hn- Hum lieeti ii.'l t ncleil a- t" his dunes, and each, like |,is limn, wa-' thankful that Hm ne uml.inmis mark time in tin- treiielu-s liad eouu- to an end, though eaeh wa~ jit-l a little bit ansioils in his heart as |n whether In' troops mig Id iml have lost -aum- ot their elan by iheir long rmilinemf-nt ill s.-.li-niar\ qii.n’i ~,-s. As the ml bright dawn broke w i| in iiu the Geiimiii' having shown tiny sign of knowledge of the fury I hat was i-> blli'l upon lin-m. an aeroplane wa- sighted approaching from li.-iiind Hm Teuton lines. Till' thousand Imai'ls sank a- |lm leaf grip pet! them Hull at Hm lat momi-iil Hm :-ecrec\ e/nelopmg' Hteir siirprise a'-aiiil Would lie | leimi rat i jI, ami that llie Germans wiiitlil La\e time to make lia-lv jin-patiilions p.i w it li'land Hie onslaught. There was. consequently joy that almost bur-i into

tears when the machine was scon to be one of the Allies aircraft which had been our during the starlight to watch the enemy. After it came in two British airmen made a final swoop, flying low, to make certain that the Germans had not been baiting a trap for the British by their unaccountable somnolence. They low that the German aiti-aircraft guns sent numerous missiles through their wings, and they had to quickly return and descend behind the British lines. But they had done their appointed task. They had reported “All’s well.” At 7.30 a.rn.. without any warning of any kind, 460 guns commenced to belch forth flame and death. The concussion was so dreadful that tho men felt that the earth would be riven to its centre. The British troops, though they knew what was to come, were stunned by tho volcanic magnitude of this eruption. For 35 minutes the guns gave tongue, strewing 135,000 shells in, around and about the German positions. No gun altered its original sighting. Each had been adjusted to drop a particular class of shell upon a particular place. The Geirnans must have thought the end of the earth had come. The British troops, watch ing the tornado of destruction, were at first depressed, as if they were witnessing die evil magic of some visitant from the nether regions. What. then, must it have been to the Germans, who could neither advance nor retreat, and whose only hope of survival lav in staying in the dug-outs, winch the shells were seeking and finding and crumbling into shapeless holes. Eyewitness has told us that they were appalled, dared, and paralysed. Men who saw them under (Ire. and who subsequently fought hand Inhiind with them, tell me that thev were no longer ordinary human beings, but were de. mented. and for the most part raving lunatics.

NOW YOU SEE IT. NOW YOU DON'T. ‘■ft was not war. It was murder.” com |ilanie<| a German oflle.T. convenient ly lor cell'd of how the German- used their arid 1,-ry again-t Liege and Namur and Am Wffp. ' When they held the upper hand thev were quite ready to tmirder innocent civilians its well as soldiers. Ills growl not only revealed the German lack of spoiling il l - 1 it h i . but was tacit admission of the sttpei ioi il v ami predominancy which our a 11 11 let v hits recently attained. A ~ei ue;t tit who was present said to me 11 1 imoniing : “\\e had a new mammoth aim. which was ae eve-opener lor the German-. It was ,1 15 inch' gun. Tic German batter ms had to tlo something when our bom bardmetit opened, and they made a leeble attempt hi reply. ( >nly one battery we knew it was (heir beet made any headway ainst U- ft was masked behind a church, ('titr 15 inch lired two shells. The lir.-l. hit the church, a Imll'se'e. and there wa> no chinch; the second plunged lair into the i-cl l l re of the German baMety. and there wa- no haflery. The and iheir guns were literally blotted nut." After thirty live minutes ,>l lids violent bombardment the guns were shifted from I hi' I fetiches ami shells were poll red on the tillage. British soldiers clambered oyer their temporary breast works, anti dashing down upon the shell-sown Gentian (fetiches I,avouch d tin'. sfit|>elied occupants who tried to resist. In h- s than an lionf the whole of the German trenches had been captured, ami llie ligitf wit- carried into the village, where it sit.-getl front house (o house in bitter and ferocious combat. The lirilis'i cared nothiig for machine gun-alter the infernal orchestra to which they had listened. They (rusted to (he bayonet, and not a -ingle man faltering they occupied men' German I’ool Gold before llto flay elided. Odleial estimate- place lie German losses at 20.000 men, exclusive ol prisoners, 'i he Germans maintain that they did not lose more than 9000. If i- to their interest to mnnmise their delete. Ihe British losses have not been made public, but. tho listalreatl.’ published show that, they have been ■evet e. The com)u'elielisi\ e character ot the attack is to be found embedded in rlie.se blaek-cdged lists. Idly 1 started to omit no the number ol 'lillel'etil regiments mentioned in two fool'eap pages, and when I had counted 37 I wealed of the job. There ttillsf have been 50 or more dillereiit icgimetits in dial irre-isliblecharge,and they si die red more than they need have done because somebody somewhere made a. slight mistake' alxiui some of (he enlaiigiemeitls and the disposition of (lie German I reucltes ill (he area, which they entered after having the village. INpeciing to as.-ail earl I; works held by men who had been drugged by I lie aw lulness of tile bombardment. iltev found (lie protective entanglements intact, and the lines manned bv men who had not boon under shellfire. But the sturdierl (he opposition the greater the honour was the thought- that flitted through British brains, anti those Benches, like the Olliers, were -oou cleaned out. The losses inflicted upon the Germans are, however, of little importance compared with the moral ell'ecl of the bombardment Yon have only to meet, a soldier who has been badly wounded to appreciate what, a shock his 'whole being sustains by his being hit, cyen though he received his quietus in above-ground hand-to-hand field ing. The Germans who were in tho trenches at Netivecliapelle were either killed captured, or demoralised, and Ihe lot of the latter is tin worst. Hey will never be fir to stand before British gunners again, and th" breaking ol then not ms will inevitably assist to lower the morale of the new troops which the Germans are hastening to the north of France.

tip, especially in so grave u case as this, there was not tho slightest trace. There was constant emphasis on the facts which told against the prisoners, and every point which had been made in their favour was answered, or turned aside as being ot no importance. The day dragged on. The afternoon suit looked in through the large west window above tho jury box. and made the closely shut court more stuffy and tho listeners more drowsy as hour by hour the monotonous murmur of the untiring voice went on. At last came the finish, and the jury, tired and almost dazed, wearily went out to their deliberation. Theirs wag a task which should have been performed when the memory and judgment were clear and active, when the mind was fully capable of drawing the conclusions and distinctions on which the verdict depended. I thought then, and I think now, writing J 7 years later, that only a wicked Judge would have sent, out a jury at nearly 10 o’clock at night, exhausted by sitting in one place lor nearly 11 hours listening in a single voice, to consider a verdict involving the lives of lour human beings, whose cases required separate consideration, and against whom popular fooling had been so strongly excited and expressed that- only the greatest care could secure lor them a calm and considerate judgment. Rut, indeed. Sir Henry Hawkins was the worst Judge 1 ever knew or heard 01. He had no not ion whatever of what justice meant, or ol Hie obligations of Inti It and lairlll'SS." THREAT OF PUBLIC PROTEST. After desi-ribing the return of llie jury and (he giving ol l lie veriliel Sir Edward adds:---"Then in pitiless tones the -Judge prnnouiiceis Hie sentence of death. Me tells them that they plotted together to commit a crime so Mack and hideous that he believes in all the records ol crime it would lie diiliciilt to find its parallel. Then lie put the finishing touch to the iniquity ol ins own behaviour by telling them (hat lie is satisfied (although no evidence had been given) that they contemplated and broiighl about the death ol Harriet Staunton’s infant child. “Sir Henry llawkiny continued Ms career ol public disservice. There were othiT ease.-, —notably. the Hansard Union ease, the Port sea l.slaml Building Society ease, and the Salisbury hahy case in which his worst characteristics were shown, and when he retired in IS!IS I wrote to Sir Richard Webster, llie At-torney-General. to say it it were proposed to billow in his ease llto very mischievous practice which had then sprung up ol having a pit Llie leave-taking, at which the Attorney-General made a complimentary speech, attributing all sorts of virtues to flic retiring Judge. 1 should make a public protest. The protest did not; become necessary, lor Sir Henry went one afternoon to (he Middle. Temple Hall and there took leave ol his friends.”