CHASTENED GERMANS

Nelson Evening Mail, 27 September 1916, Page 5

CHASTENED GERMANS

NO HOPE OF CONQUEST. - A WAR OF DEFENCE. LOMDON, Sept; 13.. Mr Beach Thomas, the • Daily Mail's representative on the •western- front, says "' that conversations with the Gerrnanpri-. soners reveal * that the troops have'lost confidence in the ability of their leaders to attack further. Nevertheless, the foQ seems to he tolerably , confident of hia'-. holding power, excepting vrhete ;.|ie ;,has been 'most badly mauled." The fear of -the British artillery fire is as a living terror., in the minds of the 'Germans. TThey' aro ■greatly depressed by! its 'terrific* forced They "express contempt for their -own flying men, and 1 admire the British pilots* saying that their own, coveredwith., medals, sit in the ibest "restaurants and grow fat. As for flying, they, never think of going. near Mr Englishman - . Unquestionably the iGermalii rank and file, adds Mr Beach Thomas,-will regard' the war henceforth as 'being one..-of "defence. Their attitude is one of "grinand bear it.'' They > have lost -all hopes of world conquest,>(but ■believe .that the British offensive is.finished i. They are proud not- to have retired'-further. ■'' ''<£■' ißeuter'fi correspondent Vat headquarters says:—''Ate the result of > the .fighting at Guillemont we occupy -the' long? crest' of a commanding, ridge: The Germans ! are now at. a, .great. <Msadvaiit<age. This is' a veTy important sphere of operations. The enemy is now sheltering in shell-holes or hastily-made trenches, without' diug-outs, and exposed\ to our gun-fire. It would not now 'be easy for—the. Germans to shorten their line. • The;-question now, however, is occxipation of territory, but the MUing; of Germans.''