BIG BATTLE BLUFFS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 219, 20 October 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

BIG BATTLE BLUFFS.

CLEVER RUSES 10 DECEIVK ENEMIES.

The secret evacuation of SuvLa and Anzac by the English army ot occupation under tha very noses of the Turks "the biggest biuff in war's history,-' as it has not inaptly been termed—bears a close resemblance to the similar abandonment of th e Redan by tlo Ilussians during the Crimean War. tor months the heavy guns of tho ricnch and British had been pounding unavailrngly at this exceedingly strong fortress Twice they had tried to storm it, only to be repulsed with ereat slaughter. A third attack had been oulcred to taks place on September 18 but on the early morning of that date' before daybreak, Corporal Ross, of the ljojal British Engineers, who was in 'barge of one of the advanced saps, iiotic ng that the place was strangelv still, crept forward to investigate. He found the works untenanted, sav? by dead men and a few badly wounded, and hastened back to report to tin ? I , commander, who at first was lrankly incredulous. But investigation proved the truth of the plucky corporal s statemiants. The entire garrison had been quietly withdrawn under cover of darkness to the north forts, leaving the road to Sobastopol open. Ross was awarded the Victoria Cross and was known thenceforward throughout the Baitish Army as "Redan Ro&s." When the arnres of Napoleon were ov ?. ,T !' n "'' , g Europe General Massena, with IK,OOO men, appeared suddenly betore tho Austrian town of Feldkirci and demanded its surrender. Instead ot complying, the burgomaster issued orders that the church-bells were to be set ringing., and that the burghers, their wives and daughters, clad in holiday attire, were to assemble in tho market square and there make merry. I ho result was exactly what ha had. hoped for. Massena heard the sounds of rejoicing, watched from the he ; ghts the gathering throngs in tie streets, and came to the conclusion that th» townsfolk must hava received intelligence that the Austrian army, which was believed to bo somewhere in the " vicinity, was advancing to their rel ; ef. As to give battle there and thea lormed 110 part of Napoleon's general plan of action, Massena ordered a retreat. Feldkirch was saved, and by a bluff, for as a matter of fact no relieving force was anywhere at the time. A bluff that was eminently successnil resulted in the Earl of Peterborough securing possession of Barcelona in ths early part of the eighteenth century. The defences of the c:ty were at tint time exceedingly strong, Peterborough lud with liiin barely 3,000 Hidiffvrcntlvarmed troops and two small cannon. Halting hi* force sonic miles away a the hills, lie rode forward, attended only by a small escort bearing a flag of truce, and demanded an audience with the governor.

To him the Earl explained that he had' hec-n ordered to take the city by assault, hut w.'sh'-ng to avoid useless bloodshed lie preferred fo allow linn to surrender of his own free will. Incredible though it may seem, this most colossal of bluffs "came off." The governor, after some parleying, agreed to accept the British general's alternative.