SURPRISES IN WAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 237, 22 December 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

SURPRISES IN WAR.

DEVICES THAT HAVE BEEN SPRUNG UPON THE ENEMY

The now heavy-armoured cars which have played so large a part in the recent British victories on the Somme form only another instance of the fact that in warfare the element of "surprise'' counts for a very great deal Troy would not have been captured by tho Greeks had it not been for the surprise sprung upon the Trojans by a gigantic wooden horse in which Greek soldiers concealed themselves, stealing out in the night time to open the gates of tho city to the Greek army.

Pyrrhtw would never have gained his victory over the Romans had he not brought his elephants into the field. These gigantic creatures, as they ploughed their way through the Roman ranks, struck terror into the hearts of the soldiers who had never before engaged in a battle in winch elephants took part. Hannibal, the grtrat Carthaginian general, would never have captured one of tho chief Alpine pisses had he not hit on the happy idea of fastening torches to the horns of 2,000 ox?n, lighting the torches when it got dark, and driving the !>easts toward the Roman camp. Seeing the moving lights, the company guarding tho pass thought tneiir comrades were in danger,, and hastened to their rescue, thus leaving the way clear for Hannibal and his men to get through. The most effective Hun surprise of tho war was the power of their groat guns to demolish fortresses hitherto deemed impregnable. Tho over-rur? of Belgium was in a large measure due to this surprise.