In the West

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 29, 30 December 1916, Page 2

In the West

COLONEL REPINCTSN'S ADVICE. Press Association—Copyright, Ausira lian and N.Z. Cable Association London, December 29. Colonel Repington says the Allies should place on the West from ai. . least sixty new divisions, with a proper complement of guns of all calibres. The divisions can be drawn partly from the eastern expeditions,' as soon as the Indian and African formations can replace them. It is also poss'.mo to copy the Germans, and take three infantry battalions from the old divisions, forming them into new divisions. Some must be new creations formed from the reserves of manliood in Britain and the Dominions. We are sauntering through the war when we have four millions of military age in civil life. Our age-limit is still four years below the German standard. We have not yet answered Germany's mass levy. Our reserves of manhood are larger than Germany's. CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES. Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association London, December 28. Mr Gibbs, the war correspondent/, states that the Germans were anxious to spend Christmas peacefully, and did not seek trouble, apart from a few raids and artillery duels along tiie front from Ypres to the Somme. The, Tommies listened to the German tr.r-' ols and concerts, but kept their rifles,' ready in the event of raids. The Ger-I mans occasionally invited them to a truce, vainly shouting, "Won't you cove over, Tommy dear?" Our men, from their periscopes, watched the Germans bailing water from their trenches, crawling from under the falling parapets, and struggling up to their necks in the shell-holes 01 . ice-cold water.

At some points the troops exchanged news, throwing cigar boxes containing letters. The drying rooms were warmed by charcoal stoves, the latest British preventive for trench-feet. The troops holding the trenches cheerfully waited till Boxing Day for their Christmas dinner, enabling it to ba partaken of in more comfortable surroundings in the rear.