TRENCH LUXURY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 25, 31 January 1916, Page 2

TRENCH LUXURY.

HPW THE GERMANS DEG IN. Recent cable news told of the luxurious enemy trenches on the Strypa and BukoAvina fronts at the eastern theatre, an th e news recalls the discoveries that Avere made by the British after the fighting at Notre Dame de Lorette, on the Avostern front. The .Germans thought their position there impregnable, and they spared no trouble to make their dug-outs permanent, comfortable, and even luxurious. In one place there was a dug-out which had formerly been the German officers ’ club, and Avhich avo,s later used as a British dressing-station. In one corner stood a German piano, a large clock stood upon a wall; the sides of the room Avere cyan panoDed, with Avalnut Avood, and very well panelled at that. The quarters of the man commanding officer—the solidity of German dug-outs seemed to correspond almost exactly Avith the rank of their occupants —was astoundingly solid. Layer upon layer of timber and turf, reinforced by concrete, protected a snug chamber into Avhich entry Avas made by way of .a regular staircase. This room also was panelled and Avhert one movable panel was pushed up it was possible to Hook straight through into a communication trench. The idea was that if the main entrance Avas by any chance blocked by a shell buist the occupant could escape being buried alive by slipping out into this underground tunnel, Avhich connected up with the many other subterranean defences of the village.