"AT ANY COST."

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 6 December 1916, Page 7

"AT ANY COST."

SIGNIFICANT ORDER

BY CHIEF OF GERMAN 3rd ARMY STAFF. The special correspondent of the "Liberie " in Northern France states that among the papers found ou prisoners recently captured on the Somme was a confidential document signed by the Chief of the German Third Army Staff, dated September 14, and addresed to all the chiefs. The terms of this document, ran as follows: — It is certain that the formidable attacks made by the Allies will continue and will be more terrific, the present fighting being only the prelude to more important operations. It is,i therefore, necessary to inform all troops of this. It is essential that all troops should remain at any cost, and to the last man, on the positions (hey have to defend rather than concede ground. All officers failing to obtain this promise from their men will be courtmartialled. The officers had orders to destroy tlre document after reading it