WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 25 November 1914, Page 6

WAR NOTES.

GERMAN TREACHERY. A French officer, who is in hospital in Paris, having been wounded in the head by a shell, has given the"Matin- a graphic account of the fight in which he fell. "At nine o'clock in the evening," he | says, "I received the order to advance'to' entrench myself as well as I could and resist to the end. My company took up its position in a pouring rain, and about half-fast two in'the morning three shots , fired by our sentries warned us of the approach of the enemy. "The Germans, who had been taking cover in the wood, crept to within a few hundred yards of us, when they formed up and charged. I commenced volley firing, and whole ranks of Germans fell, but they continued to advance. Our welldirected fire arrested their advance when they were forty yards from our trenches. "During the night, a bugle sounded "Cease Fire!" But it was a German bugle. I was not deceived and I shouted with all my power, so that to be heard by the enemy, "Fire independently!" and the Germans fled. A few minutes later, a German officer appeared carrying a white flag. I advanced from the trench accompanied by four men. We are fifty," said the envoy, 'and wish to surrender.' 'I replied, 'Advance in order.' Four men wounded in the legs staggered forward, and my, men, believing the fight to be finished, showed themselves above the trenches. A Maxim hidden in the wood immediately opened fire on us with a hail of bullets, while a fresh attack was commenced. "I gave the order to recommence volleying, and for a time the Prussians decamped. iThey left many dead and wounded, and the following day we found that six men armed with rifles who had fallen in the front ranks of the enemy wore the Red Cross on their arms."

"GOT TM!" A good story of Rn incident in the English trenches is being told by a wounded soldier who is at home in the neighborhood of Birmingham. He was wounded by shrapnel, and although still suffering considerable pain at intervals, laughs at the conduct of a comrade in the trenches with him. The soldier was a crack shot, possessed of an iron nerve, and lie apparently devoted himself to shooting at officers in the enemy's ranks. Every time he fired, he jumped up in great glee and shouted, "(Jot 'im!" This was said in such a peculiar tone that it was the cause of great merriment, and when his comrade who narrates the incident was struck down by shrapnel, lie heard the same shout, ''(Jot 'im!" and even as he was being borne away on a stretcher, to the rear, the gleeful exclamation was still to be heard.—Birmingham Mail.

THE FIRE-BUG,?. Specially constructed motor-ears, with large tanks fixed upon them, having short lengths of hose, and a spray fixed to these, full of petrol under pressure, are rushed through the streets, spraying houses up as far as the first floor, while infantrymen, so many attached to each regiment, follow with small reservoirs suspended in front of them upon braces made of steel, also full of petrol, whose business it is to enter the houses and sprinkle the interior woodwork and furniture with sufficient petrol to render the whole inflammable. These men also carry hand grenades of an oxtremely explosive nature, which they throw in the windows upon leaving, while others walk through the streets carry sticks made of some phosphorus matter held in metal handles, I which they only need to rub over tlio wainscoting and woodwork of a house to set it oil fire.

They have spared 110 sort of building, as is now well known—cathedrals, churches, schools, orphanages, convents, almshouses, banks, post offices, and all classes of private dwelling houses, from the chateau of the noble and well-to-do to the humble cottage of the workingman. Before they burn the town the J invariably enter those houses where they are likely to find anything worth taking, and begin by blasting open any safes that they may find. There are many cases oil record of old men and women and bedridden invalids being burned alive in their houses which they have been unable to leave. In some cases the infirm have been escorted out of their homes, placed out in the street or in some open place, and there abandoned. They usually, as at Termonde, set fire to a doomed city in at least three different ([nailers simultaneously, and at some distance in front of the advancing conflagration the rest of these soldiers of Attila loot the jewellery and other shops, paying particular attention to the wine shops, and stores.—Patrick de Bathe, in the Daily Telegraph.

FOR VALOUR. Picture an expanse of open country bounded 011 each side by forest land. In the open, behind the trenches, the French and German troops are making the air hum and scream with their rifles and mitrailleuses. In the forest land, on the French right, unknown to the enemy, a strong body of British troops have taken up a position. 111 the forest land near the German trenches it is believed that a force of German infantry with machine and field guns is hidden. Along a road that runs past this section of the battlefield the French reinforcements are advancing marching right into an ambush. Unless they are warned they will go to certain destruction, but who is to warn them? Ilenri Rogct, private of the sth Infantry Regiment, tells how the apparently impossible was accomplished. ''l was in the trenches with my comrades," he says, "when we saw our reinforcements advancing—to certain death, as it seemed. I was wounded, and behind me I heard my officers conferring anxiously as what was to be done. "We must signal to them," said one. A soldier rose from the trenches and began 'flagging,' but lie quickly fell a victim to the German sharp-shooters. Another took his place, only to share the same fate. The idea of signalling was abandoned. The situation was hopeless. We waited, while our comrades continued to advance. "Suddenly, from out of the trees where the English lay hidden, dashed a figure in khaki on a bicycle. He went down when he had covered only a few yards. Another followed him, and he too, went down; but a third carried on. Riding at full speed across an inferno of fire, with his head bent low over the handlebars, he managed to reach the advancing line of the French untouched, and to deliver his message of warnin». The French commander dismounted" trom Ins. horse, and, as in the time of the .Napoleonic wars, took from his tunic a medal he himself had won for bravery, and pinned it on the British cyclist s breast. "ft was given to me, mon camarade " lie said, for saving one life. I have the honor of presenting it to you for saving tlje lives of hundreds."—Central