WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 10 February 1915, Page 7

WAR NOTES.

TRIUMPH OF TIIE COMMISSARIAT. . Among the invaluable services ren- I I liral to the whole country by the i -aravaii of French war correspondent:: , now being personally conducted I uuiy the line of battle by one of the Stau officers is the cheerful picture of the efficiency of the commissariat they arc drawing for the Parisian dailies, like the "Matin," the "Echo de Paris," the "Journal," the "Petit Parisie'n," and the "Petit Journal," whose circulation embraces all Prance, including to some extent (thanks to British and Trench aviators) the five departments still in German occupation.

British soldiers who from time to tim u are returning from the front with missions for Paris, Versailles and Orleans, speak with bubbling enthusiasm of the cure, the skill and the consummate success with which the British Expeditionary Force lias been fed. Only the other day I was chatting with several English officers who are convalescing at Versailles. One of them was through the South African war, and a younger officer laughingly said: "Ladysmith was child's play compared •with the siege of the Yseiv" "Perhaps," was the colonel's eom- ' mcnts; "but no army in any campaign has been so magnificently supplied as ours is. The fighting is terrific, .but thanks to the motor lorries and the cooperation of the French railways, and the Director-General of Supplies, and the Inspector-General of Lines of Communication, the English groceries and the French cattle and French flour, it is proceeding almost amidst luxury." M. de Feuquieres, one of the French correspondents, whose automobile landed him without sound, though not yet within range of the guns, says: "I found that if a convoy of provi- ' sions is a quarter of an hour late, it is a serious event, and the oflicres wonder if it has been captured. German prisoners say they have often to wait not merely fifteen minutes but twentyfour hours and even a week. I talk to officers. I say bon jour to the soldiers. Not a discordant note anywhere. "Everybody praises the victualling corps. One mouthpiece for many said to me: 'lt's marvellous how thev feed us. We get the best of everything. We are the spoilt children of France. Hardship 1 Privation? Nonsense. Hellish shell'fire? Of course. What are we here for? We have hot cofTee, hot chocolate, and cakes whenever we want them. An'd wine, good wine, too. And even cognac never fails. Sometimes our tobacco disappears, but our friends at -home are always remembering us, and the supply is soon replenished." M. de Feuquires adds that England and France now know the nature of the task before their sons and are taking care of them.—ll. Cozens-Hardv in the Chronicle. FIGHT IN THE FOG. Warneton, on the Lvs, to the northeast of Armentieres. has been of late the centre of .very fierce fighting, as the Germans have here made several violent efforts to pierce the Allied lines. Not only have they failed to do so, but the French have gained ground by punishing counter-attacks. Of one of these, successfully carried out on November 4, the Liberte tells a story. In it two French infantry battalions surprised a Prussian regiment and captured an artillery battery. The French commanding officer had learned that the Bth Regiment of Prussian Infantry, supported by a battery, was posted near a village some five miles away. Two infantry batalions were ordered to advance during the night, and attack the enemy's positions at daybreak. On that night, as on others during the last week, there was a thick fog under cover of which the French troops arrived close to the enemy without being discovered. The first battalion concealed itself in a little wood to await the dawn, whilst the second made a tour of the village and posted itself in a farm behind. At eight o'clock the fog began to lift. It was the moment the French had been waiting for. The Ist Battalion left the shelter, and made a sudden dash into the village. The Germans were taken by surprise, but soon rallied, and attempted to defend themselves. But at this moment, the 2nd Battalion appeared in their rear. Seeing themselves surrounded, the enemy iost heart. The majority surrendered. The rest were killed. 'Not a single man escaped. In the meantime, a few resolute men had attacked the battery and struck the gunners down before they Tiad time to fire. When the two battalions, a couple of hours later, returned to camp, they were warmly congratulated by their colonel, who brought their brilliant action before the general commanding the army corps. At the cost of insignificant losses they captured a .battery and taken 350 prisoners.

BATTLEFJFXiD'S GIIIM INCIDENTS.

A member of the Royal Army Medical Corps gives the following vivid picture of a battlefield after the guns had ceased 'firing:— The last fight I was in the carnage liad been fearful, and dead and dying of both sides were piled together. In 'one corner yon would see a British Tommy with a bad wound lying wita 'his head pillowed on the shoulder of a ■dying German, while a Frenchman near by was doing his host to cheer them np, and emptying his pockets in quest of some treasures to soothe the last moments of the other two. Close by a British Guardsman was propped against a tree smoking a cigarette and gazing intently at a photograph. Near to him was a wounded Frenchman holding a little glass in one hand while lie tried to 'curl a straggling moustache with tiie other. Further along I law two men, a French artilleryman and a British rifleman, quietly playing cards while awaiting their turn to be taken to hospital. Next to them was a man of the Cameron Highlanders, with both i legs shattered, munching a stick of j chocolate and trying to hide the twitchI ing of his face, as the pain racked his {lody. T approached 'another )!Tighlander. "It's ma birthday the day," was what he said with a wrv face, and tefore the words were out of his month : he was dead. Under a. little cluster of ' trees we find a pnrtv of wounded C!el'j mans, English and French men. They j were quietly praving for what they he- ! lieved to lie the last time 011 en Ml. Itoyond them a 'Seaforth Highlander was ivincr with his Testament open at the story of the Crucifixion. ITe was beyond human aid. THE DEBT PAYABLE. What have T given. Bold sailor on the sea, In earth or heaven. That you should die for me? I What can T give. 0 soldier. leal and brave, ) Long as I live, To pay the life you gave? What tithe or part, Can T return to thee, 0 stricken heart, ' That thou shonlitM breafc for me? 1 The wind of Heath, For you has slain life's flowers, Tt witherith, (God grant) all weeds in ours. —E. W, Bouldillon, 1 ! Copied from the Spectator, of December 5 th. 101-t,