THE GREAT RETREAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1917, Page 6

THE GREAT RETREAT.

DESTRUCTION AND BRUTALITY DELAYING THE PURSUIT (Delayed Cables) Reuter'9 correspondent at the French headquarters says that in their retreat the Germans have, felled the tall elms which lined both sides of the main roads across the roads, or have sawn them half through to overhanging the road*, so that they must be felled or dragged away to allow wheeled traffic to pass. The Times' correspondent at French headquarters referring to the adbuetion of girls from Noyon. says that a French officer saw some captured photographs on the Somme showing naked women campelled to wait on German officers while dining. Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters, writing on March 21, describes a visit to Nesle wherewith were afforded some striking examples of the Hun's barbarous wantonness. The enemy had hurriedly departed two days before he iiad intended, and hence discontinued his work of pick-axing buildings and reducing them to mounds of rubble. The street bridges were blown up. It is reported that the Germans continue to carry off batches of young women "in. order to prevent the French employing them for munition work." They also contiuue to out-Hun Atila in devastation.

There are many stories of disaffection in the German ranks. It is known that they are finding it difficult to maintain food supplies. Some of the prisoners declare that they have been without food for some time. beautiful chateau of Etalon, unscathed while the Germans lodged in it, is now gutted of its contents. Every window pane is broken, every door panel bashed in, and every balustrade splintered. The inhabitants of Nesle had to attend a roll call daily, and the Mayor was made to stand alongside the commandant. Whenever a civilian failed to salute the commandant ceremoniously when answering his name, the Mayor was sentenced to three days' imprisonment. Before leaving Noyon, the enemy carried off securities valued at 19,000,000 francs-(about £800,000). IS THE RETREAT OVER? The Germans are incessantly strengthening the Lille defences and massing guns. It seems, therefore, now certain that the German retreat, which is daily increasing in speed and magnitude, has been planned on a larger scale than ori- 1 ginally supposed. If the St. Quentin line is evacuated, there is nothing better behind till near the northern French frontiers. Experts are divided regarding the real objective, some anticipating the Meuse line, and others believing that the Germans intend to shorten the front between Lille and Metz, in a manner enabling the retention of the trunk railway from Valenciennes to Hirson and Mczieres.

The Times, discussing the possibility of a German retreat Mcusewards, points out, that recent events indicate that the Germans do not intend to hold the strong defence works constructed along the St. Quentin canal, for the latter traverses open country with but few natural defences. APOLOGIES FOR RETREAT. The war correspondent of the Lokal Anzeiger produces another apology~for the retreat. He says that the German command did not intend to leave the enemy the initiative in the spring, and therefore tried to create an entirely new situation, while sparing the terrible bloodshed which an assault on the enemy's positions would have involved. The retreat nullified the projected British and French offensive. The correspondent gloats over the spectacle of "Empire death" in the zone before the German positions, in which not a solitary object is left. German apologists, however, are by no means unanimous regarding the object of the. retreat. Many do not agree with the Tannenberg theory, which means open warfare, and boast that the Germans are occupying entrenched positions surpassing anything hitherto seen. Several American newspapers publish an alleged description of the tremendous German defences in Northern France, to which the Germans are retiring. The stories are being circulated by German agents for the purpose of scaring the Allies.' There are "forests of now wire, entanglements," described as backed up V"trenehes more marvellous than any hitherto constructed." This is f several weird explanations circulated by the pro-German propaganda refc>.ri.a, the retirement. SOMME EASILY CROSSED. " Reuter's correspondent, at headquarters says that there was no trouble in crossing the Somme, although the main bridges were destroyed and the lesser ones damaged. Our patrols are now far east of the river. Prisoners recently captured unanimously state that the movement is having a demoralising effect, the soldiers not Relieving the officers'explanations. The Germans are showing distaste for participating in wholesale burnings, fearing reprisals if the Allies r "h Uc Fatherland. There is evidence that the hustling tactics have forced the enemy to ab..ndou lines prepared for a stand. REPRISALS SUGGESTED. The French newspapers are most indignant at tke German barbarism, especially at the carrying off of girls from Noyon and the wanton destruction of t'rs historic castle of Cona. It is suggept-d that the Allies inform Germany t'l-t a Germ«n town shall he. destroyed for every French and Belgian towL mined. GERMAN THOROUGHNESS. Mr. Beach Thomas (Daily Mail correspondent) describes how tke Germans, in their vindictive and wanton destruction of the abandoned territory, eve" crucified cats on doors. Reuter's Berne correspondent refers tj the significant admission of the pro-Ger-man Swiss newspapers. One paper says that the retreat of the Germans -spells tha abandonment of the policy of the war map. The Germans were forc»d to retreat in order to effect the reconceVration Sf the rear, and gain greater froedona of movement. SLOWING DOWN. Renter's correspondent at headquarters (under date March 23) reports the worst of pessible wintry weath»r. It had almost brought operations fo a standstill. The enemy, is offering a more organised resistance,' particularly along the line running north-north-west from the Bois de Sauvy, which is three miles west of St. Quentin. lie continues to maintain itron* -4rols »nd

cavalry guards in thr- most northerly sector, where many machine guns are posted at 'vantage points. It is clear that ho wants to prevent us advancing with the same rapidity as hitherto. The most tremendous activity prevails behind our new front, where the troop? are making the roads and railways. The inhabitants left behind state that the Roches are talking a good deal lately, and know move of the true situation than is generally believe-.!. They do not conceal their apprehensions of the prospect of another great British offensive—indeed, one possible reason for the retreat may well have been the doubt of the higher command whether the men would face another Somme-. As a staff officer remarked to me, "Don't you think there's a good deal in this very simple : idea—that the Boche is quitting because he knows he's be-aton?" Behind the recovered territory many thousands are toiling day and night, clearing up the ruination left by the tiermans. The Royal Engineers are working magnificently, especially building at the greatest speed bridges able to bear the heaviest transport. Masses of troops appear and vanish bewilderingly. The villagers agree that the German soldiers were practically and exclusively fed on inferior bread and marmalade, and a little canned meat, while the officers' fare was very little better, THE LIBERATED VILLAGERS. Correspondents relate heart-rending stories of the condition of the inhabitants of the reoccupicd districts of France. At Nesle were found famished children wandering ghost-like amid the ruins of their homes with bluish faces and heavy-lidded eyes. Some were prostrated and wanly smiled at the soldiers, who supplied them with the first iood for days. The enemy is sending women between 17 and 25 to the fortresses of Maubeuge to make munitions. The residents' faces and gestures depict weakness and illness and mental despair. ' There are pitiful stories of the invaders' last brutalities. The villagers ivere assembled while their homes were destroyed. They were enslaved and lately almost starved. There was a high' mortality owing to lack of inilk and other necessaries. Girls and'women were insulted, and there is an authenticated case of a German murdering a girl. The people of one village, including the priest and the Mayor, were lined up to be sliOT, because a few villagers watched a battle from the church tower. Mr. Beach Thomas (Daily Mail correspondent) says that the bulk of the enemy and his heavy guns have retreated to a defensive line beyond the present fighting. The retreat is shallow in the north. It tapers to nothing at Arras, but is deep in the south, especially towards St. Quentin. The northern pursuit is now difficult and hazardous, as the army is traversing sloughs worse than the. Pripet Marshes, interspersed with countless meres and ponds, lagoons, deltas and gluey ridges, and stinking pits, in which all traces of roads and villages have vanished. , Sl ,

GUNS ACROSS THE MUD. < Nevertheless, the army's herculean efforts overcame the difficulties, and bridged the morasses, and our guns are now booming on the further side. The first wounded from Bapanme have arrived in London, and confirm the fact that the Australian losses were trifling, and mostly due to sniping and isolated parties advancing too far. The field guns were moved smartly through Bapauine, the 13th Light Horse' working magnificently at Bcouting. Horses and men were fit, and the lattor delighted to encounter the German tavalry. One advanced troop had a fierce hand-to-hand fight with a stronger party of Uhlans, both suffering. The Australians were armed with rifles and bayonets, and the Uhlans with lanecs and sabres. They first cut up the Australians, but the fight finished with honors easy. The Light Horse liying squadrons are organised and ready to despatch to France. The Times' correspondent on the French front predicts that the enemy shortly will make a desperate stand, resembling that of the Marne.

BRILLIANT FRENCH ADVANCE. picturesque fighting in the great retreat (cables the Sun's correspondent, under -date March 24) is where the French are following up the advantages that are denied to the British, in open, firm country. From St. Quentin downwards the land has not been devastated by the terrible- winter, the shell-lire and the great havoc which are everywhere manifest on the Soinine front. The French, taking the utmost advantage of the prevailing conditions, following up of the enemy with astonishing speed, using cMefly the splendid national road throug'i Noyon and Chauny, till on' March 21, they foreed the passage of the Somnie, and thus threatened to turn the German positions on the French ri'jht, between the Oisc and the Aisne. The speedy advance apparently surprised the Germans, who turned too late to stop t ?l e forcing of the canal. Realising that this advance threatened the whole Ire southward, the Germans made eilorts to check the advance in the vicinity of Ka.3 and Chauny, in order to extricate the troops between the Oise and the Aisne. This resulted in the nost dashing open fighting. Correspondents agree that the French advance vi.s a remarkable co-ordination of forces. The artillery rapidly followed up, supporting the infantry, and the Engineers' work was wonderful. In one night they repaired IGOO yards of the destroyed road, laying down a plank road, over which the whole army, wi*li guns, munitions, and supplies, passed safely. Ee<iter\ correspondent at Paris (under date 2Sth. March) states that interest is now con?«ntrating on the sector of St. Quentin, which both tho French and the Britrh are ,'~proa j ing. T..3. French captve of the Essigny plateau, immediately "ow/h of the town, is notable, as it c°"fl''inds gap which is a direct strat "c route between Paris and Belgium, al«o marks a considerable s f ep towards outflanking the town. The Germans i.jognising the- importance of the positi ', made numerous counterattacks, all of, which were shattered with heavy loss. The representative of Renter at French headquarters, writing from Soissons, on Monday, March 26th, said that the plateau of Crouy up the southern side of which the French are fighting their way in the teeth of 'fierce opposition, is the south-western projection of the vast Laon plateau. Its surface is broken by countlc" ravines, which are frequently wooded. Under a clear sky and a bright sun, hot enough in the afternoon to tempt weary men to lie down and bask in its rays, the French are steadily driving the enemy from position to position. The wilderness of mud has disappeared and men and guns advance over the fields, taking cover as men did in wars a decade ago. The frequent fusillading shows that the rifle has come into its own again. The brlliant French capture of Red I ?-''iever a ravine on the Maubeuge

road gave the French 'he key to the 'whole of the- C'rouy plateau. The attacking regiments were mostly peasants, infuriated bv the sights of ruined farms and orchards. They stormed the position with irresistible fury, and repulsed three counter-attacks in (wo days. The enemy lias rot abandoned hope of retakin"' the hrid';e, and fighting is still raging. The French are also pressing forward on the lett, in the vicinity of Marsival, and on the right, in the vicinity of Vrogny. Every gain is followed by a counter-attack,' in which the Germans recklessly and fruitlessly sacrifice men. The enemy's position at Vre-gny is the strongest, his guns ami machine guns sweeping a natural glacis,