MARCH TO THE RHINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1918, Page 6

MARCH TO THE RHINE.

AUSTRALIANS TAKE PART.

London, Nov. 12. Telegraphing from the British Headquarters in France, Mr Perry Robinson says:—

There is dead silence, but not the slightest cessation of military movement—an armistice, but no peace. Long trains of transport and steady columns of marching men and guns are flowing eastward. Evidently we propose to be as strong on the Rhine line as ever we were on the Somme, the Ancre and the Lvs.

The whole of the civilian population of North France and Belgium is turning to the old localities. Almost all are on foot, and the roads are choked with endless streams of people, including enormous numbers of liberated male deportees, mostly of military age. They pass us wearing tricolors and going straight to join the army. All tell the same story of years of forced labor, hunger, and brutal treatment. ''"'Aastrslia's five divisions have been resting and recovering their strength since early in October in the pleasant countryside, at the seaport of Etaples, and at Abbeville. Most of them are billeted in farming villages and old aerodromes. A large percentage are on furlough in London and Paris. The corps has been allotted a section of the line, and will march unceasingly after the Germans until they reach the Rhine, where it will take up the Australian portion.

The Australian artillery participated in the British divisions' recent magnificent victorv, and it (happens the German armistice delegates crossed the allied line just to the flunk of the scene of thrse operations. They came in several motor-airs, the first one flying a huge -white flag. It is reported that jprior to their arrival they conveyed a linossage 'to 4ftc Allies by wireless, to [ask the -Allies to cease firing on a 20kilometrc front about the point where [trrey proposed to cross the lines, and that tie allied advance should be. stopped at once. The Allies are said to have replied to this impudent proposal ttiat the advance under no conditions would be stopped, but fire would temorarily cease on a four-kilometre front. Then the Germans arrived.