GERMAN MORALE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 October 1943, Page 4

GERMAN MORALE

NOT OF THE HIGHEST IN IN FRANCE.

Of course the Germans in France will put up a big fight when the Allies land there, an oversea exchange observes, but their morale is not of the highest. A refugee just arrived from France says this is growing daily more evident. They seem to realise that they cannot win the war. Arrogance has given place to sullen anger. They are bitter with the French around them, bitter with superiors who give orders in Germany without knowing fully local conditions. It takes iron nerves to withstand the mantle of hatred on the part of the population that envelops them. Anti-aircraft batteries are being installed at every important road junction and along the principal railway lines at vital points, as around towns. The positions of the guns are camouflaged as much as possible. If the Germans want them to be completely secret they are obliged to use German | labour to set up the batteries. Even then their positions remain secret foi - a very short time. Recently, German headquarters in an important town received a complete report on strength and position of five “secret” German gun emplacements, accompanied by a note, “You can hide nothing from us— French Patriot.”

In a moment of rage, a German officer, after using insulting terms to a group of French workers, said “Damn you, everything we do is known in London within 24 hours.” German officers who used to laugh at anonymous threats sent through the post are beginning to worry considerably at their persistence. It is not pleasant to be reminded for the twentieth time that you are a marked man, that there is a bullet wailing for you.