A PAGE for EX SERVICEMEN

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 11 (Supplement)

A PAGE for EX SERVICEMEN

Trooper" Looks Back Winter On The Western Front

DURING the winter of 1914-15 four million men lived like human moles in the bog that was the Western Front. The soaking autumn rains and a moist, mild winter turned the fields of France and Flanders to slusli. An attack by either side meant the storming party sinking to its knees, being hopelessly entrapped and an easy vie" tim to shooting for his enemies. Nothing could be done until the spring, when the wind would dry things up| making movement reasonably possible. Something in the nature of attempts to carry on the war were made at Soissone and on the la Bassee Canal, at Bcthune. Soissons Here, on January 8, 1915, 10.000 French crossed the Aisne by a series of pontoon bridges and attacked the heights of Soissons:' Heavy fighting took place. The French failed in their objective but secured a position commanding the heights. Particularly is this engagement noticeable for the extravagant claim of the Germans that they killed or took prisoner double the number of French actually engaged. The French lost some 5000 troops.

Four Million Human Moles

Round Bethvyie and the La Bassee Canal—familiar country to many New Zealanders—there took place in early February several sharp engagements. In one of these Michael O'Leary, of the Irish Guards, won his V.C. O'Leary was one of the leaders of storming parties sent over and who captured German posts. Rushing ahead of his comrades in the face of a sweeping rain of fire Michael shot some of the Germans holding the first post and bayoneted the rest. He then carried on to the next post, (30 yards further on, where he shot three more and captured two. A great day for the Irishman. Lack of Armament The sodden fields were not without their compensation. They at least gave the Allies time to prepare in a more adequate fashion for the task before them in the coming spring. Guns and ammunition were sadly lacking at the front. Germany held a distinct advantage in this direction. France was alive to the need and was feverishly producing supplies.

Britain, however, was not in such a happy condition. She had the men, but the men did not have anything like sufficient ammunition—or guns. The British artillery was dependent on the French for high explosive shells, being confined itself to shrapnel, which was not much use in destroying protected positions. War Office and Parliament. Sir John French found himself in a very unhappy position, at the mercy of the War Office and Parliament. The one was obsessed with the idea that it held the last word in military science; the other, devoid of knowledge to appreciate or solve military problems, thought shrapnel more useful than high explosive. Machine guns were considered by these politicians a luxury, and sparsely supplied. The lack of cooperation and organisation between those responsible in London resulted in Britain producing in a month less high explosive shell than German and Austrian factories were turning out in one day.

Thanks to that courage which is the Britisher the world over and a change of heart —later—among the "Heads" in London when the spring offensive opened the British troops did a good job in spite of this lack of support from Whitehall and Westminster. Navy Helps The British Navy, in traditional manner, was readier than the Army for the task, so much so that it could give for the use of the troops some heavy guns. Mounted on carriages these proved an invaluable help. One in particular, a 9.2 in, with a range of over eight miles and its fire directed by aeroplanes proved a weapon of tremendous destruction. Trench Feet The sodden trenches and dugouts together with wet, tight puttees and long spells of duty in the front line brought about a malady of the feet and legs—trench feet —which caused loss of spirits and efficiency. This same malady remained with the troops throughout the whole campaign in Europe. Measures such as frequent spells behind the lines and issues of whale oil lessened its prevalence to some extent.