BRITISH SIEGE GUNS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 90, 19 May 1916, Page 3

BRITISH SIEGE GUNS.

I BEST OF ANY IN' THE WAR. i BEETROOT' AS ENEMY COVEtt. Aboard tlio Ostorley which arrived at Fretuautle lately is Lieutenant J, Hamer. an Australian, of the British. Army Service Corps, who left Australia in December, 1914, served in France, and is now returning on sick leave, Lieutenant Hamer, who before the war wa.s the manager of the Sydney branch of an English motor bu.sinesa, went to France with the first four siege howitzers sent from Vickers. He describes these guns, which were invented and constructed since the beginning of the war, as being superior to anything of their kind in the war. The -12 ccntinietro of the Germans mijzht be larger, but lor general efficiency (Jie Brilihh wa.s the best. Thy 12 centimetre gun was not a success. Commenting on the thorougli manner in whicl; the Germans hid their guns, Lieutenant Hamer said that once his attention was drawn to a distant farmhouse, and there he saw piles and piles of beetroot (which is used by the French in the manufacture of cheap alcohol), Everything looked innocent enough, and yet this beetroot hid nests of machine guns placed on concrete platforms. They had had time to hide their guns, and this th"y, did very thoroughly. lieutenant Hamer has no doubt that the Allies will force their way through the German lines. He had,' he said, examined many of the German shells, and found that they were of very inferior cast iron—a fact which showed that the enemy was running very short of supplies. He was aboard the Sussex when she was sunk by a submarine on March 24, and said any panic was alleviated by the indomitable pluck and coolness of the British naval officers, who stood on the bridge au<l soon reassured the pas*

SOUTH OTAGO FREEZING COMPANY, LIMITED. These Works are now OPEN for Pat Stock. Arrangements have beon mad» with the Railway Department to ensure prompt forwarding of Stock consigned to the Works. When the regular train* on the Catlins line do not suit arrange meets have been made for a ehunt. The following are the recognised stock trains to the Works:—TAPANUI BRANCH. Train daily from Edievale, 9.55 a.m., arrhe Baldutha i!.;tU p.m.; Finegand arrive ti.ilO p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays, B.HU p.m. on Saturdays. (Shunt required other days.) Stations CLINTON to KAKAPUAKA. Same as above. LAWHENCE BRANCH. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday train leaves Lawrence t>.l!s a.m., arrive Fine-and J0.50 a.m. Tuesday and Friday train leaves Lawrence 7.15 a.m., arrive BalHutha lii.lo p.m. (Shunt to Fincgand about. 5 p.m.) Train b-'ves Lawrence ,| a ily at :i.15 p.m., i't-ri'.e L'auiuMia 7 .■!•", p.m. ■ >i::;i! to Finegauii, Saturdays excepted.) Stations MGSGJELMILLTkN (u,.-.). Wednesday, Friday ami Saturday train leaves Alongiel ]1».15 p.m., arrive Finegand (i.UO p.m. Wednesday and Friday, 8.20 p.m. Saturday. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday train leaves Mosgiel at fi.lo a.m., arrive Finegam', 10.5.1 a.m. MTI.TON AND LOVELLr? FLAT. Tnin leaver Milro-: daily at 8.45 a.m., arrive Finland 10.55 a.m. Kx BURNS! PE (Wednesday Sale,. Leave Hiiruj-idc 11.(1 p.m., arrive Bui■dutha o.'M a.m. (Sh tnt required to Finegand.) JAS. STEWART, General Secretary, Balclutha, January 24, 1916.