ENEMY RETREAT IN FLANDERS
THROUGH DEVASTATED COrNTHY. /London -Times'and Sydney ' Sun ' Services.) LONDON. January 10. Rotterdam reports that the Germans are aullerdv retiring in the direction of Ostend. There "is the greatest poverty in the Flemish villages, especially in the Ardennes, where, the American relief cannot penetrate. Eighty per cent, vi the Belgian population arc unemployed. The Germans lack supplies. Many suicides occur among the older troops, but new levies, fresh from the atmosphere of victory promoted in Germany, are lull of enthusiasm. IX THE TRENCHES. THE GERMAN RANKS. {London 'Times' and Sydney 'Sun Services.) LOXDOX. January 10. " Eve-witues-." describing life in the flooded trenche-. ';iy> the wet clay causes thy stoutest boots to Rive way. In order to keep dry many soldiers go barefoot down the long communication trenches, only to resume "their boots and socks when they reach th& better-drained fire trenches. There is a. good deal of sickne-s in the German ranks, and some units have been temporarily with drawn. The German companies now consist of a mixture of a.~tivß soldiers, Landwehr. Land stum-.. Ersatz re?ervists, and volunteers. THE ENEMY'S STATE. DISEASE AXD DISSENSION TV FLOODED ELAND EI! <. LONDON". January 10. Received January 11, at .11.15 a.m.: " Eye-witness" states that the Germans ■ air; apparently using pumps, electrical ly worked, in the Lille district to drain their trenches. They attempted to rlood cur trenches, but failed. The Scheldt and the Lys have overflown, flooding whole districts in South em Belgium. Th.9 Saxon and Bavarian prisoners tretjuently abase their Prussian comrades, 't'hi .Saxons expressed a hope that, the British, -would shell some .Sixon trenches taken over by the Prussians. Typhoid continues to rage in the enemy";* ranks, and there a.re many i a.ses in the Belgian hospitals. The German losses were very heavy in iha last few weeks. The average strength oJ a company has been red in ed from 120 to 70. THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE. BOND OF SUFFERING. (London "limes ' aud.Sjdney ' Sun ' Services.) LOXDOX, Jumiary 10. *Tho Tiiut-sN' correspondent in Northern France describes a curious development of the Cliristmas truce, the British and Germans sitting on the edges of the. trenches under a mutual agreement not to fire. Huch mi impromptu truce, is likely to become more frequent in places where, the mud has mado progress impracticable. There is also a strong inclination on both sides to remove their feet from the water in the trenches to- avoid cramp and improve the circulation.
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ENEMY RETREAT IN FLANDERS, Evening Star, Issue 15697, 11 January 1915
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405ENEMY RETREAT IN FLANDERS Evening Star, Issue 15697, 11 January 1915
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