WEST FRONT

Evening Star, Issue 16663, 20 February 1918, Page 3

WEST FRONT

PRISONERS' TALES OF ENEMY PREPARATIONS. _ _ LONDON, February 19. The United Press correspondent writes : Civilisation is on the threshold of the most colossal battle of all time. Tho German offensive is expected momentarily. The Germans will for the first" time use tanks. Some, like the British, are equipped with mortars, others with machine guns. Their speed is almost four miles an hour. They will probably attempt to smash the British between Arras and St. Quentin, and this attack will synchronise with blows elsewhere. Trench mortars will be directed against out entangments. and from the support trenches guns will play upon battery positions, and railways suspected of beinrr concentration points and approaches. Aheavy percentage of gas shells will be used everywhere against the troops, and endless waves of infantry will follow- like cattle through the holes. They hope thus to tear their way in. Gorman officers are telling their men tho wildest stories of the infallibility of the scheme, but. according to prisoners, the men are doubtful.