POLLARD'S PICTURES

Grey River Argus, 28 October 1915, Page 5

POLLARD'S PICTURES

ARMIES OF EUROPE AT WAR. OPERA HOUSE, TO-NIGHT. This genuine picture of real war and life in the firing line will be presented this evening at the Opera House and icrms the whole of the evening's en_ tertainment. The prices are set- at 2s. and Is., children half-price. A special matinee will be given oh Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. Speaking of this great picture, the lecturer and photographer, Mr G. Holmes, who was recently occupied in Belgium taking photographs, gave some interesting impressions of what he witnessed; When war was declared Mr Holmes was in Germany, but succeeded in reaching England after being arrested on five occasions. He later proceeded to Belgium through Holland to take pictures. He witnessed the battle of Messines, in which he saw the heroic work of the London Scottish, who en. tered the fight with 1600 men* and emerged with 200. In the city of Salem, during the time which the Germans were bombarding it, Mr Holmes was able to get some interesting films of the blowing up of buildings, in which he was assisted by the signals of aeroplanes. Flags dropped from machines directed the fire and by these Mr Holmes was able to set his films in motion on a certain building in anticipation of a shell landing. In bombarding a town the Germans directed their attention principally to large buildings, so that inhabitants were comparatively safe amongst the meaner structure. The difference between the armies of Great Britain and those of the enemy as they presented themselves to Mr Holms were as follows., He characterised the German army as a huge machine, interference with any part of which would cripple the whole mechanism. Attacking, the infantry would lead the cavalry, artillery, big guns and howitzers. If the big guns were silenced by the defenders and the small guns proved ineffective, and the enemy's infantry observed that their advance was not being covered, they immediately became panic-stricken. Our army advanced in similar formation, but with an entirely different method. When the big guns were put out of action the smaller ones were rushed up. Rifle fire was next used until am. munition was exhausted and bayonets were fixed. The British then charged and fought to a finish. On one occasion Mr Holmes took up his quarters in an old mill to' take pictures of an infantry battle. The hum of bullets all round one could be tolerated, but a ghastly senstaion was caused at the sight of rows of glittering steel (bayonets) approaching. Three photographers secreted in some scrub were killed during this battle. Some interesting films were taken from their cameras. When following the Germans through devastated villages, Mr Holmes rode a motor cycle- He once found himself ahead of the enemy and soon attracted their fire. A. shell burst under his machine and threw him into a ditch. Before seking cover in a forest Mt Holmes stuck a small Union Jack, which he carried at the head of his cycle into a crack in a telegraph post. After the Germans had passed a British armoured car happened along and stopped when the flag was noticed. Hearing the car stop, Mr Holmes emerged from the forest and was tak_ •en to a place of safety. The number of bullets that went so close without hitting one was a surprise to Mt Holmes. Whilst in the act of photographing the King of the Belgians his camera was smashed to pieces and no one in the vicinity hurt. Were the Allies fighting under the same conditions as Germany they would, Mr Holmes declared, run over the enemy. Germany had wonderful resources and was distributing requirements from the centre of a t circle to its circumference over a network of railways of the same gauge. Some of these railways had been covered with grass for years and their existence was unknown to the majority. On the other hand the British army ihad to obtain their supplies from all i parts of the' world by means of every j description of transport.