HUN SHOCK UNITS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10108, 16 October 1917, Page 8

HUN SHOCK UNITS.

THE FORLORN HOPES. FEW EVER RETURN FROM THE CHARGE. Details of the organisation of the German fonnitiou known as “Sto.-.strnppcJi. or “shock units,” published in Ainenca, indicate that lie.' German army id. the Font is now divided into superior and imenoi grades of soldiers, 'the “shock mills spedally formed for didieulr. operations whicn lire ordinary regiments are < vidently reraided as unqualified to uncloriH.vo, rao formed from among the young, vigorous men of the regular battalions. T hey me uearlv all unmarried men, or u riiarru-u are childless, and this regulation has been dialled for the reason that whenever they are sent into action they encounter overwhelming chances of losing their bw. - -. They, hi fed, resemble the “forlorn hopes of old-time wars, except mat they are r otvolunteers. ... ... German prisoners assert that sn.ihcr.-. vn<> are insubordinate or who do not taiie Linn \ to the discipline of the army are sent into the ranks of these special units destined to eacrifiec themselves in attacks on specially important positions or in attempt-’, '• nidi hitherto have generally proved yam. to recapture pavilions Mich as tiio f iicmiu Dames, from the French.

MORE UMTS TO BE ORGANISED. Until now each German army ha.; had attached to it. one or two battalions ot these, “.-hock - units.” Henceforth, according to the newest_ regulations, German army corps is to erganrso a shoe* unit” of its own. Orders have Leon issued bv the German high command that m certit in, Casas each infantry brigade is to have. a “shock unit,” consisting of a company, and the companies may be united, should circumstances call for it, into a. battalion to be at the service of the army corps com'"tlh! composition of such a baUalion varies, but. that of the second meek battalion” of the 3rd German army may be given as an example.. U war. vaamrUt bv a, captain with a lieutenant. as and it con si.xU d of four companies, each mustering one hundred men with th.ee olliceis. There was Uc-ides a. company « machine-gunners with six pieces, also a mixed tompauv with trench mortars and grenade-throwers, as well as a e-unpany oi men armed with implements for di-p ■-mm liquid tins Added to these was a shock fcattc-iw <>f small held guns. HOW “SHOCK” SOLDIERS Mtill T.

Tin., -3 shock units are never uwM lor tne holding of a vector-of the line they go into action onlv when c. difiicc.lt onoraimn H to be executed. The battalion is placed directly under the older-; of Hm o( ice. m command of the operauom \\« M the men are provided with bit... h-. but usually they arc transferred m U*- r - mom. cars .to the'place where thmr sen ices civ " often d part of the men of such a battalion are distributed in small units among m ordinary battalions engaged. Kiev -■ specially instructed bc-forchaml a - -, to n most, important points aim-« at m t-ic attack. and they act as gmdta to t.wir b ; _ specialised comrades. llu-ir won. ■ make, breaches in the enemy hue, to load the wav into die Allies’ tranches. to nest rov machine-gun emplacement.-, and neb fortresses with the help ot the, special cannon, and other weapon:, at- men- ms-p-wd and . vi-mually to aid m the ie» igam‘ation for d. fence against counter-:'tme.c ot any position winch may be eapmr- hj As toon at the heavy fighting-is oyu il o men of the “s'uak” unit" still remaininrr alive withdraw to the rear and rejoin rest of the battalion m readiness to b. hurried nil to any.other pan, ot the Ime where hot work is in progress.

'l'lip latest imitation of .he Captain of Ko-'poniclc ha? displayed. at .1® " oricinality of idea to distinguish him. Darina the rush of the Wi.itannti.lo holidays ho appeared in the uniform cl a railway olh. i.u m one. of tii" llorlin station... I lion*, ho hra/onlv demanded bribes to secure scats in Urn ‘outgoing trains, tnr.nn? p.'opl.s out of (•ftn-iii rr '-s to make room lor those who had tippl'd him. To pw.pl.* "h<> ronioii•d rated and threatened to report him. ho ohliViiitfly u'ave a name end a number, anti went on” o>llcctiuff substantia! ups. In a day or two hundreds of letters 1)1*trj.ii to sv/received by tin* railway authonMrs, and the senders ol_ these letters arc now pvtiinp: official replies that the outraucous conduct complained of by them cannot have been committed by a railway oflk'ia' a-i no one of the name and number mentioned is on the list of railway servants.