WAR ITEMS

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13178, 6 October 1914, Page 3

WAR ITEMS

5*" V ' ' JaTOHENBR'^WAY/ v; .'Lord Kitchcnci's methods nro illiw'V tiatcd by a clmrncterislic incident j which occuired soon after his acceptance of the War Secrctnrvship. II<J gent to tho Post Oflico nnthonties n requisition foi Unity expeiienced telegraphists for the Aimy on active serThe Department's staff bad alleady been senously depleted by the demands of the wai, and a high Post Office official informed Lord Kitchener that the men could not be spaiod. < • Tell linn that if the men are not sent in half an hour I'll come and take them myself," wai the War Seerelaiy's v cuit ultimatum. A messenger was immediately sonf , ioiuhl the staff at woik, anil the thirty belected men were on the way to tliejr new duties before the half-hour cx ; pired.

.__:;■■' "WniSTLING JIMMY." ,Lienlenant-Oencral Sir James Grierson died of heart failure while travelling in a train in France. "Whistling Jimmy," as General Gi'ierson was popularly called in the Army, was a quiet, cheerful, unaffected leader of men, for whom his troops always had a great affection,' > .'He was in command of the Second Corps of the British Expeditionary Force abroad. j3ir .Tallies Griersnn had seen a great deal of active service in Egypt, the Soudan, the llama Expedition, South Africa, and China, and was a thoroughly/accomplished staff officer. yHis knowledge of the German army ivns acquired at. first hand, for ho served Kinder Count von Waldersee with the 'allied troops in (Jliin'a in 1900, and was subsequently military attache at the British Embassy in Berlin. He published several military works, which are universally regarded.as of great value, and his handbook on the Russian army is a classic. He was Director of Military Operations from 1904 to 1905, commanded the Ist. Division at Aldershot 190G to 1,910, and since 1912 lias been general officer commanding the Eastern Command.

RATHER AN OPTIMIST. In the opinion of General Bonn.nl, a French military authority of worldwide repute and head of the great military school at St. Cyr, the war will be ovor by October. The first great victory, he thinks, will be gained by the French at the end of this month. The second and final great battle will be between the British, Belgian, and French and the Germans on the Ithiuc, between Strasburg and the line MaiiizCoblenz, DARING AIRMAN'S ESCAPE. The daring escape of a French military aviator from a seemingly hopeless position i 3 described in the Figaro (Paris) of August 181 h, The hero of the story is a cavalry captain of the French Flying Corps. Eeturning from a long reeonrioitrin'g ; flight, he was compelled to'descend,' owing to a breakdown, when still about twelve miles from the French frontier. After examining the machine, the officer found the fault to be irreparable. Just at this moment a Uhlan lieutenant with a troop appeared in the distance, advancing at a gallop. Rapidly taking in the situation, the French ofEjeer flmashed the petrol tank, and then, with arms crossed, and standing in front of his aeroplane, calmly awaited the approach of the enemy. As soon as the German lieutenant wa9 near enough, the aviator shot him point blank. lie then set -fire to his machine, which by this time was well soaked in petrol, and, jumping on the horse of the dead lieutenaul, made off at full speed, vainly pursued by the Uhlans, whose horses were inferior to that of their officer.—Renter.

■ "WITH MY MEN." The spirit of Ihe troops is illustrated by the following typical incident at Amiens:— The colonel of n regiment was waiting on the platform with his men when the slationinaster saluted, saying: "Your compartment is in the special carriage in the front of the train." "Never mind about my compartment," said the colonel. "My place is among my men, Letters from soldiers all emphasise the kindness of the officers to their men, HE SHOWED FIGHT. A German aeroplane which was brought down recently at Asterrcbeck by Belgian soldiers, was mounted, according to the Patriote, by an armed officer, on whom military information was found. After coining to earth the officer endeavoured to fire on the Belgians. He bad both'legs' brokou, TO TRAP GERMANS. It has already become a saying among the Belgian soldiers that the best way to capture the Uhlan is to offer him a slice of bread and butter! Several mounted Belgian officers who had returned from the front, said a war photographer, "informed me that if was quite n common thing for German outposts anil others to come into villages occupied by Belgian soldiers and surrender simply (o obtain food."

SPIES IN DOVER. ( A soiHailnn was caused at Dover by ' tlifi nrrosl of a member of the naval .harbour boom defonee party, whoso . net ioiiß hail created suspiftion. : ■Accidents had; twice occurred lo material parts of the bopm-bneo putting '. it-completely out bf action—while this man's parly was,employed. His arrest was'brought about by. a conversation overheard by a sentry. . It is stated that plans of the boom defences and a camera were found on tim;.. • ,'■■•; v; ■•■,; . .■£/.■• ;■■■■■■■■■-:.■-<■■ -.-:...~-IJL;.:^I,Jt L