GUERRILLA WAR.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13205, 29 January 1915, Page 7

GUERRILLA WAR.

SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENTS.

In parts of Southern Alsace 1 fighting has been going on intermittently since the first days of August, and the positions occupied by the opposing forces arc almost exactly tho same as then. Twice the French entered Mulhouse, and penetrated to the Rhine; twice the Germans havo beeu ready to advance on Belfort, aud twico they havo. been prevented for the same reason—the failure of the Grand Plan. - Thebattles of the Mame and flic Aisiif, and the magnificent defence of Nancy, have kept "Bertha the Zealous" occupied elsewhere, So it is only a village gained or lost here, a wood there; some pretty skirmishes, and many artillery duels.

Jt is further north, in the Vosgcs, that the French have developed to the full those remarkable qualities for guerrillalightiugwliich need not surprise anyone who has studied the exploits of the Camisords, the. Chounns, the tirail-. leurs in Algeria, tho contres-gucrrillas in Mexico, and the wonderful individual initiative that has characterised tho conquest of Morocco and the Sahara. Many 'Knglish visitors to ..the Riviera will remember the battalions of Chasseurs Alpha that wcro stationed there. Jt is mainly these mountain regiments, recruited iii the Alps and the J'yrcnees, that have held the Vosgcs from the beginning, and thoy play with (he heavy South Germans opposed to them like matadors with a bull, Occasionally the bull gathers himself together, and, with a rush, scatters all before him, but they are soon at him again, front, flank, and' rear*

"fighting-in the forest, lighting on ■ the mountain," writes a German ollicer, ! whose letter has been published in j the "Buorgerfrcuwl" of Maulbtonn. | i"Thesc words mean for lis terror and' j I spectres. The first terror is, the enemy j ,is always invisible. The second terror j lis, there are, sorcerers on every side. ! Third terror, wc are lircd on from every- j ; where. Fourth terror, lack of all con- j ! tact; no company knows whether it is j ;in line with the othors or already in the midst of the enemy. Now comes 1 the lifth, and worst of all—being shot !by our'own" troops, j "We take the greatest precautions; but in spite of that, groups of enemies succeed in interposing themselves be'tween ours. The French never show us more than from ten to fifty men, i who arc everywhere and nowhere. I "It-often happens in the evening. | that four or Jive of them will rush toj wards'us as if possessed, yelling and iiiriug so rapidly that wc think it is a i serious attack; then they disappear as .suddenly as they came. "Apart from,troop* of the Hue, we have chiefly Chasseurs Alpins as adversaries;' those galliards with Ihe blue 1 breeches and tho round. Hat caps. It •.is,a troupe d'clite, and well-trained. i They ; crccp noiselessly among, the ■ bushes/;: rapidly and .with remarkable < initiatiye. One docs not hear even a whispered command from ihe chief, and 1 suddenly they aro on Us like, wild'bcasts.'ul'.. Jivensiuce one of these- ' attuokM h.avo iult terror in all my limbs.'.'—English exchange. .■■ I .■' ; :;=====?==;,''. ■■ :