ELUSIVE GUNNERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12430, 22 January 1915, Page 4

ELUSIVE GUNNERS.

ENEMY ADMIT FRENCH CLEVER- • NESS. PARIS, November 4. The excellent work done by the French artillery and their aviators is evidenced by a, general .order which has been issued .by the German Headquarters Staff. It admits that the German troops, in spite, of their grcv uniforms, seem to be easily discovered by the French artillery■men. These latter quickly find out the range of their guns, and drop their shells v,-i£h murderous effect on the dense columns of the German infantry. It becomes the more necessary, says the general order, for Ihe German troops to take advantage of the lie of the ground and of all sorts of cover to hide themselves from the ever-present and active French aviators. They are instructed tc avoid- all movements of their batteries when an aviator comes in sight, nor is any attempt to be made to bring him down by rifle fire, as this may discover the position of the forces he is trying to find out. '

"The success of the French artillery," the general order continues, which has caused us such heavy losses, is due in the first place, to'the certainty with, which the French are able fX determine the situation of our own batteries, and, in the second place, t" the fact that we < annot find out with the same certainty (he position of the enemy's batteries. To enable us to cope with the fire of the French, artillery it that our reconnaissance and our observations should be pushed forward far in advance of our lilies as theirs aise.

"It is also necessary that our artillery should make more us-e of flanking fire. The commandants of units ought to put themselvesttinto communication "with their neighbouring units in order to be in a position to make use of Hanking fire whenever the occasion presents itself. "Above all tilings,: the. choice of positions for our batteries, which are outstanding features- of the landscape ought to be avoided, as such positions make the. direction of the enemy's lire easy to determine." "