WITH THE SERBS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12688, 5 November 1915, Page 4

WITH THE SERBS.

ENGLISH CORRESPONDENT'S STORY. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. | Per Press Association. Received November 5, at 1.55 p.m. London, November 4. Alr It on wick, correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, lias reached Monastir t'roui Northern So r via. after a fortnight of thrilling experience. The main impression formed is the superb courage and endurance of the Servian army. The Servians are a people of njngnificent human qualities, wherewith thev face death, homelessncss, and hunger. ' He concludes his appreciation : "God, but it is a fliatiou worth saving, and that- quickly." He was with the Sliouniadia Division, ihe flower of the .Servian army, which opposed the attack at the Danube and compelled General Mackensen to ask for urgent reinforcements. At Sernendria they resisted three furious onslaughts,'and only succumbed to a lifcllish artillery fire that accompanied 'lie fourth attack.

Mr Renwick goes on to say that the Germans showered 10,000 shells inU» the Serb position at Malakrcsua, south of Semendria. After the position, had been captured' tlie Servian infatotry. which had been concealed 1 in a wood, attacked and drove out the Germans. Meanwhile the cavalry got amongst the retreating enemy, and did heavy execution, besides capturing three guns. In the' bombardment on Belgrade 'l2centimetre shells threw up debris to a height of five-storey houses. Every square yard' of the city was searched t>y machine-gun. fire. German aviators meanwhile bombed the fleeing inhabitants. Despite tlie reign of death and terror, attack after attack was driven 'jack, until at length tlie enemy gained a footing in the town. Then the most formidable part of the German task began. They were compelled to win the capital street by street, paying the price for every paving-stone. Each street corner was a citadel, and before the Germans were masters Belgrade was ji ghostly mass of smouldering ruins strew.n in the grimmest horror with_ a covering of dead. A little lad of fifteen supplied hand: grenades to five comrades, who kept a German company at bay for two hours. The boy was promoted to corporal on the field. The rapture of the hills, behind Belgrade was frightfully expensive, and cverv. one was covered with dead before it was won.

On tlie Drina front 500 Germans were launched across the river and not ;i sin pie man returned alive. „ Motoring from Pauank, Mr Renwick came -across Colonel Terrnitch's division holding an angle of the Danube and the Morava. The Gernvan advmw presented a wonderful spectacle. In the far distance a purple mountain n as lit ud by the lurid flame of the Germans? artillery, while the Blue Danube went winding below. Mackensen battered! away for tiro weeks without shifting the Servians from the Danube. "Wlien the retreat became essential the men were cheerful, believing that they had' so hampered the enemy's advance that Mackensen Would take months to carry out his scheme, hoping thus' to enable the English and French to succour them from the south, and wreck him. ' The little wliicli tlie Germans accomplished, Mr Renwick continues, w:ts due to the almost unbelievable artillery strength. It is now known, that Mackensen had only 50.000 men, but artillery sufficient for half a million. It. i.s evident that Germany is getting to the end of her resources in men. I have •spoken to prisoners from Flanders, from the French, Italian, and Russian front, and also to men from the garrisons of Germany, many of whom are only 18 years old. If Bulgaria- hadi not entered the war the Germans would never have crossed the Danube. When Mr Renwick'reached Uskub.-oii ih© 24th he found the Servians being attacked at four points, and often outnumbered by five to one. During an eleven-days' battle the armies were often only 200 yards apjai. Hantf-te-hand encounters of the most ferocious character were frequent.