MASSES OF GUNS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17093, 27 August 1917, Page 3

MASSES OF GUNS

AMMUNITION UNLIMITED.

HUN TRIBUTE TO ANZACS3,

" I thought I had scon tho limit in artillery possibilities after tho naval bombardment in Gallipoli, and some of tho stouts on tho Soramo last year, but they aro insignificant besido present efforts," writes an Australian officer in a letter from Franco to Councillor K, H. S. Abbott, of Bendigo, states tho Melbourno Herald. "Wo aro on tho verge of very heavy fighting hero," he continues, "-such fighting as the world has never dreamed of. There are manses of guns, quantities of ehells, and millions of men on cither side. Each thrust and counter-thrust is bigger than Waterloo, and thoy aro daily occtirroiices. Our artillery is undoubtedly superior both in quantity and quality, and men cannot live in tho open against it. Tho German counter-attacks are simply wiped out with a methodical precision that is ono of the horrore of modern war. FOE'S MORALE SUFFERS. " In an area the British aro going to attack tho guns are whool to wheel for miles, with row behind row. When they open up all at once it is indescribable. We havo unlimited ammunition. One artillery officer told mo they had to firo it off to get rid of it, and make room for supplies continually pourivg in. Tho Germans aro getting, with compound interest, what they gave us in the first 12 months of tho war, and their morale is not standing it well at all. If they go back they aro beaten, and if they try to hold on and counter-attack they pro wiped out. They seem to be trying to compromise by retreating slowly. " Tho enemy's food rations have been cut down again,, and that will not improve matters. REPUTATION OF ANZACS.~" "The Australians havo done extraordinarily >weH during the past six months. They have been in the thick of it all the time and the Boches havo had to put their Very best frrst-lino troops against -them to try to hold the Hindenburg Jine. I saw an

article in a Grcnran paper recently in which they admitted the superiority of tho dominions' troops to their own or :iny other soldiers. I wonder if the Australian people will over realise opd appreciate at its true vahio the reputation their troops have made. I doubi it very rtruch Australia and Now Zealand are too far away, and thoy know so littlo of the happenings outside tho official comnuin iqu 03 "This work 13 destructive of all the virtues commendable in the piping times of peace, and many of tho returned soldiers will bo broken, unsettled mon, who will Qnd it hard indeed to tall back into the old ruts. I saw a typical caso tho other day—an Australian infantryman from Chillagoo, Queensland. . Ho had been as fino a typo of the genus homo as one could wish to seo. I was interested in him, and we yarned about our"experiences. He had belonged to the Third Brigade that made | the landing at Gallipoli, and wo had him on tho same ship before wo drove the Turks from tho shore. Ho had been wounded in the landing, came back and was wounded again in the August thrust. Ho came to Franco and was in the Pozieres slaughter. Ho was at the taking of Bapaumo, and all tho brilliant affairs done in very largo part by the Australians, who closely followed up the Germans when falling back to' tho Hindenburg line. Ho was with tho Australians when thoy broke that line near Bullecourfc, but were beaten back J by a weight of Germans ten times their number after all their tanks had been knocked out, but tho Prussian Guard had to be brought up specially for the job, and tho Australians so man-handled those German crack troops that they will 'be. of no uso for months. BROKEN IN HEALTH. This typical Australian got his first leave to England—tho first leavo of any sort ho had hadl since tho war started—six weeks ago, and camo back ill, and is now broken in health and spirits. "iio is a typical product of the war.. Ho is tho type of man who has made the reputation for gallantry and martial renown that Australians who stayed at home will trade pn as long' as history records the present' doings. Every man who has been here and experienced a European winter under service conditions will return

with a vastly added appreciation of Australia. "One of our new planes shot down a big Boche eeven-seater in fino style close to us to-day,. One dived on to him like a hawk on a partridge, and hit him in the petrol tank. The German caught fire ■when about two miles up, and fell liko a stone for the last mile. It was a sickening sight. Machine and men wero charred beyond recognition. If I get hit out in the next stunt, so bo it. I am a fatalist now, and realise that the pitcher that goes too often to tho well gets cracked sooner or later."