GENERAL JOFFRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 20

GENERAL JOFFRE.

A GERMAN TRIBUTE. LONDON, October 22. The Daily Telegraph’s Rotterdam correspondent learns from a German staff officer that Berlin military circles regard General Joffre as a genius, and that Berlin militarists were extremely nervous at certain stages of the French attack in the Champagne, but became calmer when the French troops did not succeed in breaking their line. General Joffre's plan was perfect, and unsurpassed by any tactics throughout the war. The wonderful co-ordination between the General Staff’s plans and the arrangements for carrying them out, and the successful and elaborate manner with which details were worked - out and focussed, constitute a remarkable achievement of careful generalship. The German militarists highly praise the Anglo-French troops, and regard' the Indians’ work as a revelation and in striking contrast to the newspapers’ scoffings at these “ coloured Englishmen.” The officer said that there was no such high admiration for the British attack. There was nothing but praise f o r the troops, but he was inclined to criticise the tactical scheme upon the points on which he eulogised the French officers. He admitted that the west front offensive had relieved the German pressure on the Russians at perhaps the most critical moment, when Marshal von Hindenburg’s attempt to envelop the Vilna triangle threatened a great disaster. The Germans had been compelled to withdraw large forces from the east front, and these had reached Belgium in a terribly exhausted, ragged, and war-worn condition, not being given rest after their three months’ continuous fighting in Galicia and elsewhere on the east front, where they suffered the severest privations, often being pushed on ahead of their supplies and told to get food in the Russian villages, but being compelled to search the dead on the Russian battlefields for their bread rations.

At last they were compelled to march westward for 10 days, travelling in a train

for five days. They bitterly complained of the harshness of their officers. The receives in Belgium had been withdrawn to the last man. Brussels and Antwerp on September 26 were denuded of troops for the first time since the occupation. Every man was hurried to the front, leaving only the Laudsturm, who had grey beards.