THE ANZACS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 19

THE ANZACS.

HEARTY WELCOME IN FRANCE. GREETING BY THE GERMANS. LONDON. May 9. The arrangements for the disembarkation and entraining of the Anzacs were excellent, British landing officers and military police superintending the transfer of the men from the troopships to the trams. Some amusement was caused on the arrival of the first transport at the quay. The troops, long accustomed to greet the natives of Egypt, shouted "Good-day" in Arabic. The Frenchmen, not understanding, shook their heads, until somebody aboard shouted "Vive la France." The cry was then taken up by thousands of soldiers. There was much cheering ashore, the town was beflagged, and the populace crowded the streets, women offering flowers and manifesting delight equal to°that caused by the arrival of the Indians in 1914. The Australasians' fine physique made a great impression on the French people as they marched through the cobbled streets. When the men entrained their destination remained a profound secret; even the transport officers did not know whither the trains were going. Some of the troops accomplished the journey while an exceedingly fierce blizzard raged, and the earliest arrivals at the British front were quartered in tents during the blizzard, which lasted the whole° night. It blew down the whole cantonment, but the men uttered no complaint, but merely crawled into dugouts and billets and shared them with British comrades Many of the Australasians felt the cold keenly. Some-of them fortunately secured two blankets before leaving Egypt, though the regulations provided for' only one. The British authorities thoughtfully distributed a thousand pairs of mittens. The moment the men entered their section of the front-line trenches the Gei'mans opposite them held up a banner inscribed "Welcome to the Australians." QUALITY TASTED BY GERMANS. LONDON, May 9. The correspondent at British headquarters writes : Hitherto there has been the possibility that the Germans did not know of the presence of the Australasians on the western front, so the General Staff had taken no risks by announcing the [act. The Boche, however, has now tasted their quality.

They haive drawn a surfeit of eulogy from the French troops, with whom they are billeted. The Canadians are also delighted to b'3 fighting alongside the heroes of Anzac. The Australasians, for their part, aregratified to be in France. Anzac was but a few hundred acres of "potted Hades," where there was no getting away from the eternal rattle of war, the sand, the dies, the heat, and dysentery. But the western front is the goal of their desire. They talk about *'' the great offensive," and they want to get on with it. Their officers, however, are giving them lectures, pointing out the strategic plans of the Allies, which will involve much time in carrying out. The newspapera welcome the Anzac3' arrival on the western front. The Pall Mall Gazette says : "We know that the Anzacs are in the very van of the Empire's resources, and are ready, like the Canadians at Ypres, to establish records for dash and endurance. Wo wish them all good luck." FRATERNISING WITH BRITISH May 7. Not long ago, when the German Chan* cellor was stating in the Reichstag that the Dardanelles undertaking was a failure, he little dreamt that the Anzac Army Corps had already landed in France, well equipped, in the pink of condition, and eager for their first clash of arms with the real enemy. Yet such was the case. Even while ho was speaking, the men from the first battalion were marching tt, the front lines. All along the route from the port of disembarkation to the front the Anzac:? received a cordial welcome from the French people. Women from the Red Cross and others met them at wayside stations with eoffea, cakes, and fruit. From the dripping dugouts of GalHpoli and the hot khamsin-swept sands of Egypt to comfortable billets and the springtime rural beauty of France is a great but delightful change, and the troops \vere thoroughly interested in their new Their behaviour so far has been highly satisfactory. They are billeted in villages and farmhouses, and they quickly got on friendly terms with the' people, and it was no uncommon sight to see some big overseas warrior nursing a baby, or with one or two peasant youngsters marching proudly at his side. All the arrangements made by the British army worked excellently, both officers and men being loud in their praise of them. On all hands the British and the overseas troops are fraternising, and everything augurs well for a successful campaign. The French people are wonderfully calm and optimistic, and consider that the Germans are already beaten, though non* can predict when the end will come.