GERMANS' BOGEYMAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14712, 18 September 1918, Page 9

GERMANS' BOGEYMAN.

THE SKILFUL, UNCOUTH "DIGGER."

LONDON, Sept. 4. The, German newspapers are widely discussing the Australian feats, showing that it m a popular delusion that the.. Australian soldiers ai'o rough Bushmen, brave and skilful/ 'but' uncouth. The Tageblatt- concludes a froiit-pa.<yp article by asking : "Why are the Aiis-tralia-ns always found at the most dangerous points of the line?"

Renter's correspondent at British Headquarters says:—' I We lately captured notes handed by enemy battalion headquarters to a relief on. the ,■ right. The following arc interesting passages: "The , troops opposite are British • (Australians)..; a pow erful type of f men exceedingly clever and versatile and very enterprising. J hey know how to creep through high props and capture our Outposts. .One characteristic of this enemy is that he takes few prisoners, but! bayonets or shoots everybody. The enemy also understands exceedingly, well how to plan prepare, and carry out large patrol operations. The hostile infantry shows great dash by daylight. At 8 m the moj-ning they occupied our outposts and front lines."

The extent to which the Australian Corps' prisoners' cage is i>'a'cked lately rather gives the lie: direct to the c i iarge ofj bayoneting and shooting everybody.