GREAT CIRCUS GIVEN ON RHINE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14987, 14 August 1919, Page 6

GREAT CIRCUS GIVEN ON RHINE

COBLENZ, Friday, July 11 .—American- soldiers who captured Cantigny and scored various victories against the Germans, are performing j„ a threering circus this week for the entertainTj en j °j the soldiel 's along the Rhine. Hundreds of German civilians were permitted to witness the performance by the payment of an admission fee of 25 cents.

The Ist Division is presenting the circus at Montahaur and lhe first performance was given to-day. The circus will continue for four days, with two performances daily. Excursion i iai »* wero run to - d ay from Coblenz to Montabaur for the benefit of the soldiers of the 2nd and 3rd Divisions. ihe opening performances to-day were witnessed by at least 10,000 persons, '"eluding Major-General Henry T. Allen commander of the American forces along the Rhine, and scores of French and British officers. There were side-shows, and refreshment stands and all ihe other accessories <'f •'< ivguation circus. TJ, e proceeds will go to the division entertainment fund. A parade is held daily in Montabaur. Army trucks have been camouflaged to represent circus waggons and ruinblo ° V -?u i cobhUwtonos' of the town along with elephants, hears, camels and ponies irom the Hagenbeck circus. There are * An m u er ,° f tl ' ai,,(ul n«imals. # All the human performers are soldiers, including bare-hack riders and acrobats. There are Wild West features with Indiana, a stat-e coach and all the fittings. Tlie Germans appear to enjoy the circus as much as the soldiers. Rehearsals for the circus began several months atro. Three hundred soldiers of the Ist Division took over a village near Montabaur and spent all their timo in training and preparing equipment for the show. Many of the costumes worn by the clowns and othpv per formers wu-e made bv German nirls m spite of the anti-fraternisation regu