“Beginning of End.”

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 35, 8 May 1917, Page 8

“Beginning of End.”

MAJOR-GENERAL LEGGE’S VIEW. Major-General J. G. Legge, C.M.G., C. 8., Chief of the Commonwealth General Staff, who left Australia in May, 1915, to command the First Australian Division at tgp Dardanelles, and who has since served with distinction both in Gallipoli and Franco, has returned to Melbourne.

Interviewed, he expressed the opinion that the present successful offensive on the Western front marked the beginniing of the end for the Germans. He was convinced that the German resistance would be broken by June, and ho hardly thought that the war would last another year. The duration of the German resistance, he said, after their main line was broken, could only bo guessed at. They might continue to resist until the last, or, on the other hand, they might crumble all at once when the Allies begin their irresistible drive, which would slowly send the enemy further' and further back.

As for the other Powers allied with Germany in the present struggle, he held the view that once Germany was beaten on the West front, Turkey and Austria would soon cry enough,, and collapse like a castle of cards. He emphasised that the more men that could be accumulated to assist in the push against Germany, the quicker the game would end. General Legge said the weather had nil along been a greater obstacle than the Germans. It was the mud which had held them up time after time. The state ,of the ground in wet weather could, he thought, bo best described as resembling bricklayers’ mortar. It was black and slimy, and in places the mud was so deep as to bury completely both horses and vehicles. He vouched for the truth of a story that a soldier driving a transport waggon was only saved from burial in one mud hole by standing on the top of his waggon. Even then he was up to his neck in slush. The waggon and horses were never recovered. With such conditions prevailing it was easy to understand that an advance was impossible. The infantry could move ahead all right, but it was impossible to bring up the heavy guns behind them. That accounted for the long, weary periods of trench warfare. The Australian troops, however, had made the best of the conditions, and were‘‘always in good heart. At times a good many were down with colds and chest troubles, but they mostly recovered, and returned to the trenches, after a short spell in hospital.