HINDENBURG'S ORDERS

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15191, 11 April 1917, Page 5

HINDENBURG'S ORDERS

VILLAGE FORTRESSES TO BE HELDREGARDLESS OF COST. LONDON, April 7. When passing through Aix le Chapelle, von Hindcnburg enunciated the dogma that while Gorman officers regretted the loss of life that the war had involved, they must continue to sacrifice men without remorse. The Germans call their new positions the Siegfried line. Siegfried, the hero of various German legends, slew the dragon, and then rendered himself invulnerable by bathing in its blood. In the end death came to him. He was treacherously killed by Ha gen, who learned that Siegfried was mortal bet ween the shoulders. Mr Beach Thomas, correspondent of '■■•■< Daily Mail on the Western front, states that the enemy is holding village fortresses under' the direct orders of Bhu'enburg, who reviewed the line three weeks ago. The captured fortified village of Beaurains provides excellent observation. At this point Ihe Germans have the thickest and thorniest wire entanglements, ,'3OO yards wide, and little further pursuit is possible here. At Neuville Bonjourval ihe correspondent saw Germans playing hide and seek in a quarry bristling with machine-guns. Our patrols attacked them with rifles and machine-guns, which arc now found to le a better and more successful formula than artillery. Horses pulled hoary guns up hill over amazing depths of mud and varieties of abysses. The enemy's rearguards aro poorly supported by arl.iMerv. St. Quentin is surrounded by wired trenches, into which the Hindenburg line runs. Further south 'the defences are more vague. Considerable forces of cavalry, cyclists, and armoured cars are still in action.

CHANGE IN FRITZ.

1914 ABRCGA.VCE DISAPPEARS. .Time*) LONDON April 7. Mr •!. P. Whitakei. who lias returned to Londou after a sopuro in Bcluiuni. states in hi.v third article in the 'limes that the German troops' t'eineancur contrasts with the they showed in 1914. They are broi-en-spint-<<i, war-werrv, sloven!\\ and thicadbare, and have abandoned hope of conquest by Hght, because they believe their homes in the Fatherland are impcril'ed. They fear the British more than they do the French, ilaig's constant raids have struck terror in all ranks. A German said: "The British are our worst horror. They fight for sport, jukl come crawling on all fours into our trenches, with their faces daubed with clay, and carrying knives, sledgehammers, and bombs. We arc compelled to light or be killed." 1 Green-uniformed gendarmerie, nicknamed "Green Devils," -ycle along the countryside with savage dogs, punishing civilians on the slightest pretext, and thrashing innocent women with the flat of their sabres. One caused a dog to attack an old woman, and laughed when she was ripped from thigh to knee.