WAR INCIDENTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15194, 14 April 1917, Page 6

WAR INCIDENTS.

RUSKS OF RAIDERS. "Be particularly vigilant and alert on your posts, as the Prussians are noted for raiding in parties of forty." These were the orders received at Armentiores bv the Australians (writes A. Y. G. in the Sydney Morning Herald). It was the standing joke oi sceptical sentries, being relieved in the small hours —"Look out for those forty Prussians; they're coming- over to-night." They did come over, however,,once, but. once only, and the baptism of blood which the Australians underwent wos the worst night's work the Germans ever did for themselves on this front. The only indication t&at anything unusual was afoot was the apj>earancc of a small red toy balloon about 4 o'clock in the evening. It wafted by and settled in our support trenches, arousing many queries as to its object. Evidently an artillery range indicator —as after'events proved. It served its purpose only too well. After dusk, as the night settled in, we were subjected to the severest bombardment ever witnessed on so small a sector of the line. Some 2000 shells were suddenly poured into our salient, front, and support trenches in the space of some two hours. After this the enemy raided, having expended enough shells to have battered down any possible resistance, or even the most impregnable of positions. Tor this partial success they paid dearly, however, as t&ey never again raided, but were themselves so repeatedly subjected to rough handling on similar expeditions that they were given no chance of rest. So nervy did Fritz become afterwards that they made the nifht one long blaze of flares, rockets, and other illuminants. It was a great to see the boys marching from th"'. training school to the trenches on the eve of a raid night. Hatless and equipped with a deadly-looking "nulla nulla" like instrument, made shorthandled, and loaded at the end with heavy cog-iron, together with a dozen homos, and a heavy military revolver. Thev all stepped out jauntily, for all the world like a string of crack footballers, trained to the pitch of condition. Tiiey were fearfullv formidable-looking. Specially picked men—all volunteers, in fact,--they gave the Germans such repeated towlrngs, that they must have bitterly regretted rousing the devil in our men.

"PARDON! PARDON !" On the Somme front at Pozieree on August 4th, the anniversary of the war, the sbh Brigade won two trenches, and learned what real war meant. Tt was stupendous, and seemed like a hideous dream ; a frightful, unbelievable nightmare, from which one comes out dazed and stupefied. After an intense bombardment of only some five minutes' duration, we scaled the parapet about 9 o'clock, and surged into Fritz's trenches. The first wave of men—the lucky survivors of a "heavy barrage fire-—occu-pied the nearest trench, and the second the enemy's further line of trenches. This was successfully accomplished, and held through the severest of counterbombardments, during w«hich the trench presented the appearance of a. shambles. The Germans captured cried, "Pardon, Pardon!" when faced with the cold steel. One big batch of Germans stubbornly refused to surrender when caught in a hi.? dug-out, and had to be brought to their senses. The officer said, "Are vou going to surrender?" There was no reply" "Well, share this amongst you," said the officer, as he pitched down a bomb. There was an interval of half-an-honr. when the scene was repeated, till tiie remnant realised that here were some apt pupils at war as she is played.