WWI ARGUS ARCHIVE: Full story of German defeat in Poland

Germans kept on the move

Tightening the allies’ lines

The German defeat

The full story of the German defeat in Poland is given in a message issued yesterday. The message contained a supplementary note, ‘Russian concrete is very solid’, – surely intended to convey a double meaning?

Of the truth of this the Germans have had abundant proof and the semi official note dots the i’s and crosses the t’s of previous messages.

That there is a pronounced strain of the barbarian in the cultured German has been shown by the atrocities of which he has been guilty and it is further exemplified in the display he has given of what, for want of a better term, may be called savage childishness. The bombardment of places for the mere love of destruction or out of sheer spite has several times been noted and now we learn from Petrograd that out of revenge for his defeat at Presenyez the German has been expelling a large amount of shells in other bombardments.

The Austrians too are being greatly worn down so that as an effective force they cannot much longer count.

In the Carpathians their attempt to pierce the Russian front only ended in them suffering enormous losses and as a result of the inferior fighting quality of their regiments they are incapable of making any attack in open office but endeavour to break our lines by advancing in solid masses which are mowed down by our fire.

This method of attack, as has been suspected for some time does not now represent the enemy’s idea of fighting, they have had too many lessons, but is an indication of the presence of newly or only just trained troops whose courage is only brought to the sticking point by the sight of shoulders right and left.

We are likely to see more of it soon.

The design of Germany to transfer large forces from east to west is becoming an increasingly difficult accomplishment.

From the west the reports are still consistently good and the French are making steady progress.

This progress it has been pointed out, should be regarded as rather a lightening up of the continuing line, than a serious attempt to secure ant decisive results.

General Joffre is constantly bringing about a readjustment of the German defences, thus disorganising any local plans and greatly jeopardising plans for the future, based on the idea that the German is on a secured position in any part of the field.

When the signal is given for the great offensive, it must not be imagined that it will assume the character of an advance all along the line.

Precisely what will happen or when it is intended shall happen is of course known to none but the great general staff but it is safe to say that at some point decided upon, perhaps at more than one point, a hammer blow or blows will be delivered with the object of breaking the line and driving a solid wedge into the German defence.

A report from Sir John French mentions the dashing exploit of Canadian Light Infantry, who, at small loss to themselves, captured a German trench, killed eleven occupants, drove off the rest and then blew up the trench.

The British Commander in Chief speaks of a reduction in our casualties owing to the mastery obtained over the enemy’s snipers and of ground gained by skilful trench work.