The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-11-25
BERLIN SCRIBE WARNS PAPERS NOT TO
UNDERESTIMATE THE BRITISH ARMY
II LIEUTENANT WITH A nzor,rrur
At yPBEB AND HAS
PACED THE ZOE
Says Popular idea They Are covsrds A.
wrong and Praises Their
Fighting.

Correspondence OF Associated Press)
bEtt-lN, Nov 1f--An earnest warn
British troops such As has been custom
airy with certain section OF the Ger
ma, man press Is sent him by a well known
bernn newspaper man who IL serving
as hrst lieutenant with a regiment fac
ing the British forces near Ipres.
with the idea that the British had legs
Only 10 run with and that real lighting
spirit or skill in arms was lacking IN
Biitish. however. showed that they were
us there in the vicinity OF Ypres must
De characterized as troops OF the first
quality. he writes. From the start.
ergy the British troops defended their
positions against out attacks. After be-
and u arsin out they Kept trying again
lacks. To regain the lost ground They
were supported most effectively BY their
y at least as good as ours. The British
mad also brought up heavy naval guns
"a ", the vicinity OF 1pres. and the Eng
lish shells and shrapnel caused us con-
siderable loss.
Captured Many English
As the British commenced TO feel
ments they made desperate efforts to
freak thrSngh our lines. particularly in
yhe neishoorhood OF Begelaere bat
tempts We captured about 500 EnTlish
including twenty officers
lies The ssve chief o6 strength Of the English
In the proper use OF cover. The nattIrai
hunting instincts of the sport-loving
speeial, iosns ,b out more stronsiy IN these
average infantryman. The minimum ~
hunting Instincts that We OF the pres
ent age inherit is brought TO a higher
degree OF development in the Engfish-
man, by regular participation In sport
'han In men OF other nations.
ne skill OF the British soldier in
utilizing every advantage OF the coun-
w was very noticeable in the numer-
GUS engagements in the vicinity OF
usually SO skillfuny constructed that
they could not be made out with the
naked naked eye. When We had stormed the
nrst trenches We were astonished to find
how well laid out they We're. particular
IA depth. side protection against
sheH. III tir,aEments. splinter proofs. and
plates OF steel and iron were built into
The shelter pits evidently had been
an extended stay. and our men re-
toiced at the wonderful canned goods.
, ,p,l beef. ham and other supplies
Dead were shAmming.
We were often struck with the great
ers we found in trenches we bsd
stormed. but We soon found that con-
siderable proportion OF the dead were
life again by a little pricking with the
bayonet-
The British often lay out dummy
trenches, setting up turnips or clods Of
earta TO deceive US. The firing line
taking full advantage Of cover. lies so
Tar In front or behind these trenches
that II suffers very little from our fire
directed against the supposed trenches
II OFTEN happens that we came under
heavy infantry and machine gun fire
from the edge OF a wood. returned the
fire and stOrmed the wood 20 find only
when we entered ~ that the defenders
were In the tops not on IN gound A.
patrols for some distance with the glass
and 20 far a. / could see they missed
none OF the fine points Of the game--
s9mething which cannot always BE- said
Follow New Tactics.
In night fighting the enemy often
Follows tactics new To Us. ~ In our
rule In night fighting 10 refrain from
Hhoottng. n possible. but to use the
bayonet and 20 shoot In any case only
when IL Il light enough 70 aim.
The allies. on the contrary. have IN
many instances adopted Tor infantry
the same principle a. for artillery fire
namely that Of strcwinE a certain area
BY night with fire
The village OF Eecelacrc which nv
regiment had stOrmed and occupied AZ.
ter nightfall. was subjected for hours
% such a hail Of infantry fire that We
finally had 20 evacuato ~. We then
occupied trenches near Bereiaere ami
were subjected the whole night through
10 fire from infantry and machine guns
which cnusod Us little loss 10 h true
but gave the tired troops not an In
stants rest That probably was ths
enemy's Intention.