New-York tribune., 1914-11-18
TELLS OF REPULSE
OF PRUSSIAN GUARD
British Official Observer Describes Fierce Fighting Near
Ypres-Some Tricks of War-Machine Gun
Ends Parley-Germans Leave 700 Dead

I they had lost. however. and this en-
abled ~ 60 advance also. To the south
east OF Npres the enemy's gnipers were
very active. On our centre and right
che eneIiiy's bomberdment was main
tained hut nothing worthy OF special
note occurred
"The fact that on this day the ad-
vance against our line in front Of Yprcs
was not pushed home after such an
effort M that of Wednesday tends TO
show that. for the moment, tho at
tacking troops had had enough.
German Courage Praised.
Although the failure Of this great
attack b, the Guard Corps to accom-
plish their object cannot be described
ne a decisive event. il possibly marks
the culm nation. II not the close, Of the
second sage in the attempt 10 capture
Yprcs, and il is not without signiii-
cance. u has also dramatic interest
Of its own. Having once definitely
failed 10 achieve this object by means
Of the Sneer weight of numbers. and
having done their best TO wear US down.
the Germans brought IN fresh pickeo
troops 3" carry the Ypres salient by
an assault from the north. the south
and the east.
"That ihe Guard Corps should have
been selected 10 act against the east
crn edge OF the salient may be taken
as proof OF the necessity felt by the
Germans to gain this point in the line.
Their d0gged perseverance in Dursu-
ance Of their objective claims whole
hearted admiration. The failure OF one
great attack, heraldad as II was by an
impassioned appeal 20 the troops made
in the presence Of the Emperor himself,
hut carried out by partially trained
men. has been only the signal for
another desperate. effort IN which the
place Of honor was assigned to the
corps d'e!ite Of the German army.
1T must be admitted that the Guard
Corps has retained that reputation Tor
courage and contempt Of death which
il earned in 1870, when Emperor Will
lam /. after the battle Of Grsyelotte,
wrote: My guard has found its grave
i'm front Of St. Privat,' and the swarms
OF men who came up bravely TO the
British rifles i'm the woods around
Ypres repeated the tactics Of forty-four
years ago when their dense columns.
toiling up the slopes Of st. Privat'
melted away under the fire of the
French.
Some Tricks Of Foe.
THAT the Germans are cunning
fighters and well up in all the tricks OF
the trade has frequently been pointed
out. For instance, they often succeed
i'm ascertaining what regiment or bril-
gade is opposed 20 them, and because
of their knowledge OF English they are
able to employ the information to some
purpose. On recent occasion. having
by some means discovered the name
OF the commander Of the company hold
inc the trench they were attacking,
they called him by name. asking II
Captain was there. Fortunately
the pronunciation OF the spokesman
was somewhat defective. and their Gu
rioyity was rewarded by discovering
that both the officer in question ana
his men were very much there.
There have Deen reports from so
many different quarters of the enemy
having been seen wearing British and
French uniforms that IL IS Impossible
IN doubt their truth. One absolutely
authentic case occurred during the
fVhtiug near Ypres. \ man dressed
i'm p uniform closely resembling that
of a British staff officer suddenly ap,
peared near our trenches and walked
along the line.
he asked if many casualtlea nad
been suffered. stated that the situation
was serious. and that a general retire
ment had been ordered. A similar
visit having been reported by several
men in different trenches. orders were
issued that this strange officer was to
no detained If seen again. Unluckily
he did not make another appearance.
The following remarks taken rom
the diary Of German soldier are pup
lished not because there IS reason 70
believe they are justified with regard
70 the conduct OF Germau officers ou'
because of their interest as human
J,cufoau- -