Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-06
UUC0I7l[IVT lHktlT 0lV
FIELD SHOWS KAISER
SHORT OF MUNITIONS
Captured Address of German
Corps Commander DiScIoSeS
Inner Thoughts of the Gen.
eraI Staff
(By associated Prsss1

(By associated Prsss.l
| WAR CORRESPONDENTS HEAD
QUARTERS IN FRANCE, Oct. 4.-(Via
London. Oct. 5.)-Germany is short of
guns, aeroplanes and war material of
all sorts, but not of food, according to
most senastionally interesting docu-
ment the British have captured. which
is called "the experiences of the fourth
German corps in the battle Of the
Somme."
The document was written as instruc-
tions to the troops. II was drawn from
the lessons OF the battle by Count Won
Arnim, the corps commander, who has
been fighting opposite the British
throughout the offensive. This long de-
tailed revelation of the innner thoughts
of the German staff discloses the meth
DDS and shortcomings Of every branch
of the German army in view of the I'M
expected power and organization the
British have shown. The document
starts out by paying a tribune to the
British infantry (which undoubtedly
has learned much since last autumn's
offensive"
"It shows great dash In attack" the
document continues "The Englishman
also has physique and training in his
favor. One must acknowledge the skill
OF the English in rapidly consolidating
captured positions and their great tenaci-
~ in the defense of them"
Because the breech actions of so many
German rifles have been clogged with
dirt General Won Arnim suggests in the
document that IT would be advisable to
fit a cover over the breech of the rifles
| like that used IN the British army,
which can be easily unfastened and then
hangs from the rifle.
Explicit instructions are given in the
document to the artillery to change
their methods of placing batteries I'm
the villages and behind steep slopes
because of the British method of dis
tribution of their artillery fire, which
prodigally searches all obvious shelters.
Owing to the terrific concentration of
the British artillery fire, says the docu-
ment, front lines of trenches should
be thinly held and dependence placed
on small groups of machine gunners.
Once the British lay a curtain Of fire
on trench, 1t adds. the men had bet
ter evacuate it and lie down in the
open.
Most interesting TO the officers in
view of the fact that the British have
so consistently held ground they have
taken against counter attack, is what
General Won Armin says on the sub
feet:
'If counter attacks, which on account
of the situation ought to be methodiCal-
ly prepared, are hurried they cost much
blood. because the troops lose their trust
in the leaders If they fail, which nearly
always happens" says General Won
Arnim.
He then complains that the existing
telephone system has proved totally in
adequate in consequence of the develop
ment of the fighting" and says the ar
/ tillery signal system broke down. The
commander asserts that he had discov-
! cred that British aeroplanes use sound
signals to tell gunners where their shells
are falling, and says the fourth corps
has already started experiments on the
same kind of method as complement
to the wireless. which is frequently in
terrupted.
The numerical superiority OF the
British airmen and the fact that their
machines were better made is disagree
ably apparent to us" general Won Arnim
says, and he speaks of the surprisingly
bold procedure of British airmen, who
were often able to fire successfully
over our troops with machine guns by
descending to within a few hundred feet
of the ground" He adds that the Ger
man anti-aircraft guns could not con-
tinue firing at that height without eX-
posing their own troops to the serious
danger of shell fragments"
before Ant btNlle VI tire SODlll6 arr
men kept at anywhere from 5000 to 49,
900 feet over the lines on account of
anti-aircraft gunfire.
General Won Arnim in the document
warns his infantry to use their rifles
against the daring British aviators. lie
says that the ammunition supply and
the artillery are inadequate and that
maps were insufficient in quantity and
bad as regards details. Also the supply
h Ii,,,{E
OF the food supply General Won Arnim
says:
mo special difficulties arose. The sup
ply columns proved sufficient"
But he emphasizes the importance of
mineral waters and beverages, which the
British have always found plentiful in
captured German trenches, and says that
the troops cannot have too much of all
kinds of sausages and meat when fight
ing. Dried herring are useful as they
increase thirst. Alcoholic drinks need
not be served out to the troops in dry,
warm weather, but solidified alcohol for
cooking warm meals has proved useful.
I Fresh troops, says the document,
should always be used for attack. They
should avoid sunken roads and natural
cover, as the British with their plenti-
full gun fire are sure to have these points
registered by their guns and turn loose
on them Immediately an attack starts.
General Won Arnim emphasizes the value
of the steel helmets which the French
first introduced and with which the
Germans are not yet fully supplied
AS an idea of the amount Of ammuni-
ton such battle conditions as those Of
the Somme require, General Won Arnim
says that a battery of four field guns
should have 1900 rounds at the battery
itself, aside from it's reserve supply.
Indeed, General Won Arnims cry is for
more guns, aeroplanes and ammunition
everything except food.