New-York tribune., 1918-04-15
Officers Diary
Reveals Plan
To Split Allies
by The Associated Prcssl

teresting and Illuminating diary con-
cerning the great German offensive
was found on an enemy officer belong
ing to the Goth Division. He was killed
south of Hebuterne on April 6.
In this document the writer stated
that the general intention was to sep
aratc the British from the French, but
in any case the main effort would be
directed against. the former.
The day for the beginning of the at
tack. March 81, was called michael
Day" to symbolic the fact that it was
to be German Michael's" day of re-
venge. Michael is a popular generic
name for the German.
Writing on March IS, the officer said:
"We belong to the Seventeenth Army.
The commander is at present unknown.
The chief of the general staff of this
army is Graf Won Delmensingen, who
was with US in Italy. At last we are
getting further information about
operations on this front. Masses of
troops are moving forward.
Attack Aimed at Boulogne
"1n the saients south of Arras at
tacks will be launched at three differ
ent points, the code names for which
will be Michael l, 2 and 81 Zero day
is to be called Michael Day.' The
name is also the symbol for the Ger
man Michacl's day of revenge.
The general line Of advance is in
westerly direction to the ports of Bou-
logne, Abbeville, etc, in order to sep
arate the British from the French. If
France is left to herself she will come
to terms quickly; therefore the chief
blows are to be directed against the
british. Preparations have been so
thoroughly planned that failure is al
most an impossibility
"Desplte all this, if it should happen
that our attack is held up at any one
point it will be Immediately broken
OFT there and troops moved to another
sector. We have colossal amount of
artillery at our disposal. For instance.
IN our own DIVISION Of which only two
regiments will be in line. we have
s&ty-eight batteries and several hun
tdred trench hortars Of various cali
pfeS' Gas is to be freely used.
Vast Materials Ready
An lmmcasurabe quantity of ma
terlal is at hand for bridging trenches
and She'll holes to enable transnort
and artillery of the attacking infantry
70 follow up the enemy. Large forma
tons are following behind to deal with
0"e pooty' wounded and prisoners.
Our forward move is via Valenc-
enncS and Denain to the neighborhood
OF oherlsy: l have forty men in my
platoon. Their moral and general con-
dition is satisfactory. Evervthinp
passes on smoothly, and it is strange
to think of all the masses" of TROOPS
winch are marching westward on all
various roads over a wide front to-
night. Germany is on the march,"
On March 20 he wrote: "Our artjl-
'ery is four times as great as the
encmy's. Tanks are provided to act
as tractors for heavy guns"
ON March 21 the following was en-
tered: The attack was a complete sue
cess and the enemy was taken en-
tlTeiy by. surprise. Bullecourt, Croi-
Stiles and st. Leger are in our hands.
Many artillery regiments have also
gone up The spirits of the troops
are high, especially as we hear that
the affair at Verdun has also sue.
cceded"
Disorder Among Germans
On March 2s the following concorn-
ing the writer's division, Which was
in action, was written:
There was much confusion and
great disorder with portions of four
regiments mixed together. The British
ere hrlng great deal and our right
flank is up in the air. 1t is impos-
slhIe to keep in touch with our right
as they are too far behind. Consc-
quently, we are being heavily en-
flladcd We are faced with some cley-
erly concealed machine gun nests
which cannot be touched by our
artillery lire, and they caused US ser,
Gus casualties during our advance"
Still writing of the st. Logger -Ervil
lers sector, the officer said on March
80. -"' '"
eve and the 26th Reserve Division
have had fairly heavy casualties, and
h'vc very little success to show for
them, as the opposition here is too
we'll organized for u.s."
The final entry was on April a.
when the division had been sent into
lines south Of Hebutcrnc 1t follows:
I'VE arrived up in front at a. m.
The battalion had missed its way at
night, and was not in its correct 20
slt'on. 1T is an awful mix-up. We are
on the old battle-ground of 1914-'16. We
are IN the last lines, about two kilo-
metres south of Hcbuterne. There are
cultivated fields in front Of US. It is
terribly bad weather. in the evening
we arc to take up our correct posi-,
ton, which will be very difficult mat
ter, as the troops of five or six diff
ferent battaions arc all mixed to-
scther."