The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-01-10
GET THREE HUNS TO EACH
CASUALTY
lnzaes Make Remarkable Record
During the War In France.

During the War in France.
-LOndon.-"For each absolute cas-
ualty the Australian army has sus-
tanned in its fighting in France it has
taken three German prisoners"
That was the statement made re-
Gently by Maj. Gen. Charles Rosen-
thai, commander OF the Second Aus
tralian division. He was q brigadier
general - command OF the Austria
liam forces which relieved General
Carey's Rondescript forces before
Amiens and stopped the German
drive. General Rosenthal related
some facts, hitherto unpublished, how
the Australians outwitted and out
fought the Germans before Amiens,
steadily drove the enemy back, win
ming jumping-off ground for the
British offensive effort which opened
August 3.
st had been in a hospital three
days, having been gassed, when / was
ordered to take charge OF the Aus
tralian brigade sent down from the
north to the Amiens sector" Cen
eral Rosenthal said. General
Carey's forces were about worn out.
The Germans we're preparing o new
blow against them. They could not
have held When the blow fell and
the Germans found they were up
against fresh Australian forces they
ceased the attack. They never
gained a yard of ground in subse-
quent attacks.
"It was open fighting. There were
no elaborate trench systems, al
though the men dug in. I had my
men dig only one trench-a front line
trench. We did not build rearward
defences. My men knew they had
the one line and would hold it, not
weakening their staying powers by
realization there was some trench I'm
the rear to 20 back to. We watched
the Germans building their trenches,
and when they got the first line
completed we went out and took il
from them. That was better than
digging them ourselves.
CAS- a consequence, the Germans
never knew where their front line
was. The artillery forces of the en-
envy would not shell it, for they did
not know whether we held it or their
own men held it. 1t was the safest
place on the battlefield.
Sometimes we'd take the Ger
mans front trench in daytime, some
times at night. We harassed the
enemy continuously. 1t was mid
summer and the crops were waist
high. Our men would 20 through
them on their bellies. For instance,
one morning at ten o'clock % OF our
men wiggled UP to within few yards
of the German front trench where
machine gunners were lolling about,
thinking of most anything besides an
attack at that hour. We took 48
prisoners, killed so Germans and the
rest fed. From July 4, the day we
relieved General Carey's force, which
was made up of 80 different units,
until August s, when the British
drive was launched, we advanced
our front before Amiens to depth
or $500 yards. Just two Australian
brigades did this. We broke up two
German divisions i'm that time. We
had simply stolen his troops. Ma
turally the Boche morale steadily
went down al ours went up. And
when the British drive was launched
the way had been prepared by our
troops.
"As an example of the way war
fare has changed, two Australian
regiments, with 1000 bayonets each,
were given the difficult task Of TAX
ing Mont st. Quentin, an action which
under previous standards would have
required at least two divisions. Our
men attacked, took this heavily for
tilted post, advanced $500 yards.
capturing 166 guns and 1900 prison
ers. And our total casualties were
So"
The Australians take deep interest
1n their warfare, not only because
they are well paid (privates receive
$3.50 day and subalterns $50, we'll
clothed and fed, but also because
every officer and every noncom and
private knows what an action Is in
tended to accomplish, not only by
companies, regiments and brigades
In his own division, but also what
divisions an either flank are to do,