The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-10-14

was crowded up and our own Land Mehr corps to the north bank of the V1stula. The Austrian army south of the Nfstula was strong enough to meet any demands that might be made on it. Most of the transport supplied for our columns and trains was too heavy for the Polish theatre of war Tn any case, we had not enough of them. ! therefore asked General Won Conrad 10 | requisition lighs. transport, and he let us have all we wanted It consisted of quite light vehicles. drawn by small. | hardy horses and driven by peasants. These were soon given the nickname of Panic" transport. Panic" horses and Panic" wagons also distingu uish ed themselves on the western front. The origin of the name was the habit of drivers addressing one another as i Panic" meaning sir" Our men also used 10 address them in that way.
 The military conferences at Neu san dec ended satisfactorily in complete
 nand was not established, for General Non Hindenburg and I preferred to re- main independent.
 BRINGS AUSTRIANS TO TERMS
 In the course of the discussions about the delimitation of the prospective lines Of communication it looked as though there would be friction. Austria-Hun- gary has always looked after her own interests in a measure which is not jus tified by her military achievements She acted rightly from her point of view, butit was certainly regretable that the Berlin authorities always gave way. They feared that Austria would make separate peace with the entente, which I believed to be physical inn possibility
 However. in September. 1914, the de- marcation of the lines of communica- ton was made in accordance with Ger man requirements. and there was no friction with the Austrian high com mand.
 The Ninth army was ready for oper- ations on September 27. Army head quarters were at Beuthen. The dispo- sitions were: Eleventh A. C., due north east of Cracow; Guard R. C., Twentieth A. C., Seventeenth A. C.. Thirty fifth Res. Div, between Kattowitz and Kreuzburg; Eighth Cav Div. Count Von Bredow's Landw Div, between Kempen and Kalisz.
 The three last divisions formed one unit under General Won FTommel. The Landstrum formations guarding the frontier were made fit for simple duties in the line by being formed into bri- gades and supplied with artillery from the fortresses.
 ATTACK BY RENNENKAMPF
 To the east of the vistula the nearest strong German force was part of the Eighth army, near Mlawa (north of Warsaw. The rest of the Eighth army had pressed forward as far as the line of the Niemen between Grodno and Kovno, in order to give the impress sion that the Germans intended to con- tinue the offensive there
 On September 29 Rennenkampf, who had received not inconsiderable rein forcements. attacked here, and during the following weeks forced the Eighth army back to and near Lyck, over the frontier.
 The Eighth army was. of course, under the command of General Won Hindenburg. But we were so much oc- cupied with our own affairs and further, communications became so in creasingly difficult that we were un- able to exercise any control over the operations of our old army. This was not possible until November. when the Ninth army received a separate army commander and General Won linden burg was relieved of the direct com mand of it in the field. The coming op erations of the Ninth army were in no way affected by events on the front of the Eighth army.
 On our right wing the situation of our allies mad COnSlQeraDly improved. The Russian pursuit across the Wislok was only half-hearted. The Austro- Hungarian army was able to take breath, and begin it's advance early in October. The First army under Gen. eral yon Dankl (destined for the ad- vance north of the upper Vistula), and the Landwehr corps were waiting south of the river. abetween the Dunajec and Cracow, to join in the advance of the Ninth army.
 PRAISES WORK OF OLD MEN
 This corps deserves more detailed notice. IL was composed of a Landwehr diysion from Posen and one from Si- lesia We had originally intended to use it principally for frontier defense. But, as always happens, wherever troops may be. they get drawn in when it comes to fighting.
 Thus in August the Landwehr corps had joined in the advance into Poland and across the Vistula. This had in- volved a good many improvised arrange ments among the divisions. After the l crossing of the Vistula they joined in 1