serious disadvantage under these conditions.”
“Complaints have been received that the ammunition-boxes and
water-jackets of the machine-guns are too heavy.”
“It is universally suggested that the supply of hand-grenades should be
increased.”
With regard to food there is no suggestion that the army behind the
lines is on short rations, but there are difficulties in getting
supplies up to the front trenches, and it is recommended that men going
into action should carry their “third iron rations”—that is, a more
ample supply of tinned foods.
They ask for more tinned meats, tinned sausages, bread, and mineral
waters, but the General advises that tinned herrings should not be
eaten, as they encourage thirst.
In all but the food department the German organisation of supplies is
weighed in the balance and found wanting by one of their own great
Generals.
In spite of all their boasted genius of organisation, and it has been
wonderful (let us admit that handsomely), it could not withstand the
tremendous pressure of our July thrust.
It failed item by item—artillery, aviation, ammunition, and stores of
every kind. The staffs were inadequate, the communications broke down,
the great German war-machine was strained and put out of gear and badly
knocked about by the ferocity and continuance of the British assault.
Since then it has not been able to recover its efficiency. The pressure
has become more powerful, the strain harder to bear.
If General von Armin were to write a second report on the battle of the
Somme it would be a more gloomy document than this. But what he has
written stands, and it is a frightful confession which would put terror
into the hearts of the German people could they read it.
They will not be allowed to read it, for it tells the truth, which the
War Lords are hiding from them.
* * * * *
It will be seen that my despatches do not include the capture of
Beaumont-Hamel—one of the most astounding achievements in all this
fighting. In October I was compelled to go home on sick-leave, so that
I missed that great battle on the Ancre. It has revived the nation’s
hope that by a continuous series of these blows the German resistance
will break down utterly at last and that they will acknowledge defeat.
From a military point of view that hope is the best thing we have, but
the fulfilment of it must be deterred through many months of another
year reeking like this one of blood and massacre and sacrifice.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: MAP to illustrate THE BATTLES OF THE SOMME]