And here it is worth quoting a happy example of German chivalry.  It is taken from one of Sir John French’s messages.  A small party of French under a non-commissioned officer was cut off and surrounded.  After a desperate resistance it was decided to go on fighting to the end.  Finally, the N.C.O. and one man only were left, both being wounded.  The Germans came up and shouted to them to lay down their arms.  The German commander, however, signed to them to keep their arms, and then asked for permission to shake hands with the wounded non-commissioned officer, who was carried off on his stretcher with his rifle by his side.

After this account of what British soldiers think of the enemy, it is interesting to read what is the German opinion of Tommy Atkins.  Evidently the fighting men do not share the Kaiser’s estimate of “French’s contemptible little army.”  Three very interesting letters, written by German officers, and found in the possession of the captives, were published in an official despatch from General Headquarters.  Here are extracts from each: 

(1) “With the English troops we have great difficulties.  They have a queer way of causing losses to the enemy.  They make good trenches, in which they wait patiently.  They carefully measure the ranges for their rifle fire, and then they open a truly hellish fire on the unsuspecting cavalry.  This was the reason that we had such heavy losses.”

     (2) “The English are very brave and fight to the last....  One of
     our companies has lost 130 men out of 240.”

(3) “We are fighting with the English Guards, Highlanders and Zouaves.  The losses on both sides have been enormous.  The English are marvelously trained in making use of the ground.  One never sees them, and one is constantly under fire.  Two days ago, early in the morning, we were attacked by immensely superior English forces (one brigade and two battalions) and were turned out of our positions.  The fellows took five guns from us.  It was a tremendous hand-to-hand fight.  How I escaped myself I am not clear....  If we first beat the English, the French resistance will soon be broken.”

The admissions of prisoners that the Germans were amazed at the fighting qualities of the British soldier, and had acquired a wholesome dread of meeting him at close quarters, may have been colored by a trifling disposition to be amiable in their captivity; but letters such as those just quoted are honest statements for private reading in Germany, and were never intended to fall into British hands.

Although Tommy Atkins makes occasional jocular allusions to the enemy as “Sausages” there is no doubt that he considers the German army a very substantial fighting force.  “The German is not a toy terrier, but a bloodhound thirsting for blood,” is one description of him; “getting to Berlin isn’t going to be a cheap excursion,” says another; and, to quote a third, “in spite of all we say about the Teuton, he is taking his punishment well, and we’ve got a big job on our hands.”