Long strips of territory, having a width of from ten to twelve kilometers (from six and one-fourth to seven and one-half miles), and running along the whole of our position, have been turned into "dead ground." No villages or farm remains standing on this glacis, no road is passable, and no bridge, railway-line, or embankment remains standing. Before our new positions runs, like a gigantic ribbon, the empire.
Lokalanzeiger, March 18, 1917.
Attila: "You have burned and plundered the villages and poisoned the wells. What a hero you are, William!"
The commandant of outposts will direct the destruction of the various localities. The final and complete destruction of Grévillers, Biefvillers, Aubin, and Avesnes will begin at the hour of X-2. To provide the detachments for setting fire to houses each commandant in the sector will furnish two sub-officers and twenty men from the B battalions, and two stretcher-bearers with litters. The destruction of Favreuil, Beugnatre, and Frémicourt will begin on the second day of the retirement at the hour of X-3. The destruction of Morchies will be executed in the morning of the third day of the retirement, at about five o'clock.... The destruction of Louverval, Boursies, Demicourt will begin on the third day of the retirement. For these operations the commandant of pioneers will arrange with the commandant of outposts of Division S, Sector III., Major von Uechtritz, at Doignies, in such manner that all the details of destruction not carried out under orders of the commandant of outposts shall be executed later by Division S.
The lighting of the incendiary fires shall be executed under command of the officers by the different detachments. The destruction of all wells is important.