South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-17
GERMANS MAKE A
FIERCE ASSAULT
BUT FALL BACK

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
thew have a sufficient supply OF am
munition and their men are not too
exhausted to hold II. The line or the
German army rests upon the last OF
a great semi-circle OF hills which lie
from the northwest to the southeast
across northeastern France, having
Paris as the approximate center. Be
hind it lie fiat plains reaching to the
Mouse.
In order to approach the German
position near scissors, the French
and British had to cross territory
which had been blasted by shell fire.
The German artillerymen had bonn
barded the roadways with their heav-
lest guns in order to tear them up,
and litter them with wrekage TO hin
der the advance Of the pursuers. Most
of the roads were lined with poplar
trees and the mighty trunks of these
were torn and shattered by the
shrapnel, and thrown across the
highways.
The German gunners showed good
aim and as each bursting shell tore
hole approximately 20 yards in cir
conference In the earth, it can be
seen that the forward movement of
the French and British infantry was
badly hampered. 1t was necessary
for the artillerymen to move their
guns across the wheat and hay fields
in order to avoid the torn up road
ways.
The town Of Scissors was raked
with artillery fire. and is in ruins.
The British made desperate efforts TO
cross the Aisne near Scissors, and the
roll Of thunder from the German bat
teries was incessant for the greater
part OF two days as the invaders
shelled tie river banks. The British
suffered heavily there, for the men
worked in the face of a raging fire
and with true Anglo-Saxon stubborn
ness died before they would give an
inch.
Stretch POntOOn Bridges.
The advance guard of the allies
reached the Aisne on Sunday and i'm
mediately began making preparations
to stretch pOntoon bridges over the
muddy swollen streams. All along
the crest OF the hill north Of the
stream, German batteries had been
planted behind breastworks. The
German gunners, watchful and silent.
waited until the British sappers he
gan their work, then flames ran along
the top of the hills, and the strong
wind which was blowing from the
northwest swept q mighty billow OF
white cannon smoke across the sky.
All along the Aisne shells could be
seen bursting and kicking up pillars
OF dirt or else throwing up mighty
geysers of water The German gun
ners Immediately got the range and
the British were finally ordered to re-
tire, leaving a number Of dead behind
them.
Bring Up Heavy Guns.
Then the allies brought up their
heaviest guns through deep mud In
which the wheels sank TO the axle.
Forty straining. weary mud-stained
horses were attached to each gun;
| lending their shoulders were dozen
artillerymen coated with mud from
head 10 foot; faces streaked with dirt,
and the most OF them stripped TO the
| waist.
This work went on through the
| darkness under the pickering glare OF
| lanterns. Before dawn. a battery OF
| heavy cannon was in position and al
the first streak Of day, shell scream
ed across the Aisne. bursting upon
| the crest OF a wooded hill where Ii
was believed the Germans had a bat
| terry masked This was the signal
| From the threats OF the big guns 9
! steady roar broke out and for sir
| hours the earth shook and trembleC
| beneath the cannonade. Along the
| top OF the distant hills, cut with SHARP
outlines in the sunlight. the shrap-
mel could be seen tearing into the
forest or burrowing into the earth.
Many Fall I'm River.
| Under cover Of this fire the sapperi
went forward again and though th'
steel-noSed shells fell around then
they went on dOggedly at their work
| Many dead and wounded fell into tn,
water but the soldiers were too das
perately engaged at their work I,
pay any heed. Some OF the wounded
managed 10 crawl 10 the bank. IL thej
fell in shallow water Others, unc0n
scious from loss or blood. or tn,
shock and Jar OF being struck. tum
bled into deeper water, and were