Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-12
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY An EYE
WITNESS OF MOVEMENTS OF THE
FRENCH AND BRITISH WAR FORCES

The bottom of the valley down which 1t
meanders consists of practically fiat
meadowland intersected by various roads,
leading north and south over bridges
which span the river. These roads are
lined with poplars or fruit trees whose
military significance lies in the fact that
they screen the movements of the troops
along the roads, though on the other
hand they make the position Of the latter
conspicuous from afar.
1.-The chief place along the British
front is Scissors. town lying on the
left bank at a pronounced bend north
wards. The villages on the river itself
are of considerable tactical Importance
since most of the bridges are close to
them. They have, therefore, been the
targets of the German artillery and some
are now no more than masses of ruins.
Several of the hamlets at some
distance from the Aisne and on its
left bank have formed the objects OF
similar attentions from the enemy's
guns, probably because they might
serve as points of concentration for
our troops as have also the great
number of roads winding down the
misunderstanding north and leading
across the meadows, which afford the
only channels of approach to our
troops on the north side.
In regard to the villages, one point
which strikes the eye is their COM
pactness, for in most of them the
houses are clustered together in one
mass. outlying houses being rare. They
line the roads sometimes almost en-
tlreIy on one side. There are also out
lying chateaus and farms quite iso-
lated"
The other main Typographical features
of the valley are two railways and a ca
nal. Generally speaking the slopes form
ing the north side of the valley are
sleeper than those of the SOUTH but In
other respects the two sides are very SIM
liar. Both are equally cut up into spurs
and subsidiary valleys, the chief Of the
latter on the south, being formed by a
water course of the Vesle, which extencs
southeastward through Braisne.
Both on the north and south the
slopes leading down to the Aisne are
thickly wooded in patches, the woods IN
some places stretching away back and
over the edge of the plateau for some
distance. On account of the existence
of these woods on the edges of the slopes
on our back of the river. it is at many
points only possible to obtain glimpses
of the short trenches of the opposite
slopes, while the woods on that side
screen large portions of the top OF the
plateau on the north.
owing to the concealment afforded
to the Germans trenches and gun en-
by the woods and to the
fact that nearly all the bridges and
roads leading to them, as well as a
great part of the southern slopes, are
open to their fire.
Except for these patches of woods,
the terrain generally is unenclosed. No
boundary between the fields exists as
in England There are bitches here
and there, but no hedges, wire fences
or walls except around enclosures in
the villages.
large proportion of the woods,
however, are enclosed by high rabbit
netting which is in some places sup
ported by iron stanchions.
A feature of this part of the coun-
try, one which is not confined to the
north side of the Aisne, is the large
number of caves. 10th natural and ar
tificial These are of great service to
the forces on both sides since they
can often be used as sheltered accom-
modations for the troops in the sec
ond line.
Other points worthy of note are
the excellence of the metalled roads.
though the metalled portion is very
narrow, and the comparative ease
with which one can find his way about
even without map. This is due part
ly to the prevailing straightness of
the roads, partly to the absence of
hedges There are sign posts on all
cross roads while the name of each
village is posted in a conspicuous
place at the entry and exit of the
main highway passing through it."