New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-14
CHARGE ON TRENCHES
A ROARING INFERNO
yelling Like Madmen, Thousand Devils Fall Upon
German Lines" Writes Civilian Who Visited
Front and Was Actually in Action

Especial Correspondence 20 Tho Tribune
Paris. Dec. will neutral nations
ever realize what a storm is raging
within the few square miles between
Ypres and the sea. territory which now
comprises the whole Of King Alberts
possessions?
One after the other. on both sides Of
the road. lines OF trenches extend into
the fields; here and there vast lakes,
part Of the inundated area As ! pass
the noise Of my motor arouses the oc-
cupants Of the trenches, and grim, bag
gard faces appear above the breast
works.
From the ditch, ten yards ahead, an
apparition surges, gun IN hand. Can
this be man? Clotted with mud, the
lines Of his face hidden under a mask
Of dirt, boots and trousers soaked with
the thick, yellow water OF the morass,
q sentinel bars the way.
Your papers,
"Thc word 80
Papers are shown. The word is
passed and the dirty mask expands into
n human smile.
I'VE must look out. a car somewhat
like yours has been reported in the
nelghborhood; two spies are in II. But
whore are you going?
"To Ypres? Well. it's only two miles
away. but you'll never get there, and If
you keep on you will run right into the
'Sausages' (meaning Germans. They
haven't got the town, but on this side
they've got trenches within half mile
OF Il. In q few minutes We expect 20
receive their visit
Hotel Ritz" in Trenches.
mus, wait. run the car back half
a mile, then return TO the first trench
line. Luckily / know tho regiment. the
ID Zouaves. and hunt UP all officer
had met at Dunkerque. lie is in the
very first ditch with his company, and
receives me as if | had just returned
from the North Pole. The hospitality
Of the Hotel Ritz" is offered me-that
IL what the Zouaves have named their
burrow and on all fours | crawl into
Room 49," My friend is not super
stitious.
you see,' he explains, '1've been
here three days with my company, and
have made my hole as comfortable as
possible.
IT'S all right now; we can stand up.
The men play cards and cook hot
meals; but wait a while and you'll see
Under our feet a carpet, made Of two
torn German knapsacks, keeps the feet
from the wet ground. A shelf has been
dug into the earth; pipe, tobacco
pouch, boxes Of sardines, rest on IL;
also a steaming can OF Juice coffee,
IN the parlance of the men.
The back Of the trench, much lower
than the breastworks, has been hol-
lowed out until transformed into a
vague resemblance of a couch. This
trench is 600 feet long, six feet deep at
the front and four feet at the back
and 100 men are fairly at ease in il.
Our sentries are coming back on the
run" says my friend suddenly, "and il
! don't down this juice quickly it's
likely 10 be wasted" and, looking
through his glasses, he shouts;
There they come! Every one
down"
Through my own glasses see for an
instant a broken gray line, absolutely
invisible 70 the naked eye. II is max
ing slow progress it seems, disappear
ing for a time, then crawling forward
for few minutes. All along our
>
behind the "click" of the magazines is
heard.
4 long silence, broken from time 70
time b. the jokes or curses of the
men. One OF them. a small, wiry,
swarthy-faced Partisan a tough one,
his officer tells me-seems all AT sea in
his hole next 20 Us After a few in
curing glances he leans over toward
me, saying:
"I've strapped twelve years in Africa
and before ! fought coppers on the
boulevards in Montmartre, but this
thing Of staying in a hole for three
days. shooting 'bosches' meaning Ger
mans. and never sticking my bayonet
into anything but potatoes is no fun
Another man shouts, initiating the
Partisan street pedlers:
who Wants Sauerkraut?'
"Sauerkraut, Sauerkraut, Who wants
nice. fresh sauerkraut?" And the whole
trench roars:
81 do"
Watch yourselves" cries the lieu
tenant. they're only l.5O0 metres of
now" and. turning 70 me:
For heavens sake don't even put
your hand out over the breastworks.
In a minute it's going to hail cobble-
stones
assure him ! have no such inten-
ton; in fact. ! am stuck 10 my muddy