Imperial Valley press., 1914-11-18
In the Trenches.
(By Count Mourik De Beaufort

Belgium, NOV. 1o.--A have hau ei
unique experience for a civilian
spending day in the trenches with
the Belgian troops. | reached the
front with the help of an officer of the
Belgian field artillery. Here are my
impressions of the war at close quar-
ters.
About 8 a. m. we reached small
farm where the horses of battery
were sheltered. We proceeded on foot
to the guns in the vicinity of the viii
lage of st. George. There / was in
troduced to German shrapnel.
The German aim was bad; one pro-
iectile after another whizzed over
our heads and either exploded or more
often embedded themselves in the mud
200 feet behind our position. Though
our position was within three miles
of the German advanced lines, it
seemed hard to realize we were part
and parcel of this gigantic world
struggle.
The bursting shrapnel with its
deadly charge reminded me more Of
festive fireworks than of death and
destruction.
About a. m. an observer for our
battery requested over the telephone
to be temporarily relieved and when
one OF the younger officers was sent
ahead l got permission to accompany
him. The rifle fire had ceased, so we
reached the infantry trenches, where
the observer had spent the night,
without any mishaps.
On the way we passed great num-
bers of stretcher bearers with their
sad loads. When gradually dawn
brok, war in all its horrors was grad
rally revealed before my eyes. Close
by us sat a Belgian soldier gravely
trying to bandage what had once
teen his left hand with ribbon held
between his teeth and right hand.
Two rurses from an English ambu-
lance were bandaging the head of n
man who had been frightfully lacer-
ated by shrapnel.
The most revolving sight was a
number of unburied dead. The day
before several Belgians and Germans
had been buried behind the trenches.
During the night the heavy German
shells had dug holes and unearthed
many bodies. / saw here head and
there leg or an arm-rarely whole
body. 1t was simply CHASTITY.
A corporal not more than 10
crawled up to the officer and said:
"Pardon, mon lieutenant; several
men most respectfully ask whether
they can have another pair of shoes.
Most of ours are in very bad condi-
tion."
The lieutenant exclaimed: "Sapristo
jansenl Do the men think l am car
rying boots about in my knapsack?"
"Ah, mon lieutenant" quietly re-
piled the corporal, ''there are plenty
of good boots over there" and he
pointed over the trenches. We saw at
distance of 300 feet in front of the
trenches 80 or go dead Germans. The
lieutenant shrugged his shoulders.
81 can't give them permission tt
leave the trenches, you know" hC
told the corporal, "but if they want
to take any more chances of risking
their necks, we'll" and he turned hi;
back to the men.
The corporal understood. A few
minutes later one man got up slowl!
and carefully peeped over tht
trenches; then he took his rifle ant
on all fours crawled over and dowr
the ether side, slung the rifle ovel
mis- shoulder and, still on his stomach
advanced. Before he had gone hal
way three of his comrades followed il
the same careful manner.
Before long a dozen men were il
lIOuS- IHey ItdCHSu Iile btIIndllo
most of whom were lying face down
ward; quickly they were turned owe
and their boots unstrapped. Then, in
stead of returning with their booty
the Belgians sat down among tn
dead and proceeded to take their owl
shoes off and tried those of the Ger
mans on. We could see the shoes fly
ing about and hear them laugh anC
joke. 1t was the most absurd, ye
the most dramatic, scene imaginable
Few of the dead Germans were lef
with any boots. When the men re
turned to the trenches the spare onei
were exchanged for cigarette, {;
pipe of tobacco, lump of bread o.
even 6. button.
Drexers New Duty.