South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-21

too deadly. and had worked such de-
structiOn among the forces that the
work had TO be suspended temporar
ily.
AviatOrs RecOnnOiter.
The scene. by this time. had be
come fearful and beyond the iesCrip-
ton Of words To the terrible gran
deur OF it was added the sight CT Ger
man and French aerOplanes lowering
over the battlefield. Time and again
they dashed across the river TO re-
connoiter and carried out their work
successfully although they were sub
Jected to terrific fire from the Ger
man guns.
Finally the allied army foot by
foot began TO advance. Thanks u
the presence OF the small unbroken
bridge-the English troops were able
TO effect a crossing of the river COM
paratively early while the French,
showing great bravery, began crossing
the river in single file by using the
steel girders. In the meantime. the
engineers renewed their task OF pom
toOn bridge building and columns of
troops crossed the river. BY night
fall the crossing of the river had
been affected.
Fire Continues During Night.
1T was clear that this retirement
was not to be accepted as a victory
for the allies as all night long search
lights swept the river and the oppos-
ing generals attempted TO carry out
various strategic moves with a view
to renewing the combat the next day.
Desultory firing was kept up through
out the night.
"A stray shot struck one Of the
British soldiers and shattered a bone
in his arm. Had he let a cry escape
him, the discovery Of the British de-
tachment would have been made. But
this wounded soldier never uttered a
cry. Fearing thai the agony he was
suffering might cause him TO shrek
out against his Will be grabbed a
piece of turf and damned ii into his
mouth SO as TO prevent any outcry
and kept it in there until he was
able to crawl back in safety to his
own lines.
Monday dawned cold and windy
and showers fell occasionally. The
Germans began building little pits
while the allies also entrenched
themselves against heavy lombard
ments.
Open BOmbardment.
THE Germans opened heavy
bombardment along the heights east
wards toward Scissors. 1t seemed
like an act of pure vandalism as the
town was undefended. Toward aft
ernoOn the fighting became general
and was Of desperate character. The
tide OF battle ebbing and flowing
across the river. At times the enemy
attempted to take the offensive and
even succeeded within small areas I'm
forcing back the allies, just as the al
lies succeeded elsewhere in forcing
back the enemN.
However, night came finding the
situation unchanged. 1t now became
evident that this was no rear guard
of Germans that was engaged but il
was a determined stand of the army
of Gen. Won Kluk. Moreover, it was
strongly suspected that German rein
forcements were coming up.
"On Tuesday afternoon a severe at
tack was made by the enemy who
evidently had been reinforced and
who seemed determined 20 break
through the allies lines between
Vic-Sur-Aisne and scissors. This at
tack was heralded by a tremendous
Outburst of the heavy German artil-
lery followed by an advance of the in
fantry. The allies, protected by ma
chine guns, stood their ground in
most splendid fashion pouring a
deadly fire into the attacking Ger
mans. At certain points the allies
repulsed the Germans at the points Of
bayonets.
Continues All Night.
with unabated fury this battle
continued all night and throughout
Wednesday and Thursday. on We'd
nesday night, the Germans in great
fury attacked the French in the re-
gion near Rheims. Three times they
attacked and on each occasion they
were repulSed with heavy losses. On
Thursday the Germans attacked the
English with equal fierceness In the
neighborhood Of scissors and again
they were hurled back with great
losses.
lone soldier describing the attacks
of the Germans on Wednesday night
and Thursday, told me that the sol
diers of the enemy we're literally
thrown away. He said the Germans
were hurled upon the allied troops
with the force and speed of a land
slide, the officers evidently feeling
that the impetus would sweep back
the allied troops.
The Germans were hurled at the
allied troops in close formation with
extreme recklessness as to human
| life. summed up in a word 1t seemed
as if the German strategy was
/ weight
The first sign of weakening on the
part of the Germans " as noticed
Thursday afternoon after their fierce
/ attacks on that day had been repulsed
/ with huge losses.
Scene in Valley Terrible.
THE scene in the river valley
| Thursday was terrible and wonderful
! despite the rain that poured down
| High overhead above the clouds Of
smoke, airships were skimming. Guns
| Numbered out their murderous fire
| and the air was filed with bullets and
! exploding shells. In the marshes by
| the river the troops were moving
about over ground strewu with the
| dead Of three nations. DeaC horses
| lay everywhere. Mingling in the mass
that covered the ground were broken
machine guns. foundered cannon,
thousands of different accoutrements.
Farther along on the heights Of
the north bank were the trenches OF
the allies IN which lay the soldiers,
hidden, but not so completely hidden
that their presence couldn't be discOv-
cred from the air above.
| The soldiers. Wearied by their pur-
suit Of the fleeing Germans and even
| more Wearied and carewOrn by the
constant fighting since Sunday how
ever, were kept up by their indomi-
% = l. fad nrrQr