The Washington herald., 1914-12-16
BRITISH Digging
WINTER REFUGEES
Trenches to Be Fitted with
Heating Systems, Eye
witness" Says.
NIGHT BATTLES COMMON
Illumination Necessary. as Lines of
Contending Armies Are Only
Few Yards Apart.

London, Dec. l5.-"Everything has been
prepared to meet the winter campaign
before u.s. writes a member of the stan
OF Field Marshal Sir John French, COM
mander OF the British troops on the Con-
tinent, In another EYE witness narra-
tive which was made public by the gov
eminent press bureau today.
The number of our communicating
trenches has been increased, drainage
systems have been installed, provisions
have been made for heating apparatus to
keep the men warm. and, in short, every
thing possible to make living conditions
more comfortable in the trenches has
been arranged. The organization OF our
supply and transport service has been
brought to a much higher state OF eff
cheney"
The narrative is dated December 10 and
covers the days Of December 8. I. s and g.
II states that the weather has become
warmer in West Flanders and Northern
France, accompanied by more rain, and
that the British guns have silenced a
number OF German guns. The account
follows:
From the 9th to the 9th the operations
were OF the same character as those of
the previous three weeks. On the 9Th,
on our right, our hOwitZers obtained di-
rect hits on two German gun emplace-
ments. Other guns shelled some Of the
lieving this portion of our front.
NIght-nGhtInE Common.
THE activity of our infantry in snip
ing. aided by the fire OF our artillery
and the ingenuity of our sappers in de-
vising new methods is making the en-
emy very uneasy. The nights are con-
tinually broken by spasmodic Outbursts
of musketry from the German trenches
and the frequent firing OF star or illu-
minating shells. These precautionary
measures are not altogether unjusti-
fed, for in many places the trenches OF
the Germans and the Indians are only
few yards apart.
"On the center one Of our batteries
fired on a German working party (sap-
pers) and caused considerable loss.
Civilians in plain clothes are frequent
Iy observed in the hostile trenches point
ing out our positions. \ German aviator
dropped six bombs on HaZebrOuCk, out
did little damage.
December T-Heavy rain fell. The
Germans on this day fired grenades
against our central trenches for the first
time. but the British artillery stopped
this innovation. On our right nothing
important.
Two Guns SIIenced.
December S.-Our artillery put two
German field guns out OF action and
also set fire to a railway station, burn
ing some rolling stock.
December 9.-MOre rain fell. The
Germans in the trenches opposite our
left could be heard cheering. We pre-
sumo that the German ofHcial version
OF the battle of LodZ was being read
to them. The weather during the past
four days has been foggy and much
warmer. Our aviators succeeded in
making valuable reconnaissanCes, and,
despite the absence of active opera
tions. we have made further progress
Concerning living conditions in the
trenches the eyewitness" tells Of SOL
diers listening to grapaphOne concerts
eight miles away through a telephone. |
The writer devotes about 1000 words
explaining why more information can !
not be given. II is not to keep the !
public in ignorance. he says, but to |
prevent the Germans from getting |
gratis information which would other |
wise cost them much money and |
trouble.