Evening journal., 1914-10-10


this point, as not even the objective
Of the fire, SO with my officer escort,
we moved up to the crest of the hill,
following the line of the field tele-
phone 10 the point from which half a
dozen officers we're watching the ef-
feet and directing the German fire.
Now both the German and Russian
shells we're screeching and scream
ing overhead in a most uncomfor-
table, if undangerous fashion.
In the morning sunlight, from the
summit of the hill, / got my first
view of the fighting that will go
down in history as the Battle of Wir-
ballen.
The line stretched off to the left
as far as the field glasses would
carry. in a great semi-circle, the ir-
regularity being caused by the ef-
forts of both armies to keep to high
ground with their main lines. As we
watched. the entire fire Of the Rus
sian artillery seemed to be diverted
on a village situated on a low plain
about two thousand yards to the
northward Of our position. The VIII
lage-already deserted-was being
literally fiattened under a deluge of
iron and steel. The ruins were in
flames. After half an hour the rea-
son for shelling the deserted village
became evident A general advance
against the German center was
launched, and the Russians we're
making certain that the village. di-
reetly in the line OF advance, had not
been occupied BY the German ma
chine guns during the night.
So far, though had been Witness
ing a battle of obviously tremendous
magnitude. l had not seen the enemy.
From our position, slightly in the rear
of the German flank, it was compare
lively easy to trace our own line
through the glasses. but the gener-
al line of the Russians was hard to
determine. being indicated only by
occasional flashes Of gun fire. With
the start of the Russian attempt on
the German center, however the en-
tire scene changed.
Yesterday, for the first time since the
start of the battle on Sunday, the Rus
slams attempted to carry the German
center position by storm. All Sunday
and Monday the opposing artillery had
been hammering away at the opposing
trenches. The craftsmanship of the
Russian artillery had been bad, but
was told that a Russian aeroplane haC
made a reconnaissance of the German
position shortly after dawn yesterday
saw no machines in fight. Twice
under cover of their field artillehy the
Russian infantry advanced IN force
yesterday. Twice they were forced
back to their defensive positions. Now
they were to try again.
The preliminaries were well under
way, without appreciating their signiii
canoe until one of my officer escorts ex
planned.
IT a few points along their line
! observable to us but screened from th'
; observation of the German trenches il
/ the centre, the Russian infantry came
| tumbling out and rushing forward tool
up advanced positions, awaiting the for
nation of the new and irregular battli
| line. Dozens of light rapid firers wer'
/ dragged along by hand. Other troops
| the reserves-tOok up semi-advance'
positions. All the while the Russian
shrapnel was raining over the German
! trenches
/ Every move of the enemy was OBJ
viously being communicated to the Ger
man center The German reserve col
umn moved in closer. The rife fir
from the German trenches PRACTICAL!
ceased. The German officers move,
along in the open behind the trenches
encouraging and steadying their men
preparing them for the check.
Finally came the Russian order tc
advance. At the word, hundreds OF
yards of the Russian fighting line
leaped forward, deployed in open order
and came on. One. two. three, and il
some places. four and five successive
skirmish lines, separated by intervals
of from twenty to fifty yards, swepf
forward. Some of them came into
range of the German trench fire al
most at once. These lines began e
wilt and thin out Others were abl.
to make a considerable advance undel
cover. The smoke of the burning vii
lage gave a grateful protection to sew
eral regiments. But on they came
all along the line. protected and un
protected alike. rushing forward will
a yell, pausing, firing and advancing
again.
Guns Spit Fire at Close Range.
From the outset Of the advance, th'
German artillery, ignoring for th'
moment, the Russian artillery action
began shelling the onrushing mass
with wonderfully timed shrapnel
which burst low above the advancin:
lines and tore sickening gaps.
But the Russian line never stopped
For the third time in two days the.
came tearing on with no indication
of having been affected lby the ter
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