The Sentinel=record., 1914-10-03
PAGE TWO

ly by column in support After a
lew minutes the men had ciosed up
into a mob. which afforded an excel
lent target for our fire.
On Sunday, the 9th, while the
German heavy guns were in action
their brass bands could be heard
playing hymn tunes, presumably at
divine service.
The enemy made an advance on
part of our line at p. m. and re-
newed it in strength at one point
with, however, no better success
than on the previous since shipping
continued all day along the whole
front.
"on Monday, the 2Sth, there was
nothing more severe than lombard
ment and intermittent sniping ana
this inactivity continued during Tues.
day, the Goth except for night at
tack against our extreme right.
The incident that occurred Sun
day, the 9th, serves to illustrate the
type of fighting that has for the past
two weeks been going on intermit-
tently on various parts of our line. 1t
also brings out the extreme difficulty
OF ascertaining what actually is hap
pening during an action, apart from
what seems to be happening. ard
points to the values of good en-
trenchments.
AT certain point in our front our
advance trenches are on the Aisne
not far from village on a hillside,
and also within a short distance of
German works. being on a slope OF
a spur formed by subsidiary valley
running north and a main valley VI
the river. It was calm, sunny aft
ernoon but hazy, and from our val
tage point 1t was difficult exactly to
locate on the far bank the well-con-
ceaIed trenches.
From far and near the sullen
boom of guns echoed along the valley
and at intervals arships would APP
pear n the sky.
Suddenly and without warning, for
the reports of the distant Howitzers
from which they were fired could not
reports, three or four heavy shells
fell into the village sending up huge
clouds of dust and smoke. TO this
no reply was made by our side.
Shorty afterwards there was a
quick succession of reports from
point some distance up the subsidiary
valley on the side opposite our
their flank. 1t was not possible
either by ear or by Gle to locate the
guns from which the sounds pro
ceeded
There was a succession of reports
from German quick firers on the iar
side OF the misty valley and like
echoes detonations of high explosives;
t,en the row OF expanding smoke
clouds was prolonged by several new
ones. Another pause and silence eX-
cept for noise in the distance.
After few minutes there was a
roar from our side of the main valley
as our field guns opened, one after
another in more deliberate fire upon
. the positions Of The German guns
Then. silence again, save for the whir
of sh'ehs as they sang up the small
valley. Then followed flashes and
balls of smoke-one, two, three, four
five, six--as the shrapnei burst nicely
over what in the haze looked like some
ruined buildings at the edge of the
wood.
Again after short interval the
enemy's gmnners opened with burst
still further prolonging the smoke
which by now wac merged into one
solid screen above considerable
length of the trenches and again did
our guns reply. And so the duel
went on.
Ignoring our guns. the German ar
tillerymen probably relying on con
cealment for immunity. were concen-
tratine all taeir efforts in particular
forcely effort to enfilade our trenthes.
For them it must have appeared to
be the chance of a lifetime and with
their customary prodigality OF ammu
milton they continued to pour bouquet
after bouquet OF high explosives or
combined shrapnel and common shell
onto our works.
Occasionally, with roar, high
angle proieetile would sail over the
ALL and blast a gap in the village.
One could only pray that our men
holding the trenches had dug them
selves in deep and we'll and that those
in the village were in cellars.
'dn the hazy valleys not a man, not
horse, not a gun, nor even a trench
was to be seen. There We're only
flashes and smoke and noise Above,
against the blue sky, several round
white clouds were hanging. The only
two visible human souls were repre-.
scented by a glistening speck in the
air. On high also were 10 be heard
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