Evening star., 1914-10-09

| LONDON, OCtODef y, IL a.m.-IHe OhA>
cial press bureau today gives an eye
witness narrative of operations In
France, supplementing that made pub
lie October 3. 1t follows:
Wednesday, the 30th of September,
| merely marked another days progress
| in the gradual development of the sit
uation and was distinguished by no ac-
| tivity beyond slight attacks by the
| enemy. There was also artillery fire at
intervals. One Of our airmen succeeded
in dropping nine bombs. some of which
fell on the enemy's rolling stock col
lected on the railway near Laone. Some
Of the enemys front trenches were
found empty at night, but nothing much
can be deducted from this fact, for
| they are frequently evacuated in this
way, no doubt to prevent the men in
the back lines from firing on their COM
rades in front Of them.
Thursday, October 1, was a most per-
feet autumn day and the most peaceful
since the two forces became engaged
on the Aisne. There was only desul-
tory gunfire as targets offered. Dur
ing the night the enemy made a few
new trenches and a French aviator
dropped one bomb on the railway sta
near 1t.
Germans Driven From Mill.
The weather Friday, the I'd, was very
misty in the early hours and it contin-
used hazy until late in the afternoon,
becoming thicker again at night. The
Germans were driven out of a mill
which they had occupied as an ad-
vanced post. their guns and machine
guns; which supported it. being
ed artillery ire from a flank. During
the night they made the usual two at
tacks on the customary spot in our
INES and as on previous occasions were
repulsed; Two Of their trenches were
captured and filled in. Our loss was
six men wounded. Up to the 21st of
september the air mileage made by our
alrmen since the beginning of the war
amounted to $1,000 miles, an average Of
1000 miles per day, the total equaling
nearly four times the circuit Of the
world. The total time spent in the air
was I, 400 hours.
There are many points connected
with the fighting methods of either
side that may be Of interest The fol-
lowing description was given by a bat
talon commander, who has been at the
front since the commencement of hos
tilities. and has fought both in the
open and behind intrenchments. It
must, however, be borne in mind that
1t only represents the experiences Of a
particular unit. 1t deals with the tao
Skill of German Officers.
The important points to watch are
the heads of valleys and ravines and
woods. and especially those on the
sides Of hollow ground, and all dead
ground to the front and flank. The
German officers are skilled in leading
troops forward under cover in closed
tR<HkH H~vk
ployed and there is no longer the
direct. personal leadership. the men
will not face heavy fire. Sometimes
the advance Is made in a series of
lines, with the men well opened out
at intervals of flve or six PAGES; at
men almost shoulder to shoulder. But
1t is in all cases by supports in close
formation. The latter either waver
when the front line is checked, or
under the orders of their ofdcers. and
the mass forms a. magnificent target.
The prisoners have described the hre
Of our troops as pinning them to the
ground. and this is certainly borne out
by their actions.
When the Germans are not heavily
intrenched, no great losses are IN
CURED in advancing against them by
methods in which the British army has
been instructed. For instance, in one
attack over fairly open ground against
about an equal force of infantry shell
tered in a sunken road and in oltcnes
we lost only ten killed and sixty
wounded. while over 400 OF the enemy
killed each side had the support OF
battery Of artillery, but the hgnt for
superiority or infantry nre took place
at a range of about 100 yards. and iast-
Germans were wavering. Some OF
them put up white flags. but otners
went on firing, and our men continued
to do the same. Eventually large
number of white flags. improvised iIom
handkerchiefs. pieces of shirts wnite
h;sc,,it haes. etc, were exhibited all
along the line, and many OF the men
ho;sfed their helmets on their rifles.
skillful in Digging In"
In the fighting behind entrenchments
the Germans endeavor to gain ground
bv making advances in line at dusk OF
irst before dawn and then digging
themselves in, in the hope. no doubt
that they may eventually get so near
as to be able, as during maneuvers' 10
reach the hostile trenches In single
rush. They never have succeeded IN
doing this against us. II by creeping
up in dead ground they do succeed IN
forwarding their position by night,
they are easily driven back by nre IN
the morning. A few OF the PRAYER men
sometimes remain behind at close
ranges and endeavor to infiict losses
by sniping. Sharpshooters also are OFT
en- noticed in trees or wriggling about
until they get good cover. the remeoy
is to take the Initiative and detail men
to deal with the enemy's sharpshooters.
Few night attacks have been made
against US Previous to one OF them
a party Of the enemy crept up close 70
the British line and set alight nay
rick so 1t should form beacon on
which the center of the attacking line
marched. Generally, however, In these
night and early morning attacks
groups of forty or hfty men nave come
forward as independent units some
times widely separated one from the