The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-11-05
AMID SHRAPNEL FIRE WRITER SEES
FIERCE CONFLICT ON THE USER RIVER

OF straw, the place evidently having
been used as a dormitory for soldiers.
but nothing had been touched, though
chairs were scattered everywhere. AZ
ter mounting a rickety ladder a long
time in the dark reached the very
tip of the steeple above the bell.
Sees Battle From steepIe.
Looking through my spyglasses over
the fiat country in the direction of the
town, was able to distinguish the
very spots and buildings beyond which
the Belgian shells were bursting.
Flames were leaping high, but owing
to row Of trees screening the Ger
man batteries / was unable to see
what was burning. At that time the
town itself was intact.
To the left stretched the poplar bor-
dered Yser | could sec men shell
tered in trenches along the roadside
trenches so cut as to provide a skel-
eton covering, upon which was heaped
straw making a watertight roof. In
| front, about six hundred yards dis,
L
was unable to learn the reason why.
In company with an English corre-
spondent, at that time the only other
correspondent with the Belgians, l saw
the battle Of Nieuport at close range.
Long before we reached the village OF
| Nieuport Baines We saw part of the
naval squadron lying just off the coast
occasionally firing at some unseen
mark and heard field artillery BOOM
ing ahead.
Hear Batteries In the Dunes.
We heard the Belgian batteries fir
ing in the dunes on our right toward
Nieuport and only when we reached
the south pier at the mouth of the
User could We obtain any idea of the
general situation, the lines at this
point being held by the Sixth and
Seventh Belgian infantry. The day
was cloudy and the wind was driving
the mist of rain inland. Accordingly,
we sought a high, deserted building
] that stood nearest the river. When
we finally stuck our heads through the
skylight, by the aid Of our glasses we
saw an unforgettable sight.
At our feet lay the railroad station
at the mouth of the River User, which
stretched away right to the town Of
| Nieuport, then bent southwark and
! was hidden from view by the building
in which we were. Behind the river,
hidden in a grove of scrubby trees
growing on the dunes, were three Bel
gian batteries of four guns each, which
were firing necessarily straight across
before US. The shells were striking
beyond the village Of Lombaertzyde.
Thirteen Warships in Sight.
To the left, beyond Lombaertzyde,
was the village of Westende, which
the Germans had retaken that morn
ing. Still farther away the church
spire Of Middlekerque was family visi-
BILE. Lombaertzyde seemed quiet, but
German shells bursting over 1t pres
emily located the Belgian trenches be-
fore us and few soldiers came run
ming over the dunes.
But it was on the left that the spec
tacle was most impressive. There, ly-
ing out from the coast at varying dis
tances, were 13 vessels of war. There
were two cruisers, one of which fired
occasionally from about three miles;
the other lay silent somewhat farther
from the coast and south of eight 6s
stroyers, four French and four Eng
lish and three monitors.
Great Flashes Bare Batteries.
For long time we watched the Ger
man shells bursting over Lombaert.
zyde. The Belgian shrapnel and the
shells of the monitors were directed
against Westende. l saw the Belgian
batteries lying on our side of the User,
but, though their thunder made our
building tremble, we were able to To-
cate the batteries only by the terrific
flashes amid the trees through an
occasional rift in the smoke. So we'll
were they concealed that the Germans
must have been unable to locate them,
since the only shells which fell in our
direction seemed to be aimed at the
lighthouse, which the Germans prob
ably imagined to be wireless station
Each time a message was sent more
shells came whirling toward the light.
house. Many fell into the river.
Tells English Officers Bravery.
We were joined in our skylight by
q Belgian captain who asked US for
the loan of our glasses and when
he had seen all that he desired he
told us the story of the English lieu
tenant who had landed that morn
ing, the particulars Of which he had
just learned. This officer came ashore
from the monitor Severn with 20 men
and three machine guns to prevent
the Belgian retreat.
Reaching Nieuport, he saw that in
losing Groote Bamberghe farm that
morning the Belgians had weakened
their position. Accordingly, he start
ed with his 20 men across the bullet
swept area right to the Belgian
trenches. The men who were there
say he walked as calmly as if on 6
tour of inspection, calling orders tc
his men and signaling with his hands
In vain the Belgian officers shouted
that the position was already occupied
by the Germans. Either he did nc
hear or he was determined to accom-
plish the task at all costs.
Destiny broods and is silent Ovel
matters of this kind. When 50 yard:
from the coveted goal the young Off
Ger fell dead, a bullet having strucl
him between the eyes. The men re
treated, still carrying the guns will
them and with the memory of herr
in their minds.