Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-21

following descriptive account, which
has been communicated by an eye
witness present with general head
| quarters continues and supplements
| the narrative published on Nov. II on
| the movements of the British force
and the French armies in immediate
| touch with it:
Nov. is, the nature of the situation
| on our front has not altered since the
last letter The Germans have con-
tinued to press generally along our
line and have focused their attention
mostly around Ypres, though there
has. up to now, not been a resumption
| of the violent attacks against that
| place.
| Friday the 18th, was windy with
much rain. Trying as life in the
trenches Is under such conditions, our
men have at least the consolation OF
knowing that the enemy were in q
worse plight. for the wind blew stead
lily in their faces.
"On our left, the morning passed in
desultory Smelling which gradually
swelled in the afternoon into fierce
bombardment of the sectian of our
line running south to the Menin-Ypres
| road. This was the prelude to an at
| tack along the whcfe line. Around
Ypres the enemy rushed our trenches
at one point but they We're driven out
| again, the assault was repulsed. Here
again our losses, though heavy, were
much less than those of the Germans.
AS each successive attempt to take
Ypres by assault fails, the lombard
ment OF the unhappy town Is renewed
with ever increasing energy.
Further to the south on our left
center, the situation remained practi-
cally unchanged, a little ground being
lost here and there and then regained.
On our center and right and indeed,
along the whole of our line, the hostile
artillery appears to have received or
ders on this day to sweep the area in
the rear of our trenches. This, no
doubt is part of the policy of wearing
down.
"On the night of the 1874, a German
trench was taken by a division of our
battalions,r the occupants being bayo-
Melted or taken prisoners. Part of
another battalion which also advanced
during the night, encountered some of
the enemy who We're attempting a
similar operation. A hand hand
| fight ensued in which We came off
victors; we killed % Germans and only
| lost two men ourselves.
Saturday was very cold; there was
also some rain. On our left the Ger
mans again resumed the offensive in
the afternoon, south of the Menin
Ypres road with similar results to that
| obtained on previous day. They pene-
trated our line at one or two points
but were soon driven out and the line
was almost completely restored.
Farther to the south the French
| made an attack near Wytschaete and
| gained some ground under cover of a
very heavy fire from their guns. Tn
! til noon our left centre was subject to
sheeling alone and on our center
Armentieres was subjected to similar
| treatment. The town is now practi-
cally deserted by its inhabitants.
| During the day Bethune was bonn
barded by the enemy, who continued
! to devote his attention to the towns,
| villages and roads in the rear of our
| line. rather than to the trenches them
selves.
"On Sunday, the 18th, on our left,
l NoSt VI PRES d WEl-ColiuuCLHQ COuH-
ter attack was carried out against that
portion of the line occupied by the
enemy on the previous day where
he had established himself in some
stables and trenches. Two attempts
had already failed when, at $50 A. NJ,
gun was brought up to within 800
yards range. After four rounds had
been fired aparty succeeded in carry
ing the position, the officer in charge
being killed.
THE attack was led by the company
sergeant-major. This non-commis-
stoned officer was awarded the distin-
guished conduct medal, but has since
died of his wounds
THE bombardment slackened con-
siderably in this quarter. During the
day, on the southeast of Ypres between
Hollebeke and Wytschaete, there was
some hard lighting in which the French
held their ground. On our left center
nothing occurred beyond the usual