South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-23
@ GERMAN SHELLS FIRE
ST. MARTINS CATHEDRAL;
A CKS ARE REPULSED

them has been carried on under tre-
mendous difficulties. Rain had turn
ed the roads TO deep quagmires and a
coli wave had driven down from the
North sea. The artillery horses had
given out and the traction engines
were so heavy that they were stalled
in the mud. At some points mile af-
ter mile. the artillery crawled forward
working night and day over corduroy
constructed ahead of the guns
New Difficulties Arise.
Upon their arrival at the coast fresh
difficulties beset the Germans. Driving
transforms interrupted the work of
throwing up defensive works and the
British warships off the coast we're
liable to keep up a desultory fire de-
spite the rOughness of the water.
Despite the numerous handicaps,
however, the invaders were finally re-
warGed with success and the big guns
were in position. Some of them
were Immediately turned upon the
warships, having the advantage in
carrying power and stationary bases,
the German guns were able 10 drive
off some of the ships.
A small detachment of German Off
GERS, who had been captured in the
fighting near the Belgian frontier,
passed through Paris last week. The
French troops who were guarding the
captives said that the Germans had
tJld them that the kaiser recently
spent four days at Roulers. Al
though he wore the uniform of a sec
ond lieutenant of cavalry TO disguise
himself, his presence easily became
known to the troops The kaisec Vis-
tied the trenches and Inspected the
positions of artillery behind the lines.
He addressed a communication to the
German officers lighting upon the Os-
tend -Dixmude Ypres line urging them
to the most supreme efforts in this un-
Gertaking.
Your kaiser, and fatherland de-
mands it," was the concluding SEN
tence Of the address.
An official telegram from Furnes
gives the following details of the latest
German bombardmcnt of Ypres:
In the dusk of Saturday a German
aviator made a daring flight over the
outer line of the British forces before
YpreS and despite the terrific fire
which was directed against his Taube
machine, continued his work of recon-
noissance until he was chased away
by a British aviator whose machine
carried light rapid fire gun.
Expected Cannonade.
"The British expected a cannonade
to follow at once but the night passed
bombardment broke out all along the
German lines. Shells began falling
into Ypres from the southeast and
the northeast and it was evident ut
once that the invaders had deter
mined upon a vigorous concentrated
cannonade.
'The first shells fell in the Plaine
D'Amour, north of the town, or along
the Major Gracht, south of the town,
and exploded harmlessly in the deep
mud. Very soon. however, it was evil
dent that the German gunners were
feeling for a particular mark. Shrap-
mel began falling in the Rue De Lille
and the Grand Place with discOncert-
ing regularity. Then it was made
plain that the Germa ms, believing that
the British commander and his staff
We're occupying the town hall, were
concentrating their fire in that di-
rection. The town hall is 1anked by
the cathedral of St. Martin and the
Cloth hall. the most famous edifice
in Belgium, while across the grand
place lies the Episcopal college. Just
"a block to the north of it on the Rue
D'Dixmude lies the palace of justice.
"The German gunners, all through
Sunday, kept dropping their shells
among these beautiful and historic
buildings, and by dusk the town hall
was a sinister monument of ruina-
ton"