Evening star., 1914-11-15
SAYS GERMANS SHELL
| THE DUMMY TRENCHES
English Surgeon Tells of Tactful
Tricks That Keep Foes
Worried.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

LONDON, October 31.-Modern fight
ing strategy, at first rather helpless be-
fore the aerial and artillery factors. is
beginning to adapt itself to the new con
ditions and many fertile brains have been
busy devising schemes to meet these
problems Probably the most useful
work of the aeroplane has been the To-
cation Of positions and consequent direc-
ton of artillery fire. often resulting in
terrible losses to the attacked army.
According to a distinguished London
surgeon. now serving as a volunteer in
the Army Medical Corps. the British
troops have become adopts at building
dummy trenches to attract the enemy S
fire. These trenches are thrown up with
great fidelity and dummy figures and
guns are left in them patiently awaiting
the German aeroplane scouts Believing
he has discovered new position, the
aviator signals to the nearest German
battery, and storm of shells fall upon
the unoccupied trenches. 1t IS usually
only after a great waste of valuable
ammunition that the trick is discovered.
Tricking Germans.
Another favorite device is the inven-
tion of a British signaler whereby a
heliograph can be operated at a distance
of two miles by means of a telegraph
wire. This heliograph begins to send
out messages purporting to emanate from
headquarters staff. and. believing they
have located the brains of the British
army. the German artillery devotes its
attention to the spot marked by the
flashes from the heliograph.
Sometimes the helioGraph is destroy
ed. but usually the operator ceases
work when the fire becomes so heavy
that no staff in it's senses would re-
main In the vicinity. A new apparatus
staff would be likely to remove should
it be driven from the first selected
place.
Along the front, where the opposing
trenches are within a few hundred
yards of each other, the allies have de-
'vised a system of tormenting the enc
my by keeping them awake at night.
Regular skirmish details are selected
each night, and in thin SkirmiSh line
they advance as close as possible and
pour in a rattling fire. The response is
almost instant and in such volume as
to Indicate that the Germans believe a
general attack is beginning. Several
times during the night these tactics are
repeated.
Soldiers Become Insane.
The surgeon who has just returned
from the front reports that. contrary
to the usual belief, the trenches are not
very wet, but he believes that with the
coming of the heavy winter rains con-
ditions along the Aisne will become
terrible. The tension is already so
great that many have reached the
swapping point, until the insane ward
at Netley is filled with officers and SOL
diers who have lost their reason when
disease is added to the terror of battle
One of the optimistic features OF the
situation is an Improvement in the
transport of the wounded from the bat
tie front to hospitals in England. Two
weeks ago it often took as long as
three weeks to get the wounded from
the scene of the fighting to Southamp-
ton. and now the same trip is made in
from three to four days. This speed
ing up has resulted in a great accelera-
ton in the recovery of the dangerous
Iy wounded, for they reach the hos
pitals within the period of infection.