New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-03
ATTACKS BY GERMANS
SHOW LOSS IN OFFICERS

skv was flecked with the almost mo-
tionless smoke Of anti-alrcralt ShIaP-
mel.
Shells Fall Into village.
Suddenly. and without any warning
for the reports of the distant howitIeIS
from which they were fired could no.
he DISTINGUISHED from other distant re-
ports. three or four heavy shells 1oll
into the village. sending up huge CLOUDS
of dust and smoke, which aScended III
q brownish gray column. To th.S no
reply was made by our side.
"Sbortlv afterward there was d"
ouick succession of reports from a
point some distance up the subsidiary
valley. on the side opposite our
trenches and therefore, rather on thelr
aank II was not possible eltner ny
ear or eve 10 locate the guns from
which the sounds proceeded. Almost
simultaneously, as il seemed, mere WIS
n corresponding succession o. hasheS
and sharp decorations in the Inc o. me
hillside along what appeared TO De our
trenches. Then there was ! pause ana
several columns Of smoke rost slowly
and remained stationary, spaced "S reg
ularly as poplars.
Again there was a succession Oh re-
rorts rom German quick-hrers on the
lar side of the misty valley ana IKE
echoes of detonationS of high eXplo-
sives. and the row of expanding CLOUDS
was prolonged by several new ones.
Another pause and silence except l"i
the noise in the distance.
after a few minutes there was
roar from our side of the main valley
as our field guns opened one a;'er an
other IN a more deliberate hre upon
the positions of the German guns Al
ter six reports there was again Silence
save for the whirr of shells as they
sang M the small valley. Then fol
lowed flashes and balls of smoEe-one.
two, three, four, five, siX-aS the shraH-
rel burst nicely over what in tie haze
looked ike some ruined buildings al
the edge Of the wood.
Enemy ReOpens After Interval.
again. after a short interval, the
enemy's gunncrs reopened with q burst,
still further prolonging the smok' ,
which was by now merged into one
solid screen above considerable length
Of the trenches, and again did OIL Guns
reply, and so the duel went on for some
time.
Ignoring our guns, the German ar
tillerymen. probably relying on con-
cealment fer immunity, were concen-
trating all their efforts in particular
Is forceful attempt to eniilade our
trenches. For them it must have APP
pcared to be the chance OF lifetime,
and with their customary pTodigallty
Of ammunition they continued to pour
bouquet after bouquet of high eNplo-
sives or combined shrapnel and com
mon shells onto our works.
Occasionally with a roar high
angle projectile would sail over the
Hill and blast gap in the village.
One could only pray that our men hold
ing trenches had dug themselves in
deep and well and that those IN the
village were in cellars.
an the hazy valleys, bathed in sun
light, not a man, not a horse, not a
gun, nor even a trench was 20 be cen.
There were only flashes and smoke and
noise. Above, against the blue sky
were several round, white clouds hang
ing. The only two visible human souls
were represented by glistening speck
in the air On high attitudes were to
be heard more or less gentle reports
of the anti-air projectiles.
was one of sympathy for the men sub
| iected to bursts along that trench.
/ non inquiry as TO the losses sustained
! however, it was found that our men had
/ been able to take care of themselves
and had dug themselves well in In
! that collection Of trenches on that Sun
/ day afternoon were portions OF fOuI
battalions of British soldiers-the Dor
sets. the West Kents, the Kings Own
4 Yorkshire Light Infantry and the
Kings Own Scottish Bordcrers.
800 Proiectiles Wound 9 Men.
cover three hundred projectiles were
fred against them. The result was
nine men wounded.
"On the following day 1893 shells were
fired at the trenches occupied by the
West Kent regiment alone. Four Off
GERS were buried, but were dug out un.
hurt One man was scratched. The
village itself was unoccupied.
MANY camp yarns are now IN circu-
lation among the troops, mostly Of an
amusing nature. As AN instance, a re-
pert ia current shat the TurcoS, who
are our close rciGhbors, have beer
rather snort OF food and nave bar
tered the Use OF two heavy guns toI
10000 tins Of ration beef. The maTkc'
rate Of exchange between guns anC
meat, however. has not yet been worked
out
"Our troops in the second line az Ger
tain spots pass the time by.punting the
football about on the village places. II
is rumored tnat German aviator OBJ
served this. and has sent in report
that TIE British forces were thoroughly
disorganized and running about THEN
post i'm blind panic"