The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-31

10 prOJecC the name or the woman, Whl(
us the reasons for desiring an early u
grove had been leveled by German ar
tillery fire, the trees looking as If they
had been moved down by an enormous
scythe. One of the most striking fea-
lures of the battlefield and one en-
tirely homogeneous with the work in
hand was the sight of peasants blowing
their fields as if war We're hundreds of
miles away. These farmers are appar-
emily fearless for their own personal
| safety, but keenly concerned for their
homes, many of which have been de-
stroyed by shell fire.
Observation From Windmill
Just on the edge of Ramscapelle the
party climbed to the top of huge
wooden windmill used for grinding
wheat which had been struck by hun
dreds of shells From this vantage
| point the party saw Ramscapelle, a
town which has been totally destroyed
| by the German artillery. Not a single
| structure in the place has escaped and
many of the walls still left standing
have hundreds of shrapnel shell holes
i in them The church is even more of a
wreck than the big church at lNieu-
port. everything in it being ruined be-
yond restoration except a beautiful
group of statuary representing the
Lords Last Supper, which remains in
| tact, fact which the Belgian soldiers
| regard as miracle.
Out in the churchyard the graves
have been torn open and the collins eX-
posed by exploding shells. Like the
crucifiX in the church building at Nieu-
port, the figure from the cross in the
graveyard here has slipped from the
cross and lies at its foot. Proceeding
1ph ha fln orb anna, 70
the advanced trenches. which are To-
Gated along the railway. which is the
boundary of the flooded districts Six
hundred yards away, on high ground
| abutting into the water, is the adj
vanced German post at the farm of St
Georges which the allies were prepar-
ing to attack while the party WAS in
Ramscapelle. In this district the water
level is only two feet below the level
of the ground and trench making here
has been a problem taxing the re-
sources of the Flemish engineers with
the Belgian army who are accustomed
to working in these lowlands. The
railroad serves as the base for the
trenches and the mud walls are built
up against it with embrasures for rifle
fire made of squares of steel with n
hole in the center for the muzzle of
the guns. &
While the party was in the trenches
the Germans became aware of the prep
arations for attack and their great sau-
sage shaped observation balloon was sent
up. A long line of gravel cars occupied
the siding in front of the station and
the steel sides of these trucks had been
pierced so often that they looked like
sleeves The party was cautioned not to
stay together in group as the Ger
mans were quick to detect any unusual
movement The warning came too late.
1, n L.
the correct elevation but fortunately fell
to the right of the village. the party
made its way to the car and out of the
town, while a battery of heavy Belgian
guns pounded away at the German posi-
ton, covering the allied attack which
came from Newport by way of the only
dry road left to the invaders lines.
Saw Newport B0mbarded
Finding Pervyse. the other advanced
Belgian post, inactive, the party returned
to Furnes. stopping occasionally to watch
| the bombardment of Newport. which was
proceeding with great fury. In the clear
winter air the bursting of the shells pre-
scented a magnificent sight. while the roar
of the Franco Belgian batteries shook the
windows of the automobile. Long lines
OF jaded French soldiers of the Alpine
corps were coming from the advanced
French trenches for rest. while thou
| SINUS OF their African DrOlHefS IN arms
| were marching in the opposite direction
| to reinforce Newport which, with Dix
nude forms the only possible gates to
! Pas de Calais. because of the flooded
country between these two points which
makes infantry advance impossible for
| either side.
/ On the way to Fumes at Wulpen, the
| party watched the unloading of the huge
| canal boats which bring up the supplies
| for the forces in the trenches. From the
/ banks of the canals it is loaded into
\ wagons WHICH deliver the food by night
| to the soldiers in the trenches. France
and England acting jointly are feeding
the Belgian army and as the canals make
a network in this part of the country
this work is done without interfering
with the usual military transport along
the roads.
No Visiting Dixmude
The only part of the Franco-Belgian line
between Newport and Dixmude unvisited
was the wing situated in Dixmude. II
would be certain death for anyone tc
attempt to enter the trenches except al
night and the staff officers in the party
expressed great amusement when they
were told that certain papers had pub.
II lished accounts of visits by daylight tc
this line. Dixmude is held Jointly by
the Germans and the Belgians, the in
vaders occupying one side of the Ysei
and the Belgians in trenches 60 yards
away on the opposite side. The Germans
have the advantage of having ruined
houses about their position while tht
Belgian trenches have clear space IL
their rear.
Tonight the correspondent dined with