The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-29

\ 81 this mighty battle which probably
u destined to nGurx As the greatest
conflict In history has not yet ar
Rived. Il - scarcely an exageerstion
10 say that the issue OF the whole
war TURNS On the questions OF whether
The Germans viii be strong enough
TO Withstand the sledEe hammer blows
4 the allies are de alins them Ut the three
Z breaks In the German line In Cham.
! payne. in Artois and at Lena
The most important indication Of
the trend of the battle lies in Sir
John French's communication yester-
day. showing that although We drew
the enemy's reserve into action. we
were still able to hold the greater
part OF the ground gained. But the
final Issue OF the battle Viii not he
decided until II is seen whether the
Eermans cannot only hold their
ground against further advance, but
ran also regain the very important
fronnd they already have yielded.
Desperate Fighting In Progress.
Even IS | write desperately hard
Fighting Is II. proercsS--~the more des-
rerate because both sides fully realize
What is Al stake The fighting is GO
Ing forward along the whole line Of
The British advance The heaviest
fighting to-day has beer aeout-n pitt
ID
gethuue. a couple Of miles southeast
rf Aaisaes and at Hill 20, which is
In our hands save for redouht where
the Germans are still holding out.
"0ur men are busy at Loos today
digging out the Germans who were
buried by our born bardment and those
who are hiding in cellars and caves
A mum Der NJ civilians were found in
ihe village. They had been living in
q ID
mile or two Of The firms line all sum 4
her. having actually stayed through
rut he recent terrible days Of our
rreiirr mary homhardment About
kventy-three more guns have been
found buried at Iaos today
Airmen Due Great Credit.
A large measure If credit for oar
initial success lies with the airmen
THE army is enthusiastic over their
work The daring raids they exc
cuted over the pnenys country pre-
vented the Germans from rushing
fuil supply of reinforcenents to stem
the collapse Of their front line Prev
lous TO our offensive on Saturday the
airmen made aaty Reconnaissance
tr spite If unfaSorable weather. some
times remaining for two hours over
the German lines They were pre-
vented hy The clouds from flying TO "a
greater height than 1000 feet At
lacks were made en- the German rail-
way lines south of Lille. II was ny
these lines that the enemy would
naturally hiring reinforce ments from
belgium A German freight train
was wrecked on September % and
the rails were torn at several places
on the following day. and on sunday
troop train and supply train were
hi and the tracks were broken at
-four places. A troop train at Loire
Station. bound eastward, was struck
by AERIAL bombs on Sunday and three
cars were wrecked AS the airmen
were departing. they noticed that the
Germans had alighted and had gath
cred around the wrecked cars. AT
this our fiiers planed down 10 500
feet. embossed lio-pound bomb into
their midst and then rose unseathed.
On the same day an engine and two
cars on another train were Aerailed
near Stamande and the track was
damaged mt six places. But probably
the most important feat Of our air
men was their work In setting fire To
the railway stations at Naienciennes
junction, a point OF vital military i'm =
portance 10 the Germans, as her lines
from Brussels and Maaherge meet the
lines going TO Lille Cambria and
uouat, our ighung aeroplanes last
week had twenty seven encounters
One German aeroplane is known 10
have been wrecked. and in only one
instance did British aeroplane come
rT second best. / am Informed that
IN consequence Of the vigar with
which the airrnen carried the wal
snfo the enemies country the German
flying men will no longer meet souI
men In combat