Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-11-05
TAKING A TRENCH: !
0F MANY DETAILS !
Charge Is Made Over Bodies
of Comrades Killed as They
Leave their OugoutS.

tack is to be made, but they surmise
! from signs that it is imminent. The
portion of the trench they are to cap
| ture is well known to them. Just be-
| fore the attack their officer indicates
to them the exact limits of the part
they are to occupy. The men that are
to fight through the boyau have been
allotted Il complement of grenades.
The artillery men in charge Of the
big guns in the rear. those manning
the fast firing fieldpieces back Of the
trenches. and the men who fire the
tiny cannon that shoot crapouillots or
work the spring cOntrivances that
launch aerial torpedoes have all been
notified. The officers in charge Of the
various batteries have proved their
range, guided by signals from aero
planes and by personal observation.
Quantities Of ammunition have been
sent up to the trenches, including a
large supply Of hand grenades and
lance rackets. The latter consists Of a
tin box. the shape Of q sardine can, full
of bits Of cast iron and packed with
an explosive and nailed on a crude
to throw after lighting the fuse.
The attack Is to take place at 3
o'clock. The artillery goes into action
from one-half to three hours before the
infantry charge, depending on the ma.
ture of the trench to be taken. In this
case the trench is not exceptionally
strong. The artillery will prepare the
way for but half an hour.
The men in charge Of the little trench
cannon in the second line get their ex-
plosives ready. An aerial torpedo is
large conical shaped projectile with fln-
like planes tapering from the sides.
which guide It evenly In its flight.
The reserves going past the gunners
/ on their way to the trenches call out,
asking them to shoot we'll. for when
the explosives have fallen true and
wrought havoc in the trenches the in
! fantry has an easy time of 1t. The
| windings of the enemy trenches and
| boyaux are known from aerial Observa-
ton. and the trench cannon and cata-
pults are aimed accordingly. They are
ready. 1t is not long until 2:30 p. m.
| From the second line comes the sound
of sharp. rasping swish, and tor
pile lunges into the air toward the
German trenches. It drops into
boyau just back Of the first line There
is a terrific detonation, and a great
black cloud Of dirt and smoke shoots
into the air. An arm, the body Of
| man, a severed head and a rifle jump
grOtesquely upward and fall back to
earth. The torpille has blocked part
of the boyau by caving in the sides.
Suddenly the air is split by the sharp.
rapid banks Of the wonderful seventy
fves that can shoot to within couple
of yards. The torpilles lunge over In
increasing numbers. Little crap0uillOt
cylinders shot from the small trench
cannon whistle across to the German
line. The gap remains. The soldiers
are under cover in their abris. More
shells roar in as the batteries open up.
The trench is being blown to pieces.
The Germans reply. Their shells break
near the French trenches and in the
area behind. The noise of firing and
explosion of shells blends into an al
most continuous deafening roar.
Fighting at Close Range.
| The lieutenant whose men will make
the attack has been looking at his
watch Shortly before he gives the
command to prepare for the sOrtie.
The men pull down u few sacks just
in front of them to make breaches
through which they can crawl. few
men who haze been assigned to the
boyau leading to the German trench
creep up to the dividing barricadc and
| open up grenade ana lance racket
| attack. 4 few Germans behind Il shel
| ter there return the fire \ grenade
hits close. One of the men falls. ar
| other Is wounded.
! Through q riit lii the bags the Gel
mans are seen gong back to theli
line. They are afraid of being cut OF
| The bags are pulled down. Another
! man falls. He has been shot 10y II
| German hiding behind an elbow OF
| the boyau. A grenade is thrown there
More men are crowdng into the bOyau
1t is mean fighting in those narrow
COnHueS. Lucy uuIe ho' +" u"eou VII
til the attack Is made.
| 1t is 3 o'clock. The artillery in the
rear lengthens its range. The officer is
keeping close watch on the time He
signals and, with his men. Chambers
| over the edge of the trench. 1t Is
terrible moment Something within
you freezes, and you feel a thousand
keen emotions. Automatically. though,
you are crawling out. and once out and
going ahead the tension leaves.
The attack has started. but it is not
such a charge as one pictures. There
is no majestic forward sweep In a
thrilling and glorious charge. It is a
creeping ont and get across as best you
can bcfor" ynu are killed You cannot
run fast. for the ground is full of shell
holes. \ shell shrieks down and hide
GUS, jagged fragments tear into the ad-
vancing men.
There Is a hammering whirr and a
singing stream Of bullets sweeps the
deployed lines mitrailleuse! 1t has
not been broken Ivy the artillery! Men
are falling quickly. They stumble.
crumple up and lie still. but you do not
notice them. All you think Of Is get