The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-11-03
HOW AIRMEN. help
WHEELED In FL0CKS DIRECTING
FIRE OF BRITISH GUNS

FIRE OF BRITISH GUNS
DROP bombs ON TRAIN
Entire Allied Army Pays Tribute to
the Birdmen, who Prevented Dis
coyery of Preparations for Attack
and Directed Guns Of Army-Out-
numbered Germans s to 1.
Since the taking of Loos all the
allied army is singing the praises OF
the guns and the aeroplanes. No
such bonn mbardment had ever been
| heard on the British front as that
which preceded the attack. There
seemed no intervals between the re-
ports of the guns-not even those Of
the beat OF a snare drum. The roar
had the power and continuity Of Mia
CARA Falls. House windows in the
surrounding country kept up con-
tinuouS rattle.
"It Is the sweetest sound in the
world" said one Of the surviving vet
erans Of the retreat from Mons. 1t
means you will get into the German
trench and have a fair fight Of it,
and you won't charge into the play
Of the machine guns or be hung up
In the barbed wire. A year ago
when we held the Germans back from
the Channel ports, we were doing it
with flesh and blood against the out
numbering German artillery. The
most comforting sight in the world
is an eight-inch howitzer, and next to
that Is q motor truck loaded with
high explosive shells.
AS morning approached after the
night OF bombardment, officers on
the British front were looking at
their wrist watches. In front Of Loos
the figure six marking the half hour
-six-thirty-was the goal OF the
creeping minute hand. At that mo-
ment a wave Of men rose from the
frst-line British trenches, and the
volume Of shell fire was lifted from
the first German line to the second
line as the stream from a hose is
lifted from one flower bed to an
other.
meanwhile every man in the
charge tried to outrun every other
man, The sooner they were in the
German trenches the less the llkell-
hood Of the Germans coming out OF
their dugouts, recovering their senses
after the bath of shells and firing on
the advance. If only one machine
gun could be manned before the
charge goes home the charge may be
stopped in that immediate section.
Il is all a matter Of wrist watches, OF
speed, team play, and Of seconds.
With the first flush OF dawn the
birds Of war had come from their aer-
dromes.' The shell fire and the aero
planes were all that the onlooker
might see.
Il should think that we had eight
planes that day to one OF the Ger
mans" said an aviator. we mao
concentrated planes as we'll as guns.
Only when the secret Of the point
of concentration is kept can such an
attack succeed against a modern de-
fensive position. The Germans had
learned that the British were pre-
pairing an attack; for their soldiers
called out from their trenches to the
British: when are you coming to
which one Briton replied: "Ill let
you know as soon es Sir John French
tells me-
Attacks were made that morning
ct several places; but the Germans
expected the real attack elsewhere
than Loos.
There has been 6 good deal of
talk" said staff officer, Ito the ef-
feet that the element OF surprise has
disappeared from war. 1t is as vital
as it ever was. Only concealment
was never so difficult
Troops and guns had to be moved
at night so that the German aero
planes might not note the concentra-
ton. British aeroplanes must ward
off German aeroplanes by day.
Infinite labor and pains in detail
are required Of hundreds OF thou
sands of mon for such an attack.
That OF the medical corps alone IS
stupendous. On the morning OF the
attack beds were ready, and the
countless ambulances and the clear
ing stations and all the intricate Or
sanization FOR caring for the wound
ed.
AS the attack proceeded flock OF
aeroplanes was cutting circles ana
dipping and turning over the oattie-
field as II in an exhibition Of alrman-
shin. They appeared to be discon-
nected from the battle; but no par
ticipant was more busy or intent than
they. All the panorama OF action
was beneath them; they alone could
really "see" the battle if they chose
Rut each aviator stole only passing
glimpses of the whole; for each one
was intent on his part, which was to
keep watch of whether the shells OF
the battery to which he reported
were on the target or not.
To distinguish whose shell-ourst
was whose in the midst OF that clouo
of dust and smoke over the German
positions seemed as difficult as to
separate the spout OF steam OF one
nine from another when a hundred
were making wall OF Tapor.
Every youth in England apparently
wants to get into the aerial service.
So the corps has its pick. Promotion
is rapid; the romance and the excite
ment of the work appeal. 1t is easy
to learn to fly in the very stable lat-
est types Of machines when, as t1e
saying goes, are "fool-proof.' 1t
takes only two months to train man
with aptitude to do the routine work
Of reconnaissance, but he must be
young. Men do not learn readily
after they are thirty. with few eX-
ceptions, and they are very poor pu-
pills after they are thirty-hve.
1t is not difficult to spot shells
when only a few batteries are firing.
but when perhaps hundred guns are
dropping shells on half-mile front
of trench highly-trained eye is re-
,>1N q n