New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-29
BRITISH CHARGE
WHILE GUNS VEIL
FLANDERS FIELD
German Trenches Crum.
pied by Artillery as Men
Leap Forward.


British Headquarters, Sept. 27 dis
patch to "The Daily Chronicle" Lon
don, from Philip Gibbs).-The attack
which began the battle along a 500-mile
front started, as far as the British lines
were concerned, before dawn Saturday
For several days previously the usual
artillery bombardment had increased in
intensity on both sides here in Flan-
ders.
The enemy, as though suspecting the
movements Of troops behind our lines,
expended a great quantity of shells,
especially opposite the Ypres salient,
so that the ruins Of the destroyed city
were churned up again by high ex-
plosves.
Then Friday there was a lull before
the storm, which was about to break
with greater violence. II seemed as
though these millions Of men on both
sides of the line were waiting in. tense
expectation of fate. Undoubtedly, as |
know now from German prisoners, the
enemy awaited the attack, but they
were ignorant of our strength and
plans and blindly confident Of their
own security. II is betraying no Sc
cret now to say that our own officers
and men were tuned up to the highest
pitch Of anticipation, because without
definite orders except to those in high
command they knew by various signs
and portents that operations Of some
Importance were at hand.
Guns Shake Air and Earth.
Friday afternoon a light rain fell,
making the roads sticky and spreading
a grayish haze over the countryside.
At night the wind blew softly from the
west. All over the lines there was COM
parative quiet until late in the night.
Then suddenly the bombardment began.
All the batteries from the User 10 the
Somme seemed to fire together. as
though at some signal in the heavens,
in one great salyo. The earth and the
air shook with i in great trembling,
which never ceased for single minute
during many hours.
The vast tumult of explosive force
pounded through the night with sledge-
hammer strokes, laundering through
the deeper monotone of continual re-
verbation. At 2:30 o'clock a. m. what
seemed impossible happened. The din
Of the bombardment became doubly in
tense, so that all Flanders shook to It.
Again at o'clock, still before dawn,
the fury of it was intensified so that
our souls quaked at its awful signit-
canoe.
But il was a good augury. Never be-
fore in this war have our guns spoken
in such loud clamor. This was the
work Of all those thousands Of men in
the factories at home, who have been
toiling through the months at furnace
and forge. They have sent US guns
and there seemed 20 be shells enough
70 blast the enemy out of his trenches.
Our chance had come for real attack.
II began.
Enemy's Trenches Crumpled.
East Of Vermelles, south of the La
Bassee Canal and in the plain Of Lens,
our men were out Of their trenches be-
fore daylight and at deadly grips with
the enemy. They were advancing
steadily over the ground, which was
no longer barred 10 them impregnably
by the enemy's trenches, upon which
they had peered through sandbags and
loopholes for many long months,
Those trenches had been smashed and
crumpled by our artillery fire, and only
in dugouts were the men still living
dazcd BY the intensity OF the lombard
ment and stupefed into inevitable sur
render.
IL is too soon TO give any details OF
tbs heroic advance TO the outskirts oi
nulluch and through che village OF
Loos TO the neighboripg mine helds
and slopes of Hill No. 70. No man saw
the attack unless he took part in 1t,
and then in only his own immediate en-
vironment. Battalions disappeared into
the fog Of smoke from shells and bombs
of every kind. They fought behind q
veil from which came only the noise OF
battle and later the first stream OF
wounded.
The divisions engaged in the struggle
Saturday fought with the spirit OF men
who knew the empires life depended
upon them, and gave their lives with
noble generosity. Among them were
battalions Of the new army of Kitchen.
Continued on page o. column .