Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-18
WAR PANORAMA
IS VIEWED FROM
WINDMILL TOP
Graphic Account Is Given of
Battle Fought Under Cold
Clear Winter Skies in West
Flanders.

tAss0ciated Press C0rresp0ndence.)
Furnes, West Flanders, Dee. 3 -
From the windmill standing outside
ruined Ramscapelle, the Associate
Press correspondent had an excep-
tional opportunity to view a battle
panorama on a day when the winter
sunshine was as clear as the atmos-
phere Of a Colorado plateau.
From the sand dunes of Newport
to the rolling country beyond Dix
nude, the Flemish lowlands were
spread out like a map. The day was
one OF the liveliest along the User since
the Germans were checked in their
rush towards Paswde Calais Signs
Of activity began the night before.
when for hours thousands of French
African troops marched through Fur
nes on their way to hold the vital
gateway of Newport.
That this movement was not un-
known to the Germans was discoV-
cred when a division of this army, bill
leted for the night in n small village
near Fumes, was bombarded by the
Teuton howitzers, which began to rain
shells on the place within half an
hour after the weary marchers had
settled down for IA few hours rest.
Every house in the village suffered
from the shells and the loss of life
among the troops was heavy.
At dawn, from the windmill, great
white puffs could be seen in the west
ern sky beyond Newport where the
Anglo-French fleet was beginning the
hombardment of the Belgian coast
This was intended to cover an infantry
advance against Lombaertzyde ana st.
Georges, the two most advanced posts
held by the Germans.
Very Elastic Term.
occupied" In q military sense, has
become very elastic term along the
User battlefront; Nicuport is claimed
BY the allies, while Lombaerdzydc is
German possession but neither can
be called possible for human habta-
ton, while the troops. marching back
and forth through the debris-p piled
streets. are under constant hail of
artillery fire. But these points must
be held, and the African troops
marched through impassively towards
the trenches, while coming out of the
trenches in front of Lombaerdzyde
were squads of French Alpine chas-
seurs with their picturesque uniforms
caked with mud and with drawn and
hasgard faces.
Trying to stop the advance of the
French reinforeements, the German
guns searched Newport. battering the
ruined houses, Ike a dog shaking a
dead rabbit. Beyond the Newport
canal French batteries were posted
ana about ten in the morning these
came INTO play with salvo which
Nrfed the earth for miles around.
IN the momentafy pauses when the
smoke from the French seventy
ives cleared away, slx-inch shells
from the German h0witzers came
dropping into the fields where they
Threw up geysers of mud and black
smoke. Peasants plowed their fields
apparently uncorcerned with the tree
mendous war drama, on the stage
81 which they seemed unconscious IN
terlopsrs.
observation Balloon Ascends.
Suddenly just beyond st. Georges,
the big German observation balloon
was seen to ascend and hang in the
quiet air. Signs of activity became
general all along the User. From Nieu-
port a body of troops could be seen
moving at the double quick down the
only ury road towards st. Georges,
put soon disappeared from observa-
uon IN the smoke from the machine
'-f''' fi@ot'i ~ was itdGfltQ lnHt TINS
infantry advance, one of the first at
tempted since, the Germans had been
matted along the User, had gained sew
eral trenches.
1t was midday AS if F.alting for
lunch, the thunder Of the guns died
away, only TO be resumed in a des-
ultory fashion during the afternoon.
Except the occasional growI of a sim
sle howit2er, evidently aimed at the
sas tank on the edge of Newport, the
iate afternoon was spent in TAXI 1g
toii OIL The days operations. Battalion
after battalion of Africans marched
INTO Newport. fresh and with the
puoEaht step of trained soldiers. Red
ross cars carried the wounded to-
Waras the rear while canal harges dis
s"tsei enormous stacks of food for
men IN the trenches.
In the twilight down the road came |
/, iatlily group of peasants whose |
louise mad been destroyed by a shell !
mat day.. dumb as the few lean cows |
'hey drove before them.