Evening star., 1915-01-14
SHELLSSH0WER
LINES OF BATTLE
Fighting Between Nieuport and
Dixmude Is Graphically
Described.
SCENES OF DESOLATI0N
AND RUIN EVERYWHERE
Peasants Plow Their Fields as
Artillery Actions Hold
Sway.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press.

Dixmude, and through the courtesy of
the king of the Belgians the Associat-
ed Press correspondent with the Bel |
gian army saw one of the sharpest |
battles between the rival armies along
the User since the country between the |
two forces was inundated. The cor
respondent was given the opportunity
of accompanying a staff officer on his
daily round of the battle line.
The party was under constant artil-
lery fire, and before the morning end
ed they were shelled out of Nieuport
and Ramscapelle When the bridge on
the edge OF Nieuport was reached
lively artillery duel had begun between
the French batteries situated just
south of the town and the German ar
tillery located beyond Lombaertzyde.
Leaving the car at the bridge, the
party went into the town for a quar-
ter of a mile until within sight of the
ancient observation tower, which has
been the main object of the German
guns for several days.
Takes Refuge in Church.
Dodging from wall to wall, on either
side of the street lined with houses
completely wrecked by German shells,
the party took refuge for moment in
the entry way of the Nieuport church,
a CdtHcuTdl-HhS structure, which mas
only three walls standing From gil
gantic crucifix the effigy of Christ had
slipped and lay uninjured in a recum-
bent position at the foot of the cross
Behind every wall offering the slight
est cover squads of French African
troops took shelter. Many of them
had been wounded, but the fire was so
heavy that they could not venture to
the rear for treatment. In the direc-
tion of the coast shells from the bonn
IN n n ms he l.
ing in the air, while the big shells
from the German batteries shrieked
overhead with a sound that could only
be described as wicked whine. When
momentary lull was noticed in the
German fire no time was lost in get
ting back to the car. but before it could
be regained a six-inch shell from a
German howitzer burst within 100
yards of the party and within a few
feet of the big gas tank which supplies
the town. The engine of the motor
car had been stopped and the slowness
OF the chauffeur in starting 1t again
der way every one felt safer, but shells
continued to fly overhead and some
fell just short of the road travelled
by the car. One of these striking in
mud and black smoke to a height of
several hundred feet.
Battery Cleverly Concealed.
Turning toward Ramscapelle, where
are the advanced line of Belgian
trenches, the party passed a French
battery SO cleverly concealed in wood
that the dugouts of the men looked
like rows of freshly made graves. The
horses and guns were concealed be-
meath evergreen trees. Part of this
grove had been 1eveled by German ar
tillery fire. the trees looking as if they
had been moved down by an enormous
scythe.
One of the most striking features of
the battlefield. and one entirely incon-
gruous with the work in hand, was the
sight Of peasants plowing their fields
as if war were hundreds of miles away.
These farmers are apparently fearless
for their own personal safety, but keen
ly concerned for their homes, many of
which have been destroyed by shell fire.
Just on the edge of Ramscapelle the
party climbed to the top of huge
wooden windmill used for grinding
wheat, which had been struck by hun
dreds of shells. From this vantage
point the party saw Ramscapel1e, a
town which has been totally destroyed
by the German artillery. Not single
structure in the place has escaped, and
many of the walls stin left standing
have hundreds of shraDnel shell holes
in them. The church is even more of
a wreck than the big church at Nieu-
port, everything in it being ruined pc
yond restoration except beautiful!
group of statuary representing the
Lords last supper, which remains in
tact, fact which the Belgian soldiers
regard as a miracle.
Graves Are Torn Open.
Out in the churchyard the graves
have been torn open and the collins ex-
posed by exploding shells. Like the
crucifx in the church building at Nieu-
port, the figure from the cross in the
graveyard here has slipped from the
cross and lies at it's foot. Proceeding
through the town, the party came to
the advanced trenches, which are
located along the railway, which is the
boundary of the flooded districts. Six
hundred yards away. on high ground
shutting in the water, is the advanced
German post at the farm OF st. Georges,
which the allies were preparing to at
tack while the party was in Rams
capelle. In this district the water level
is only two feet below the level of the
ground, and trench-making here has
been a problem taxing the resources of
the Flemish engineers with the Belgian
army, who are accustomed to working
in these lowlands. The railroad serves
as the base for the trenches, and the
mud walls are built up against it. with
embrasures for rifle fire made of
squares of steel with hole in the
center for the rnuzzle of the guns.
While the party was in the trenches
the Germans became aware of the
preparations for attack and their great
sausa ge- shaped observation balloon
was sent up. A long line of gravel cars
occupied the siding in front of the
station and the steel sides of these
trucks had been pierced SO often that
they looked like sieves. The party was
cautioned not to stay together in a
group, as the Germans were quick to
detect any unusual movement The
warning came too late. and under
hail of shrapnel, which had the correct
elevation, but fortunately fell to the
right of the village, the party made it's
way to the car and out of the town,
while a battery of heavy Belgian guns
pounded away at the German position,
covering the allied attack which came
from Nieuport by way of the only dry
road left to the invaders lines.
Troops on the Move.
Finding Pervyse. the other advanced
Belgian post. inactive the party re-
turned to Furnes. stopping occasion
ally to watch the bombardment of
.Nieuport, which was proceeding with