Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-10
TRENCHES TAKEN BY BRITISH
PLANNED AS WINTER HOMES

ally gave in. though not always, for
some of them died to the last man.
Some incidents had humorous as
we'll as a tragic side. In these sudden
encounters at close quarters. where the
charging Briton met a German emery
ing from his dugout. the bayonet,
bombs and even fists were sometimes
brought into play in the ensuing melee:
One difficulty was the gathering and
guarding of prisoners in such a con-
fined space as the irregular wrecked
trenches. With rifles and bombs lying
about the Germans even after capitu-
lating were likely to seize them and
rush to the cover of a traverse trench
or into a shell crater and renew the
fight.
The British are keeping to the tactical
plan undertaken by them to gain a GER
tain amount of ground with each at
tack.
The Germans fought desperately and
the viciousness of their counter at
tacks apparently was due to rage over
the loss of their comfortable dugouts,
which had cost them SO much PAINS
taking labor. and the unpleasant pros
pect of winter in the mud, building
new caves.
Wonderful Scenes in Rear.
The rear of the army during the
action presented wondrous varied
scene, which was the more concentrat-
ed because of the narrow front of the
operations. There were the slightly
wounded walking back, the stead>
tramp of fresh regiments goinz
forward. professions of swift. smooth
running motor ambulances whose bur-
dens would be back in England in
twenty-four hours. longer and seem
ingly endless professions of powerful
motor trucks loaded with shells to
feed the hungry. ever-thundering. un-
seen guns; troops of the reserves in
the nelds or beside the gorged roads
waiting their call, while the French
population stood in their doorways and
asked for the latest news from officers
and men who knew nothing except
concerning their own parts in the big
scheme of things.
Sunday after the attack succeeded a
chill autumn rain fell, covering the
field with mist and making artillery
observation difficult. The troops fight
Ing in the new line were drenched to
the skin. Dead and wounded British
and Germans lay side by side where
there had been eddies of fierce con-
flict.
The canvas rifle sheaths of the sol.
diers moving up in reserve ran little
streams of water. and the soldiers who
with the chalky mud of the ground
where they had dug themselves in as
they fought.
Captured German Cannon.
At a place near the front a park OF
captured guns guarded by pacing
British sentry seemed an attraction
more symbolic of success to the inhab.
itants than the parties Of German
prisoners.
The distances of the last ranges al
(which they were fired before the Brit
ish infantry engulfed them are chaIket
on some of the gun shields. Perhaps
the most interesting trophy is a Rus
sian machine gun taken by the Ger.
mans from the Russians on the eastern
| front. and now retaken by the British
The German prisoners were wei
F., clothed, neat and fresh in their com
Portable dugouts. where they wer,
caught by surprise. but evidently the,
appreciated the generosity of the Brit
ish rations. Three thousand prisoner.
were taken by the British. which wa.
small percentage of the German loss
The captured German trenches still
! continue under shell fire.