The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-02-26
'HAMBURG SOLDIER
! DEsCRIBEsBATT|LE
As Telephone Operator He Got
First Dope From German
Front At scissors

Correspondent OF Associated Press.)
BERLIN, February ia Hamburg
soldier, who acted as telephone operator
in the latest fighting at sissons, had a
remarkable view Of the operations from
his dng-out. - sss ~ 80.
my den," he writes, suddenly
became the meeting place for officers,
and for several days II has borne the
name Central Telephone Station of
Field Artillery The name says
enough to explain itself. All orders
pass through my wires, giving direc.
tions for our artillery fire at important
points. r, ..-.. II .,#
Outside we hear the Wild rage of
tile battle. Suddenly our dug-out
seems to be cavipg in; stones erumble
from the roof; we stop breathing and
terrible pressure in the air seems
about to fiatten our chests. What was
thati The younger soldiers tremble
and grow pale, but the veterans give a
quick and meaning glance, and the new
men who have not been in battle re-
cover themselves and proceed calmly
with their work. 1t was after all only
little ten-inch bomb. The veterans
know that it did not fall directly over
our dug-out and proceed with, their
telephone work, knowing that any de
layed message might cost much Ger
man blood. Meanwhile the tide Of
battle is turning back and forth.
Details Of Battle ..a~
."0ur infantry is falling back and
has lost connection with adjoining
troops. The first and third companies
of the regiment have disappeared; or
Height NO. - must be stormed at
once. The first battalion is under
flank fire, its losses heavy, help want
ed at once The artillery must length
en- its range three hundred meters at
once, as it is endangering our infantry
Captain & has just fallen; Lieu
tenant S. assumes command.
Field artillery must Immediately open
/ Gre on Height No. -; upon -
away Two minutes later that road is
screened with smoke as our shells fly
further and further into the thick
masses of men and horses. Horses dash
away in a mad panic, and men creep
forth from under capsized gun carriages
and caissons and limp away in search
of cover. They nearly succeed, when q
little white cloud is suddenly seen, and
the tottering figures and everything
around are moved down. That was
one. of our shrapnels.
/ .''The smoke has cleared away, and
4 our field artillery is shooting at more
important game-a field battery in the
road, which is now at rest forever.
Hurrah! is shouted through the teie-
4 phone, with the announcements: tCuf-
fes has been taken completely, also the
Height 1872 (naming little fort1 En-
husiasm for a moment and then the
telephone service goes on with the
same zeal and energy. We have had
great successes, and not a man thinks
IF getting his dinner. We only drink
black coffee from morning till night,
and that is all that keeps us on our
feet. The enemies artillery gradually
stops firing, but ours fires still more
hotly If possible. Suddenly the urgent
call:
Run in wild Masses
The whole artillery will prepare
.irouy and VauxrOt to be taken by
Storm At two-forty CrOuy is taken
after a hard struggle and occupied by
our brave Field.grays. Two hours later
Vauxrot is ripe for attack, and is
taken by storm with only small losses.
Another hour and the glass factory, at
ter having been rightfully shot to
pieces, falls into our hands. That was
strong supporting point of the
French; and now there is no longer any
holding out on their side. Their rife
men run for the Aisne in wild masses
and press to cross the bridges for the
south bank. Our artillery tears with
rapid fire through the disorderly masses.
Hundreds of these brave soldiers red
den the soil of the native land with
their blood.
Another 'Hurrah!' Announcement
from division headquarters that the
kaiser, our beloved Kaiser, has just
arrived in an automobile behind our
front. Hundreds of telephones carry
the news into the front battle lines;
and our men are no loI ger to be held
on this side of the Aisne is cleared
of the enemy"
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