Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-09-15
FIGHT LIKE DEMONS
Bernhard KeIIermann Describes
Trench War at SouChez.
Roads and Paths for Miles Around
Under Fearful Fire-LittIe Ham,
let Now Is Marked for
All Time.
BY BERNHARD kELLERMANN.

international News SerV1ce.)
On the Western German 'FRONT.'
have seen them and talked to them,
the men fighting out there in the
trenches of Souchez. Just now they
are resting, but tonight they will be
fighting again like demons. The roads
and paths for miles around are under
fearful fire. Almost every second a
shell bursts with a deafening roar.
Through this inferno they must pass.
Then they will be in Souchez.
What is Souchez? A small village
which nobody knew a few months
ago and which now will never be for
gotten again. The little hamlet IL
marked for all time, like Gravelotte
and Woerth. If hell keeps books the
name of Souchez must be entered in
large letters.
There is nothing left of the village
but heap of ruins. The trenches are
a few hundred yards from the village,
behind a curtain of fire. Through
this curtain our boys in gray must
pass. There are no communicating
passages-the French artillery on the
heights of Loretto does not permit
them. The trenches can only be
reached over the open field, through
the unceasing hail of French shells.
But our men are fearless. Their
uniforms were all field-gray at one
time, but nobody is able to distinguish
their color now. Only the first SER
geant looks as if he just came from
the tailor shop. His uniform is spot
less and his hands are carefully mani
cured.
With the long nails of his little
finger he traces the position on the
map. Before the war he was high
school professor, but now he is a SOL
der every inch of him.
This is our TRENCH he said, ex-
on the heights the artillery of the
enemy stands.
Yesterday we were under heavy
fire from seven o'clock in the morn
ing till nine o'clock at night. The
trench was destroyed and we were
buried.
About nine o'clock in the evening
the shells began to fly over US. The
enemy was trying to drive back a re-
lief column and to storm what was
left of our trench. Our lieutenant
shouted a command and in a moment
our trench resembled an ant-heap. We
dug ourselves out Most of our guns
had become useless, but we had hand
grenades.
The French swooped down upon
us. but we sent couple of dozens of
grenades into their ranks. The smoke
was so thick that we could not see
each other.
For a moment the enemy recoiled.
but then believing US finished, he ad-
vanced again, as he had received re-
endorsements; yelling, singing and
laughing we threw still more grenades.
AT the same moment we noticed
that the Frenchmen were also begin
ming to attack from one of their
trenches at our right. in the direction
of the sugar refinery. Like peas
from barrel they came pouring out
Of the smoke The lieutenant shout
ed; One man to the front with
gr"nadesI A single soldier advanced
and started to throw bombs. Who
was it?"
Il did it" answered one of the men.
a farmer from Silesia. II took an
armful of grenades and fred away at
random. but the bombs hit their mark
The Frenchmen fell back. When they
advanced again | had no more sren.