Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-10-29
trench YOU see to YOUR front.

trench you see to your front.
We went out of the field trenches
and made our way back into the wood
My army officer companion asked me
how much l knew about woodcraft
because of life given over to con-
siderable extent to natural history
pursuits which had carried me into
the wilderness on many occasions, /
said that l thought l knew little
something of the forest and Of signs
and seasons" Then the officer asked
me to let him know II l discovered
anything that looked unusual as we
walked through the lights and shades
of the birch forest.
put all my senses to work and
tried to detect some symptom that
everything was not just as 1t should
be In an ordinary wood. I sensed
nothing out Of the ordinary, and was
just about to say 80 when my knee
struck something hard and looked
down. was staring straight into the
muzzls of q huge naval gun emplaced
at an angle Of about thirty degrees.
n Well-Concoaieo Gun.
This gun was in an underground
house." For a distance Of at least
two feet back of the muzzle the gun
was shrouded with q green growth
which completely concealed 1t. The
house had roof, but green things
were growing upon it and there was
absolutely nothing to tell that under
the cover was a gun pit. We entered
the house by means of some concealed
steps and there we found detaoh-
ment Of men ready to make the gun
speak when a returning air scout
should give the gunners directions ~
to just where to let she'll drop.
It was while was in this gun pit
that rapid firing was heard at tho ex-
treme edge of the wood. The can
nonading was from French battery
engaged in driving of German aero
plane which unquestionably was seek
ing to locate this big gun which had
caused trouble in the German lines,
but whose position the enemy had
been unable exactly to determine.
The next day from q rock rising al
most sheer to height of nearly seven
hundred feet looked through the
clear air toward Metz. the capital of
German Lorraine, which with its cir
| cling fortresses is the prize most Gov
eted by the French. The artillery OF
the republic emplaced on . ridge to
the right and little in advance OF
this position has succeeded IL reach.
Ing With its shells one of the most
formidable forts standing guard over
Metz. When the French break down.
II they can break down, the defenses
of Metz, an army will spring from the
ground and advance toward the Ger
man goal of its ambition. Metz, how.
ever, while really only a few miles
away, is a long ways of, because be
tween the outermost French lines and
the city of desire lies q German army
and right here on this line within
the next few days or weeks. or per
haps even months, there is sure te
come fighting of quality so fierce ~
to put all other fighting along thii
500-mile line into the class with thing
tame.
Views the Battlefield.
From where l stood there Is birds
eye view of great battlefield. W.
made an early start in order to b.
able to climb this needle-like rock be
fore the sun was high. This hill 4
called Mousson, and on its crow
there is q chapel built in the eleventh
| >k,,u fn1 oH fo} n
commanding mark for the enemy's a
tillery. The Germans for some res
son or other have left this pinnacl
alone for the main part. On occasion
they send shells over it, and toda
was one of the occasions. A shel
passed over my head while I wa
climbing the rock. heard It's viii,
zing distinctly, and instinctively
, crouched, much to the amusement Q
the French army officer who stood q
my side. "The thing you hear" b
, said. never hits you. It's half
mile past you before you hear tn
sound"
In climbing the hill Of Mousso
there are many places where one
out from under cover. Walking up tn
hill was difficult, but running was NOR
than difficult. and yet had to run b
tween the covered points. On thi
: hill we were within range, not only Q
shell fire but of small rife fire, an
the journey up and down had its "
, pleasant moments.
! When halfway down this Rock Q
, Mousson the cannonading grew louder
] The truth was that new battery ha
. opened, one much nearer to US tina
: tho guns which had been thunderin
: before. We looked down from the hill
, side to the village of Pont-a-Mousso
, which lay nesting at our feet Int
r the village the shells were pounding
. All that we could see was clouds G
1 dust and smoke mingled as We knee
with mortar. stone fragments, An
the ground powder Of plaster.
/ Short Breathing Space.
| W. Man nh Al tho foof Of tho hill AZ