Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-01
GERMANS lombard
CHURCH AND ABBEY
Correspondent in Department Of
Calais Describes Methods Of
Fighting.
ATTACKS MADE IN THE NIGHT
scouts Creep Forward Under Cover
Of Darkness and Cut Wires
Trenches Then Taken At
roint OF Rayonct.

MONT sAINTE LOI. Department OF
Pas De Calais. France. Wednesday. Dec.
1-fDelayed IN Transmission. )--German
artillery today again bombarded at iong
range the double lowered church and the
fifteenth century abbey here, but without
doing great damage.
Night attacks have become the sole
method Of making an advance In this
underground war. as all attempts 20 as
sault the positions IN the day time fail
before the terrific rifle and machine gun
fire.
ceasca fire and all becomes momentarily
silent Then begins the task OF relieving
fhs men IA the dug-outs, Companies ard
battalions, which are about 70 take turn
on the firing line. waTiiy approach the
ssrpentine parallels leading TO the adj
vanced trenches.
The first platoon advances and makes
it's way through the sig-zag sunken path
70 q trench. out OF which the soldiers.
who have been there in most cases forty
eight hours. make an exit. covered with
mud from head to foot.
Ambulance men follow out Of the
bitches with the wounded borne on their
shoulders. as stretchers are unable 70
pass through the narrow parallels.
shortly after the operation Of relief has
been completed. the new occupants OF
the trenches. who have been refreshed
BY rest in the rear. start movement.
scouts Cut wires
4 scouting party. generally composed
Of five or six volunteers. leaves tbs
trenches 70 recounoiltf Bach man Il
armed with a revolver and a rifle. q
bayonet and q pair OF shears. Creepins
fiat. they proceed In direct line to.
wards the German trenches. their move
nents being as slow and - silent as pos
aible. because the slightest noise brlnsr
forth = fueiilade Of bullets.
'rhe men make their Wills and hans
them 70 their comrades before starting Of
daring exploit. as IL is likely that SOM
o. the soldiers win never return. Scout
often succeed in ovadins the German
senkincls and cut the wire ENHANCEMENT
"a front Of the German trenches. thu
hayonot.
Hex captnFed Trenches Are HELD
When prisoners are taken by the Frenel
they are grouped under guard al IN
end Of the trench. while half Of the at
lacking force. with ontronchine tools
preparing the way for q general Attacl
Before dawn. Those left Of them returi
70 the ailieH trenches and make a rcpor
Of the result Of their operations. The
whispered command passes along an
= company chambers out and makes u
way crouchingiy in an advance. n IN
company reaches the vicinity OF the Ger
man position without discovery and b
fore the opposing machine guns can b
brought into play the men leap into an
capture the trench az the point OF th
hur4iediy builds up an earthen shelter 9
the rear OF the captured trench and cor
aolidates fhof position against a possibl
counter attack. The other half OF IN
forcn opena fire on the Germans IN N
nexs line Of trenches. A Eain OF aons
times fifty and sometimes 100 yards
made IN this way during the night
Young soldiers going for the first tim
frto tbs trenches declare that the wor
- e9tremeIy eneryating. but they 500
become accustomed TO their surround
snsa. their excitement when leaving n
trenches 70 attack the Germans soon r
solves itself, they asg. into a peculil
cs1mness Each soldier. when he se,
hIn opponents. appears 10 select the ma
who apparently Il making directly Z,
him with q weapon. He takes steady at
with his rife and n he misses he dash'
forward and engages his man in person
ccmbat