Imperial Valley press., 1915-04-19

Seventh division in front of Ypres has
never been surpassed.
1t will be remembered that the Brit
ish army was then gradually being
transferred from the Aisne to fill in
the oap between the French left wing
and the Belgian army, which retired
on the line Nicuport- -DiXmude after
the fall of Antwerp. The Seventh di-
vision held the gap absolutely alone
for several days Then the other
corps gradually began to afriHe-the
Third the Second and finally the
First.
But even when all were assembled
the line was so thln that there were
no reserves, and even the cavalry had
to be dismounted and thrown into the
firing line. The troops. as they ap-
~eared on the battlefield entrenche6
themselves just where they could. At
that time no one thought the army
would remain on the same line for s
months at a stretch.
1t was the object of the battalion
commanders 10 hold any point which
seemed the most favorable for defense
The Germans overwhelming superior
ity in artillery rendered some SORT Of
cover essential, unless the British in
fantry was to be annihilated. Thus
the low-lying ground was selected for
preference. The dry beds Of rivers,
bitches, dikes. anything. IN fact, which
offered "A measure Of protection from
shrapnel and hoWitZcr fire.
No one then had time to think Of
the winter and Of the mud Each
battalion commander WAS merely occg
pied in holding on to the new hundrsG
yards of Flanders or France Nh.ci
had been entrusted to him by his com
mander-in-chief. Sometimes a portion
Of the line would give and the troops
would have to fall back TO another
field or river bed or dixie.
This accounts for the extreme IL
regularity Of the line at the present
day. When the German attacks were
finally repulsed they did not fall back.
but also entrenched their front at the
high water mark Of their advance.
they, too, occupy a position just as
irregular and, in many sections, on
ground just a. uafavorable.
] asked several generals if it would
not have been wiser to have fallen
back to ground which was dricr and
more favorable for defense when il
became evident that LONG Gtav
through the winter was inevitable. A
lew hundred yards here and there
seems such a small matter in war
OF such vast extent, when the whole
OF Belgium and most Of the northern
provinces OF France are stll in the
Germans hands
All were, however. unanimous in
their reply that thcy much preferred
to stick out the winter under the most
awful condition. % discomfort rather
than yield another foot Of French soil
to the .Gefmans Thus the river bed
and ditehe5 were converted INTO
trenches, the plowed fields fortified
bafbed wlte placed across the front,
and for . months the gallant British
army haa sat tight. often up to ifs
waist IN mud and lcy cold water
halaSsed br snipers, blown cut b.
mines, under constant shell fire. fire..
quentlv attacked II force. sufferin,
every Imaginable discomfort. bpt ne,-aI
losing heart and revel lo5inp chee,
fulneSs. holding the line whilst time
was gwen to Their comrades - home
70 prepare themselves 70, tbo 7t;uy
gle which must come m the spfirc
ne greater part Of the trenchcs
along ouf tlont ale completelf iso-
lated during the d2y The ground !.
SO flat that anyone ol an, bod, of
troops attempting TO approach them
would he aunibiiated by the enc
mF'5 rifle fire long before thcy co..
eted half the dstsncc But At certain
. points, notably IA wood on where The
ground gradually rises to the trench
line. 1t Is possible to enter them ,In-
observed by the encmy's malEgme,
although you always have to run the
llsk OF meeting bullets OF shells.
u "a a great rellcf to both officer.
END men when il is possible To onter
The front trcnchcs by daylight. There
IS hot "ueh n feeling Of complete $50
iatlon during the endless bonrs
which often seem an eternity lgbcn
the novelty Of this pro4imitv 10 the
enemy has 0oul ofC, md exactly lie
"1me r"nm" has to h. oi.cryeJ .In.