The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-07-27
ENCLAND'S WAR
SECRETARY SEES
FRONT TRENCHES
Kitchener Follows Out Siren
uous Program, Covering
Line Of Action in Motor
md on Foot.
SEES REAL FIGHTING
German Attack on Line Visit
ed by War Lord Brings
Battery Into Action to
Hold Ground.
~ FREDERICK PALMER.

A1VxN SAVSS430s
~ FREDERICK PALMER.
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS. France
July 27-An otherwise dull week at
the British front has been relieved by
the visit Of Field Marshall Kitchener,
which Is the moro interesting because
It 10 the first time he has been in the
area held by the British troops. His
previous trips to France have been
for conferences at General Jonre's
headquarters.
Probably not ono out Of hundred
soldiers saw him, including the men In
the reserve or those resting from the
trenches. They were drawn up In
front Of their quarters In the French
villages a. his automobile sped past.
The army went on with It's work and
he saw 1t at work and chose what he
visitors had had programs laid out
for them, but he laid out his own,
which was a revelation Of energy and
precision in the amount Of ground COW
cred. The only ceremonious affair
WAS q parade Of Indian cavalry which
he BRIEFLY reviewed. AZ there 10 no
speed limit on the main roads In the
military zone, he was not long In 60
ing from point to point. When he
left the car to go on foot the officers
conducting him found that 1t took a
good pedestrian to keep pwith him.
Visits Army Officers.
II was q surprise for the headquar'
ters town where the sta6 offices are
located to see that figure which any
one can 80 readily recognize, proceed
ing along the streets in characteristic
vigorous fashion in a course OF calls
on officers whose offices were open all
night. The prime minister did not &C
company him on his inspection the
second day.
Kitchener showed particular inter
est In tho trenches, Notifications and
all the conditions actually appertatn'
ing to the real fighting. It was q
ticklish moment for his aide and the
officers In command Of that section
when he went to Ypres. which Is daily
subjected to intermittent Smelling. 1t
is certain II the Germans had known
OF his presence they would have given
more than a salute Of seventeen guns
to which the secretary OF war is en-
titled. Doubtless they would have
would have started a thoroughgotng
hate, as the British call q German
bombardment Of cities from all their
batteries in range.
The field marshall picked his way
through the former streets among the
wreckage, saw a seventeen inch shell
hole in the plaza, the ruins OF the
Cloth Hall and other sights, an i'm
pressive example of the destructive
power of modern high explosive shell
IRE. His conductors kept thinking
what II a big hig explosive should
come and get the prime minister OF
Great Britain and the war minister at
the same time. But unusual as 1t was
in Ypres, not a single shell fell while
Kitchener was there.
Sees Battery Work.
It happened while Kitchener was
visiting a heavy battery a character
istic action of trench warfare develop
ed on the only part Of the line that has
seen any action this week. At Pilken,
north of Ypres. the Germans com.
mand two small hills which gave them
a Furnishing advantage over the Brit
ish trenches on their front. The Brit
ish determined to try to rectify their
line and after the usually artillery pre-
paration, they charged and made free
use Of bombs, took 225 YARDS OF Ger
man trenches. eight prisoners and two
machine guns. The battery which
Kitchener was visiting was called up
on to assist in the work Of repulsing
the counter attack to recover lost
ground, which failed. The war min
lister saw not more Of the conflict
than any one not engaged can see in
a wooded flat country. From his view
point the battery screened the sight
OF. the enemy. The gunners them
selves could not see the enemy.
The visitor gave considerable atten-
ton to two schools which show how
self-contained the expeditionary force
is as a world in itself. At the ma
chine gun school he met officers and
men drawn from the regiments at the
front being trained in handling weap-
on which have come to play such an
important role. At the cadet school.
where the problem of filling gaps
caused by officers casualties Is being
solved on the spot, he met prlvates
out Of the trenches who have shown
such aptitude that they receive but a
short. exacting course Of instruction
before they are sent back to the
trenches with commissions.