South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-09
BY Frederick Palmer.
CCorrespondent at ne Front)

Correspondent at the FrOnt-)
HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE
OF THE BRITISH. March 9.-"There
you are-and keep your head down!
It's a fair target at that distance"
said the officer who had come out or
his shelter to meet us We were in
the defenses at the edge of a hard
wood grove called the Ploensteert
woods.
The British had fought fercely in
order TO get possession of this grove
for that meant cover. Occasionally
bullets Whistled over head and the
swish of German shells, firing at
something in the rear, passed higher
up while a hidden British battery
was sending its shells in the opposite
directions.
At intervals a man was waiting
with rifle laid in possession to plug
any moving thing that looked like a
"GerbOy."
If a 'Gerboy helmet appears can
you put q hole through it," / asked.
1T looks so; they don't put them
up very often, sir he said.
Two hundred and fifty yards away
was a wall of sand bags The bare
field between the two lines was as
lifeless as a desert and for all one
could see the German breastwork
was unoccupied by a single human
being But there was on our side
the sharpshOOters were waiting and
the officers were watching through
the refracting mirrors of periscOpes.
For three months the trenches
have remained in the same position
and never in all that time here as
elsewhere along the line has some
one not been on the lookout and re-
serves in readiness for an attack
Here we will be till the big push
comes, say the men. BY big push
they refer to the movement when the
new British army is in.
Patrols Risk Lives.
Az night the German patrols creep
out TO see il the British are up to
anything new-and the British TO see
If the Germans are. And sometimes
they are killed Those not on watch
are loungins on beds of straw under
timber roofs. To the rear are many
more shelters where the officers and
men are Quartered.
one old South African veteran was
planting primroses in the earth rOof
of his house
ITS getting primrose time at home
in England" he said. Except for the
thresh of shells and the bang of guns
the scene is most peaceful. When
the Germans turn loose with some
thrills OF a rapid nre gun or begin
their Smelling the men take to their
shelters till the storm is over. Al
ways in danger from sniping and like
Is TO be called on at any minute to
suffer heavy losses in repelling an at
tack. they are veterans who cease to
think of possibilities.
eff YOU are killed why-you are
killed" says Tommy. and what's
the use OF worrying about it? The
more you worry the better IL pleases
the Germans.
From Mons TO Ypres the British
regular has learned familiarity with
death Very proud are all the men
who have stuck il through from the
British landing till now. When /
asked one of them about il ne said;
It's just luck-that's all. Maybe
I'll get II from a snipeT when / go
back 90 the trench tomorrow"
Work i'm Trenches NJ Night.
"Ploentsteert is our show place"
remarked the officer plotting US. 1T
is one OF the few places where YOU
may get into the front by day. Wait
tul YOU strike a muddy one in the
dark and then YOU VIII see what
trench warfare in the E.ud i like