Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-01
LONDON. Nov. rs.

IONDONs NOV. 10
nN FIRST viewing the realistic pictures
" OF the battle Of the somme, with their
terrific sheIl-nre. their nerce bayouet
charges, their hall OF snipers bullets and
their hand -to-hand hghtinE one asks Inn
mediateiy: what man could be bold enough
TO operate any machine other than his
good rife or his machine gum
But the man who filmed death on the
somme had nothing for his own defense
except his camera How either he or his
instrument returned intact seems miracle.
Specially entrusted by the War ONCE
with this work. Mr.. @. II. Malins has OBJ
talned the most wonderful war hlm ever
shown upon the screen. And In order
20 accomplish his task he had TO take
risks that even the most reckless Tommy
might well be excused for declining,
, on learning that the British artillery was
about 20 destroy q certain German block
house--one Of series which the Germans
have built along the western front in
order 90 stem the Allied advanccs-Malins
crept up trench 20 within 1875 yards OF
the bloclShouse and fixed up little loop
hole so that no could poke tho lens through
the parapet.
understand that those particular block
houses are quito formidable obstacles,
being built OF steel and reinforced con-
crete, with walls more than three feet
thick
In order 20 smash this particular one.
this enormous gun was almost three miles
behind the front lines (tho exact range must
not be stated In this artlcle) tho margin
OF error" was about 150 yards.
II will be seen from this that the daring
young Malins---at 1875 yards from the tar
get--was well within the danger zone. II
the first shot, ms so frequently hapens, fell
short, then there was every possibility OF
his being blown TO atoms.
Naturally. he was quite alone. since all
tho soldiers had withdrawn TO a safe dis
tance.
Presently the great gun roared and few
seconds later the shell fell and exploded
between him and tho blockhouse. Deafened
by tho concussion and smothered with
debris. he managed to drag himself and his
machine into position again.
Seven times the shellinR was repeated
until the gunners got the exact range. The
eighth fell square on top OF the blockhouse.
and when the smoke cleared away there was
only n huge crater where a moment before
the building had stood.
GERMANS REPLY
Immediately. furious at the British sue
cess. tho Germans replied with trench NOR
tars and whlz-bangs Then n company OF
them sailed FORTH creeping along a COM
municntion trench to within fifty yards of
Mains.
This was too fine an opportunity for the
cinematograph fan" to miss, though most
men, knowing that their last hour had
come. would have turned and flsd. But not
so he. He set his camera clicking and
filmed the Germans as they came up
Then a provldential thing occurred The
approaching Germans caught n glimpse OF
tho camera and tripod and mistaklng II
for machine gun scurried back In fright.
Malins, having accomplished his object, also
bolted, but in an opposite direction.
He was fired at incessantly until he
reached his goal and his tripod was hit
and shattered. but he and his camera
escaped uninjured
This Same intrepid gentleman filmed tho
blowing OF n mine containing twenty tons
of dynamite. This was the biggest mine
ever blown up on the British front and
Mains filmed It at comparatively close
quarters.
After tho mine went up the British
dashed out OF their trenches In a charge
and Malins quite unarmed. ran with them
across No-Man's Land. He made for tho
mine crater, but his camera and apparatus