The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-11
ROAD TO FRONT
so FEET UNDER
FRENCH GROUND
Germans Build Wonderful Tun.
mel Half Mile Long.
Equipped With Sleeping Rooms
for Whole Army.
FRENCH CAPTURE and USE IT
Miniature Railroad Carries Mu-
nitiOns to Trenches Thru 1t.
Officers Apartment Has Bath.
room and Wine Cellar.
Germans Build Wonderful Tun'
mel Half q Mile Long.
Equipped With Sleeping Rooms
for Whole Army.
FRENCH CAPTURE and USE IT
Miniature Railroad Carries Mu-
nitiOns to Trenches Thru 1t.
Officers Apartment Has Bath.
room and Wine Cellar.
BY HENRY WOOD.

By HENRY WOOD.
With the French Armies before
Chaulnes, (by mail)-The present enc
circling movement of the French
armies about Chaulnes is similar to
the ones SO successfully employed in
the capture of Combles, Thiepval and
other important centers at the north
ern extremely of the offensive.
The capture of Chilly, brought to
light one of the most striking examples
that has yet been found of the ex-
tremes of organization and effort to
which the German general staff has
gone in its effort to cling to the oc-
cupied soil of France.
Following the capture of Chilly,
the French troops found at the depth
of forty to sixty feet below the sur
face a tunnel more than half a mile
in length constructed from the head
quarters of the commanding officer
in Chilly to the front line German
trenches then well in advance of the
village.
For the construction of this tunnel,
expert miners had been brought from
Germany and it represented not less
than six months of their work. By its
use, the Germans, were able to send
not only their men into the front line
trenches, but also all munitions and
supplies, without exposing single
man to the constant French bombard-
ment.
MukcS Trip lnFu Iuflnci.
Altho the Germans are now driven
considerably beyond Chilly they are
still near enough to keep up daily a
| terrific bombardment and struggle IN
| a last desperate effort to win back
the tunnel. which is now serving the
French fully as well as it formerly
served the Germans.
l was enabled to enter the tunnel
from one of the exits it has in the
German first line positions and ira
| verse its entire half-mile length to
the village of Chilly in the rear, con-
scfous of utter security from the Ger
man bombardment. which never ceas-
ed.
The descent into the tunnel was by
three successive flights of stairs for
the Germans naturally figuring that
their first line positions would suffer
, the heaviest bombardment, had sunk
the tunnel at that point to a depth of
. sixty feet. Here at the bottom of the
stairway and at the end of the tunnel
, was grouped off half dozen chau1-
bers with sleeping and eating facii-
tiles for the soldiers when off duty
when the trenches were being too
violently bombarded to remain above
and for the troops who might be
called upon to defend the tunnel In
case the trenches above should be
taken.
French Find 1t Convenient.
These rooms were now occupied by
; verified all of the arrangements both
for the comfort and defense of the
original German owners to their own
use.
) Entering the tunnel proper. L found
it entirely walled up with heavy TIM
Der. the ceiling high enough to permit
the troops to pass without STOPPING
down, and with narrow gauge rail-
way running the entire length for the
hurrying of munitions to the front line
trenches.
Pipe for mechanical ventilation as
well as electric light wires ran the full
length of the tunnel. The plants at
| forty feet below the surface earth, had
been destroyed by the Germans at the
moment of capture.
Cropping in thru the tunnel, thru the
foul air, and lighted only by candles
and pocket flash lights, found the
floor was strewn with half eaten
loaves of black bread which the Ger
man had evidently flung frantically
down when the word was passed that
! the French had taken the position
, above.
Lavishly Stocked With Provisions.
: Potatoes were strewn over the floor
OF the tunnel, as were also fnnurner-
able empty mineral water wine and
beer bottles with which the tunnel
/ appeared to have been lavishly stock
ed.
From both sides OF the tunnel sIeep-
; ing rooms branched off. and the hunks
/ in these contained still the shoes.
: coats, caps and other articles of cloth
! ing just as the Germans had left them
at the moment of surprise.
A little farther on was a widened
portion that had been the DRESSING
room and surgical station for the
. wounded. Germans wounded in the
French bombardment that preceded
; the infantry assault and even when
the French had swept over the posi-
, ton, had apparently been hastily TAX
en- down into the tunnel and given
first attention at this station. Blood
stained bandages still lay scattered
G about the dressing tables and hunks as
did also various surgical Instruments
! and appliances.
Well Water Available
In several places along the sides OF
the tunnel wells had been sunk 50
that in case of siege a supply of fresh
water would be available.
The approach to the other end OF
! the tunnel that comes out in Chilly
was marked as at the end where i
: had entered by the groups of cham
o bers.
The piece de resistance" came at
the end of the tunnel where il opened
into the underground apartment of Tho
German officer who had commanded
the position. Altho his apartment was
/ forty feet below the surface of the
earth, all of the rooms were plasteref
in white, and perfect in all appoint.
nents even to a bath room and wei
stocked wine cellar OF the latter
. only the empty bottles remained. hu'
So they we're almost countless.