Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-08-16
HEAVY ARTILLERY
FIRE ON SOMME
by Henry Wood

Somme, Aug, ia thirty-mile
horseshoe of solid artillery fire. one
of the most terrific shell hlastings in
the history OF the world, is drawing
a line, OF flame along the Somme
battle front,
The artillerying reached its great
est intensity as arrived at the high
est point on Dompierre plateau,
southwest OF Peronne. The day be-
fore the French had captured Ger
man third line positions from Harde-
court to Buscourt. At the precise
moment OF my arrival the French
were employing all their great artil-
lery strength to protect their newly
acquired positions. The Germans
were shelling even more desperately
in an effort to dislodge the French
and launch counter-attacks.
The stupendousness OF this great
artillery struggle was indescribable.
The curving line of fire extended
from the French positions before
Clery. north OF the Somme, to 81.
Quentin, thence south to the regions
OF Peronne and southwest to Barleux.
Estrees and Soyecourt. Shells OF all
caliberes, both shrapnel and high ex-
plosives. burst at every instant. at
every point along the entire front
with a rapidity which defied the
counting.
For one lone interval by a SEEM
ingly miraculous intervention. | was
able to count of fifteen seconds when
not a single shell exploded. I'M
mediately thereafter the fire was re-
sumed with redoubled intensity.
Equally impressive as this thirty
mile unbroken semi-circle or artillery
fire. was the thirty mile horseshoe
OF French observation sausage bal
looms overhanglng at great height
the entire battle front. Their wire
less instruments we're directing the
French fire.
At the same time innumerable
French aeropianes darted In and out
among the sausages. crossing and re-
crossing the German lines every min
ute. From time to time as a daring
aviator flew over the German posi-
tions. half a dozen white puifs would
suddenly appear with startling dis
tietiveness silhouetted against the
clear blue sky. showing where the
German anti-aircraft gunners had
sought to encircle the aeroplane with
shrapnel. Yet despite this great ac-
tivity OF Frances air forces. not a
single German aeroplane appeared
either for the purpose Of chasing back
the French. attacking the French
sausages or for econnouitering. Like
wise not single German sausage was
visible to Offset the unbroken thirty
mile semi-circle Of twenty-six French
sausages which was able to count.
Nothing could give a more vivid I'm
preston OF the French's undisputed
mastery and superiority In the air.
Pushing ahead from Dompierre in
to the shell zone. our party progress
ed toward Blaches. barely mile from
Peronne and the most advanced
French position. We passed the WILL
ages OF Herbcourt. Assyiller and
Flacourt. all OF which were so COM
pletely levelled by shell fire that I
was unaware we were approaching
them until I found myself treading
their levelled bricks.
At the entrance of the former site
OF Becquincourt there remains stand
ing in the road corner, slender
wooden cross, bearing an eighteen
inch miniature statue OF Christ. A
yard away shell had moved down
a giant fifty year old tree, also carry
ing away one arm OF the cross. But
the figure of Christ remains untouch-
ed, pathetically viewing the empty
space that was formerly Becquincourt.
1t Is the only thing left standing
in the entire village.
A few minutes after passing this
spot, shells coming from the German