Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-10-04
Tunnel 45FEET UNDERGROUND
LEADS TOFRENCHF FIRST TRENCHES

window effect without The bottles
are of white glass, used for Dottling
the. white wine of Bordeaux.
The headquarters of General Ne
vile, in command of the operations
at Yerdun, are quite way outside
the city, at little cross-road hamlet,
which, cannot be named for military
reasons. The generals offices are
in the town courthouse, a Swo-story
stone structure II was in this same
building that General Petain. who pre-
ceded Neville, and General de Castel-
nau. quickly made the plans on the
first onrush Of the Germans which
held them until reinforcements could
be brought up. 49,. =.
General Neville goes to Verdun and
along the trench front frequently. But
most of his time is ut Headquarters,
in telegraph and telephone communi-
cation with the whole circle OF de-
lenses, and in touch, too, with the
other army corps and masses of sup
plies ready to be moved forward to
fill any gap the Germans may make.
Prisoners Put to Work III. ..
As We were at General NeviIle's
headquarters a party of German pris-
.cners came by. They marched two
and two, their gray uniform and round
cap contrasting with the French blue
and casque. Already they were being
set to work, instead of gun each
German carried a spade over his
shoulder. At Verdun there is no civ
Han life whatever, but around Gener-
oil A.
peasant women and girls mingling
with the boilus, indicating civilian
life still existed thus near to the bonn.
barded town. s. III.
The roads back of Verdun present
the most varied scenes of activity. On
one side is vast aeroplane camp,
with some 20 enormous hangers OF
basket steel construction, covered
with canvas. Across the road is
riding-course running for miles, where
officers can exercise their mounts, and
cavalry can push forward in emergen-
cy without blocking the highroad.
Every now and then one sees a big
vehicle shoot by bearing the sign
American Ambulance Corps.
The thousands of horses and mules
along the road are In good condition.
Many of the horses came from Ameri-
ca, and were run down by sea voyage,
but after months feeding they prov
ed very serviceable On seeking the
mules. one of the officers said:
The demobilization Of the Greek
army had one very important result
for the Allies-it released 10000
mules which the Greeks had been
using, and now these mules are prov
ing invaluable to the Allies"
While the fields back of verdun are
rich with yellow grain, yet there is
one melancholy evidence of the war
in the burning of manure, usually the
very life-blood of the soil. The grain
can be gathered by the soldiers and
the women who remain, but there is
no time to distribute the manure over
the land, and so it is burned.
The last glimpse of Verdun came as
the party passed a detachment of |
French soldiers, Just out of the trench. |
es and going to the rear for rest. They
were tired and heavily laden, but hap
by and cheerful as they swung along
IN irregular ranks, laughing and smok- |
ing as though they came from some |
agreeable occupation. They were all |
young fellows, and they |
typlfied that calm and invincible spir-
Z which the young French soldiers
are putting into their service.