Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-20

Every grave na0 a WOODEN cEoeC &Vovc
lit, with the name and regiment Of the
dead soldier. 49,
The shells kept whizzinz and burst
ing as the party moved along, and 1t
got to be a pleasant pastime to note
the long s-Z-z-z as the shells new
overhead. One Of them struck few
hundred feet away, throwing up trees,
earth and clouds of smoke.
| To those who wanted souvenirs there
were big fragments Of shrapnel lying
at every turn. 1t was pleasant at first
to pick them up. but after three or
four of these heavy chunks of steel
were carried half mile, the task was
abandoned.
! The ingenuity Of some of the trench
quarters along the way is shown in
the use Of empty glass bottles FOR
| windows. One officer pointed with
pride to the very artistic effect he had
secured with these empty wine bottles.
A triple row extended all across the
front Of his log shack, giving light
within and having rather a cathedral
window effect without. The bottles
are Of white glass, used for bottling the
white wine OF Bordeaux.
The headquarters of General New
lille, in command of the operations at
Verdun, are quite a way outside the
city, at a little cros-road hamlet
which cannot be named for military
reasons. The generals Offices are in
the town courthouse. a two-story
stone structure. 1t was in this same
building that General Petain, who pre-
coded Neville. and General de Castel-
nau, quickly made the plans on the
first on rush of the Germans which
held them until reinforcements could
be brought up.
General Neville goes to Verdun and
along the trench front frequently But
most of his time is at headquarters,
in telegraph and telephone with the
whole circle of defenses. and in touch,
too. with the other army corps and
masses Of supplies ready to be moved
forward to fill any gap the Germans
may make. ,.
AS we were at General Neviile's
headquarters, party Of German pris-
oners 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
work. and instead of a gun each
German carried a spade over his Shout
der. At Verdun there is no civilian life
whatever, but around General Nevilles
headquarters there were peasant wom-
en- and girls mingling with the poilus,
indicating civilian life still existed thus
near to the bombarded town.
The roads back Of Verdun present
a o,siA 80
One one side is a vast aeroplane camp,
with some 20 enormous hangers Of
basket-steel construction. covered with
canvas. Across the road Is a riding
course running for miles, where Off
GERS can exercise their mounts, and
cavalry can push forward in emer-
gency without blocking the highroad.
Every now and then one sees 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 Amer
lea, and were run down by sea voyage,
but after months feeding they proved
very serviceable. On seeking the mules,
one of the officers said:
1.-The rehabilitation 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 proving invalu-
able 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
trenches and going to the rear for rest.
They were tried and heavily laden, but
happy and cheerful as they swung
along in irregular ranks, laughing and
smoking as though they came from
some agreeable occupation. They were
all fine-looling young fellows, and
they typi1ed that calm and invincible
spirit which the young French soldiers
' are putting into their service.