The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1916-11-13


were cut leading towards the Ger
man lines and these We're occupied by
listening patrols and armored m-
chine gun emplacements. From the
bottom Of the taking -off parallel
steps cut IN the earth led up to tho
level ground Op these inc compan'es
chosen for assault we're to spring on
the signal for Tho departure and
spread ont in open formation, dash.
ing forward in sections toward the
German works previously almost oat-
tered ont Of existence by the French
artillery
The sector was rot at all healthy"
when the correspondents visited II.
German acroplanel cruised about oy-
orhead evidently scentine that some
thing was about 70 take place Their
activity was not TO the liking Of the
infantrymen below who while not
impressed by the dangerous Of ar
tillery and machine gun fire. obiec,
strongly 70 the appearance on the
scene Of these aerial intruders.
Artillery curtain fire had been
started by the Germans TO prevent
'ho French reinforcoments. but It's ef-
fort on the French troops was almost
NIL
The French general commanding
the division, who had been promoted
only recently for brilliant service on
the somme had spoken with the cor
respondents before their departure
for The front line They had invaded
his post Of command on a particular
" lively sector o. the line for the
time The General occupies a dug
out oxcayatod for German battalion
commander, who had remained in pos
session for the letter part Of two
years. II was dug deep down be-
meath the earth, nearly six solid yards
lf which guarded II from shcil Of or
binary calibre and II was fitted up IN
style which assured a considerable
degree Of comfort 70 It's inmates. This
caused the general to excuse himself
TO the correspondents who, he said
n had had this made for myself il
would in all probability have meant
my being put on the retired list
As The correspondents left, the gen
eral remarked You may 20 whor-
ever you like, but cannot guarantee
you immunity from shells or tor
pedoes. wish you good luck. See
that YOU come back here and have
tea with me
Shells ranging from twO-inch pom
poms to the big missels from eight
inch howitzers fell intermittently all
round at the time A well-kept, wide
and deep communication trench with
a floor OF earth in most places trod-
don hard by thousands OF feet led
towards thc frort line some four
housand yards away To 20 through
ns intricate twistings and twnngr
meant march Of ten niles The
officer appointed as guide, however
decided that for some distance al
least Il would be comparatively safe
for the party to proceed across the
opan, as a slight haze In the atmos-
phere hindered the Germans seong
distinctly any movements in the
French lines.
This progress, however, did not
last long. Shells began TO fall with
greater frequency and it was decided
to adopt the moro prudent course OF
entoring the communication rench
A couple Of miles march in Indian
flo led through a destroyed Village
constantly under fire and breaches in
the trench parapet especially in the
vicinity OF batteries caused the par
ty 10 make sudden dashes with inter
walls Of fifteen yards between each
two men. Meanwhile artillery fire
became more intense and it was nee
essarv to crouch or line down very
to avoid the splinters Of
shells
In this way the front line was
reached The majors in command Of !
the two battalions holding the ad-
yanced positions themselves came out
Df their dugouts 20 act as guides and |
led the way to the parallel Of assault |
from which it was intended to start
he attack from the allied lines Only |
few men were on duty at the lock
ont posts. the other all having taken
shelter in their funk holes" while
he artillery was firing heavily In
he most advanced sap. whence every
letail of the opposing German trench
IS could be seen. the Young lieuten
mt in charge kent constant watch