New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-09


.xay one Of Canada's crack regiments held
.hs British line against the Germans, only
.,s hundred feet distant. Biting remarks
and hand grenades were passed back and
torth between the two positions with about
equal frequency -,
ann afraid you'll find it bit unhealthy
AZ. here" said the major, as he emerged
from his burrow, addressing another cor
respondent and myself
aFairly quiet now" Clipped in an Off
,sr who accompanied US.
The major glanced at his watch. eyes,
rowD he replied. But in fifteen minutes
will be lively enough. We've got little
strsfe' coming off then"
"Strafe7 is the only term applied to a
bombardment, in the parlance Of the
trenches. It's good word and seems to
suit the proceedings exactly.
Overhead the air was filed with the
wild screaming of shells as the British
batteries far TO the rear pounded away at
the German positions miles in front and
IN turn, were themselves pounded. This
had nothing to do with the contemplated
local operation.
"You see, we have got some trench NOR
,ars in here" explained the major.
I'VE are going to bait 'em along with
rife grenades, and if they come back we
will turn the mortars on 'em. They have
been strafng us with one of those big
Ninenwerfers lately
The AIinenwerfer, better known as
Minnie is the largest known trench
mortar It throws into the enemy trench 4
.ausage-shaped bomb weighing sixty
pounds.
And so the little group Of Canadian
fighters stood there conjecturing as to
what the "Huns" would do when they had
been stirred up. Quite casually they dis
eussed the programme, which was bound to
result in the shutting out Of many lives.
The Canadians have taken to the business
Of war quite as well as the Europeans
better. many British officers say.
One thing is certain-they are known all
along the lines as 1.-The devils of the army"
They never are content to lie idle in the
trenches. If the Germans show DISPOSE
lion 10 do so the Canadians poster them
with grenades and rhetoric until they are
stung into action.
The appointed time was almost at hand.
4 young captain came strolling down the
communication trench. He looked bit Of
a dandy. Uniform immaculate, save for
The inevitable mud on his boots; face clean
ly shaver, except for faint pointed
mustache. He sauntered along much as
he might have done on the thoroughfares
Of his native city, Toronto.
Immediately he discovered somebody
from New York was present he broke out
into a brisk conversation about horses.
Used to exhibit in the shows there, 1t
seems. And he was keen for news from
the States. Wanted to know all about the
theatres and what was going best and
what had happened to Louis Martins
place, at Forty-second street and Broad
way, and so on.
Something doing in a minute" the
major informed him, and went into details
once more.
THAT so?" drawled the young man.
Guess III go and look at it." And ne
walked down toward where the bullets
we're 10 fly. Not TO be outdone, we fol-
lowed.
At different points out there IN the
trench they stood ready TO discharge their
grenades Precisely, as the watch touched
the chosen minute, the reports rang out
blended into one great roar. The officers
chuckled together. Got them started"
laughed Colonel ---, who came up al
that moment. He had jagged scar, new
y healed on the side Of his throat.
Five minutes passed. No sign from
beyond those parapets where the enemy
Jay. Again the rife grenades were dis
charged. This brought reply. 1t came
from one Of the German rear batteries no
tiled by telephone, and was in the form OF
> shrapne she'll The beautiful white and
gold Of the explosion showed over the
British trench just 70 our left.
Before the bullets stopped raining down
there came another and another. Then the
Canadian "Tornmies" sprang their sur
prise. The trench mortars opened up
One, two, three, four, five, six seven
booming reports. And seven heavy pro-
jectiles fell squarely into the German
trench. They had 10 be fired almost
straight into the air, so near were the
other lines. And the Canadians danced
about and shouted in glee a. the dirt ana
smoke from the explosions rose high IN
The air.
Then came a volley OF hand grenades
,hudding and exploding in the ditch ina.
sheltered US. II IL not easy 70 understand
how great quantity Of missiles can Dc
dropped into a trench and do so little dam