The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-03-04
LOSE l,400 MEN
OUT Of 1900 IN
ONE BATTALION
British Force Is Almost Complete
Iy AnnihiIated in Battle in
France.
CORPORAL TELLS THE STORY
EnaIIsh Gunners Aim Badly, Dropping
Shells In Comrades Trenches,
Which Become So Filled with
Dead That Retirement Is
All but Impossible.


All but impossible.
New York.-It is doubtful II since
the beginning of the war there has
come to New York discharged Sol
der in any of the armies engaged
whose record of actions and experi
ences qualified him to give as clear IN
sight into the great struggles as can
Corporal David Robinson Williams OF
the Second Royal rifles Corporal VIII
liams enlisted at the beginning of the
war and served in some OF the most
important battles up to last August
During that time he suffered three Sc
rious wounds and finally was ols-
charged after months Of suffering
from gas poisoning. He has seen
practically all there is to see for the
men of the ranks in the land fighting
and he is able to tell splendid ana
connected story of his part OF the
fighting.
Another factor in Mr.. Williams abli-
ity to tell what he saw is that ne
served in the British army for three
years I'D to 1902 and that his observa-
lions are those Of soldier who knows
the routine Of army life and who Is
interested in nothing but the real &C
ton of a war and has an idea about
when his own commanders are doing
we'll or Ill and what the caliber OF the
enemy is. In this connection 1t may
be stated that he believes that the
Germans can fight, that they have
been guilty of some frightful atrocities
and that among them are thousands
of fellows who are heartsick OF the
war. not for lack Of courage but be-
cause of supreme good sense. Incl
dentally some Germans he has met IN
conflict are as fine as any men he ever
cares to meet.
Battle Of the Aisne.
Mr.. Williams left New York, after
working here for three years, on Au'
gust S, 1914, and after enlisting was
sent to a mobilization camp on August
90. His regiment was Immediately
sent to the front, and the first action
they took part in was the battle OF the
Aisne. Mr.. Williams was in Company
C Of the Third division of the Seventh
brigade, and the sector in which they
we're stationed was mass OF CHALK
hills and caves. For fourteen days
after they made the trenches the,
were exposed to drenching rain. ant
as there was evidence Of confusion II
the handling Of the forces they re
NAMED hidden away from an intermit
tent fire without advancing or takin,
definite action.
In the heaviest downpour OF rail-
they would occasionally see Taube
floating high above them, making oh
servations and since guns unsuited TO
the work were turned Ypon them onl,
one of the scores they saw was brough
down. That one landed within tw'
hundred feet OF where Corporal WI
liams was stationed. and he saw
burn to ashes over the mangled crew
which fell with It. Soon after this In
cident the order to advance was giver
with the arrival Of reinforcement
but the Wiltshire Fusileers and tn
against the German position. The
were confronted with heavy fire an
nearly three hundred men went GU
of action.
On October the Rifles altered thei
position and were ordered to Bethun'
where they waited for reinforcement
and then advanced to Richebourg.
was here that Corporal Williams say
he saw the first indication Of the atro'
tiles which refugees at all point
complained tearfully of. He and
party of soldiers came to farmhous
as FIVE German Uhlans left 1t. tn
party opened fire and killed all bl
one of the Uhlans. and upon enterin
the house found young woman VIII
had been subjected to frightful atr
cities for six days in the enforce
presence of her aged mother.
Moved to Neuve chapeIIe.
The Rifles devoted two weeks to di
cling trenches In the village Of Rich
bourg and then went to Neuve CHI
pelle and got into the hardest kind of
fight. They found trenches alread
dug for them as they had left trencht
for others at Richebourg, and as the
were exhausted they fully expecte
that real rest awaited them.
I'VE got no rest, though" said Co
poral williams. "As soon as 1t W;
dark we we're put at work stringir
barb wire entanglements-and Il
word passed around that the German
were making ready and that our o
servers had reported that We We
to be attacked in force that night.
was October 26, and have good eau
to remember 1t. At ten o'clock Il
artillery fire began and 1t was Gle
at once that the Germans had d
range on the first try. We could he
the screams in the reserve trench
the big shells exploded, and we we
crazy to advance or be killed or SON
thing. Inactivity becomes torture
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