New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-17

the shadows of the night | could dimly
see the red cross half severed by the
projecting arm.
Ambulance Speeds Past.
Again. near the front, we halted IN
a narrow road while an ambulance com
ing from behind the firing line passed
Us As it scraped by our cars its back
curtain was lifted and man with his
head bandaged and his arm in a sling
looked out.
"There is a wounded officer on the
road back there" he shouted.
The picture of the hospital train was
still in my mind when | started the
drive from the north into the battle
field. We came out Of the shell ruined
village and began to climb the gentle
slope to the plateau dominating the
Somme and Peronne. Above the noise
of our motors could be heard the per
sistent boom of big guns, which IN
creased in violence and intensity with
each yard of progress.
Balloons Guard Lines.
Overhead, long line Of twenty-three
cantive balloons were guarding the arc
and vigilantly watching the enemy sig
railing to the artillery, while still
above them circled and swooped the
protecting aeroplanes, and yet others
coming from the west swept on TO the
German fire.
We descended, put on steel helmets
for protection against shrapnel burst
inc in the air, hung gas masks at our
sides TO be ready for whatever form
tho German welcome might take, ana
walked on into battle. We were on
the chord of the arc. Ten miles
straight irto the east was Peronne'
on the right, Estrees, Soyecourt, De
niecourt and Vermandovillers; on the
left, Maurepas, Herbecourt and Hill
139.
Furious Roar of Battle.
From overhead came the steady buzz
Of wireless in a captive balloon, while
from every side the constant, unremit-
ting boom of cannon and the furious
roar of exploding shells pressed IN
u2cn us. The huge semi-circle OF the
battle front was a towering wall OF
black and dun colored clouds ana
smoke and earth thrown high in air.
Never did it Tighten at any point, Dut
fresh she'll fell and rebuilt them.
II was as though some uncouth
monster was playing with the plains
of Picardy, as child plays with the
sands Of the seashore, building up,
tearing down and rebuilding walls OF
sand. and from time 20 time catching
M a shcvelful and throwing it high
overhead. And all the time a stupen-
dous roar pressed in upon US and by
some mysterious force pulled us for
ward into the vortex where we could
most acutely feel our own minute
to stay the resistless
of that band of steel and
fire.
Caught in the Wise.
We were caught as in the relentless
wise of the famous Iron Maiden" OF
the torture chambers of the inquisi-
ton. We crossed the chord of the arc
where the French first line trenches
had been on the morning the attack
began. The trenches were intact, un-
touched by the fury of the battle, and
the barbed wire entanglements still
stood.
Just behind and to the left of the
trenches was a small patch Of woods
where the French colonel commanding
the attack on Dompierre had had his
most of command for the battle. In
forty square miles of territory it was
almost the only piece of woods re-
naming untouched.
A hundred yards beyond the French
trenches were the remains of the Ger
80 6rstline offences They were