The sun., 1916-11-26
An Inferno of Fire
Prepares the Way
for Assault and
Waiting Soldiers,
Maddened by Ter
rifle y Welcome
Order to Charge
By WILLIAM T. MARTIN.

LAicSI SINCE tho beginning Of
~ the war there had been talk
among the soldiers OF n big
drive somewhere at his part OF the
tront. During the no, Hghting Of the
long months, when thousands met
their death along the Ave miles Of first
lines held by the sector. the soldiers
haA been saying II would begin within
. NV days. next week perhaps. but In
. month at the most. The best soldiers
were sent here To guard the lines. Il
was q strategic position OF the Somme.
they all said.
While the nghting had been tense
n heavy. II had been OF the trench to
trench sort. So strongly was zach
sade fortified because OF tho advantage
OF The positions hat the lines during
the terrible months only Huctuated a
trench now and then, several at the
most. as each side won or lost. The
ines ran along a fringe OF hills over
looking the country on either side and
Z the fighting was confined TO the van
taSe polnts-splotches In the land
scaps of living and dead things. regions
/. OF death which guns and mortars lad
ploushed up.
Now all through the sector the SOL
diers say tho drive II at hand. 1t IL
rumor. nothing Is positive. but they say
it y certain. They make their deduc-
lions partly on the added supplies and
new troops coming In.
Walt and SEQ what happens In the
nsxt week or So" they tell one another.
Last week we pushed ahead another
mule over at -. They are still ad-
v~ncing there and the lighting goes on
day and night. 1t is a big drive and
. W will carry It along on tho fank,"
they add. wait and see"
!. 30 excitement is everywhere. Tho
e edded activity IL preparation, the
/. troops say. They are enthusiastic and
nervous.
Because tho fighting hero has been
. confined to certain regions there are
: towns not far behind the lines In which
: oome OF the buildings still stand. These
ne Germans lombard frequently, sey-
T efal times n day. but they throw their
{ shells moro frequently on the roads al
. places where the troops and the largest
: sections Of the trains Of supplies on
their way w are likely to be caught,
ana on the trenches.
In n town but "a couple OF miles in
tho rear. running along both sides Of
tho main road leading to the trenches,
are some peaSants-agcd men, women
ond children who remained when their
0eighbors hed-and in their houses the
soldiers ar" quartered. All they have
: u here. They risk death rather than
leave Il.
30 now, even moro than the tran
silent troops. they note the change
/. from the usual life OF the months as
they have known 1t. 1t has beer
routine In a way-fresh soldiers and
supplies, the soldiers stopping over for
brief periods on their way up, attacks
the fresh soldiers and supplies again
They observe the present activity with
wonder and fear, They have never seer
? anything quite like II. and they, too
= feel that something Is about to happen
There are many new troops In tn.
town. II Is fun Of soldiers. but NOR,
soldiers arrive cor''~'lDi'Y. There 4.
no moro room In the houses, and other,
n arc stlll arriving to De uuartcrod II
ne village. Whole companies camp IN
- vacant places along the road and II
the i1elds near by.
q None OF h soldiers knows anythIn,
DEFINITE. Some have come over fror
the fighting OF the left. where the biz
:. drive continues, They tell the other!
OF their experiences, terrific hghtlnl
" almost incredible, bloody personal en-
counters and strategy.
Chartered In "A room I'm one Of tn,
houses are two soldiers. They are o
u OF the last classes and young. Tn,
. peasant woman, who refused 10 Ieav,
when most ~ her neighbols He'd, take
y caro- or tho house. her house, and trie
10 make things cheerful for the soldier