The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-11-30
HOW TRENCH BEHAVE
on. EVE OF BATTLE
Tense Excitement, But No
FURRY Marks Hour Preced-
ing an Assault.

CtISlllCllS u III I0IIy. IclSHS dICHE
any sector of the French front just be-
fore an assault Is to be delivered. The
men stand to arms coolly as though
they were going on to the parade
ground. They look to the breaches of
their rifles. load their magazines, loosen
their bayonets in their ~scabbards, fix
the straps Of their steel helmets or
tighten their belts. Some of them sit
down with their backs supported by the
side Of the trench writing what may be
their last message to their relatives
while waiting for the word to go over.'
There is no hesitation When this comes.
The men, with every confidence in
their leaders, all their nerves and
muscles taut, Chamber out and spring
forward n in the recent offensive
have always achieved the objective set
them by their commanders.
Inc Associated Press correspondent
a an opportunity to be in the midst
OF one OF these movements of prepara-
ton at a certain point of the French
line somewhere south OF the Somme at
a time when the allied offensive was
pushing forward with great vigor.
In the sector visited by the Associ-
ated Press representatives the French
and German first line trenches are sep
arated by a distance of from 200 to 800
yards. In between are wide barbed wire
arrangements, erected at nighttime
AFTER the French had driven the Ger
mans from a village and a wood by
surprise. With modern arms the COW
erlng OF such a distance across open
o by attacking infantry would
mean q terrible casualty list. The
french. however, We're determined to
advance. To do SO they excavated with
great rapidly approach renches zig
tagging forward some SO to so yards,
where they were Joined up by a paral-
lei trench known as the taking off
parallel" From this running still fur
Their cut saps were cut leading toward
the German lines and these were oc-
cupied by listening patrols and armored
machine gun emplacements. From the
pottom OF the taking off parallel steps
cut IN the earth led up to the level
ground. Up these the companies chos-
en- for the assault were to spring on
the signal for the departure and spread
out in open formation, dashing forward
IN sections towards the Germany
works, previously almost battered out
OF existence by the French artillery.
Inc sector was not at all "healthy'
wnen the correspondents visited 1t.
head evidently seeming that some
thlng was about to take place. Their
activities We're not to the liking CT the
anIantrymen below. who, while not m
pressed by the dangers of artillery and
gun fire, object strongly to the
on The scene of these aerial
intruders.
Artillery curtain fire had been
by the Germans to prevent the
arrival OF French reinforcements. but
It's effect on the French troops was al
most nil.
Ihe French general commanding the
division, who had been promoted only
recently for brilliant service on the
Somme. had spoken with the cores
pondents before their departure for HE
front line. They had invaded his post
q command on a particularly lively
sector or the French line for, the time.
Ane general occupies a dugout exca-
waited for a German battalion com
mander. who had remained in posses
sion Tor the better part of two years.
lt was U deep down beneath the
eartf, nearly six solid yards of which
guarded It from shell OF ordinary cali
psr. and " was fitted up in a style
comfort TO its inmates. This caused the
genera! TO excuse himself to the cor
respondents who, he thought. might
raw COMPARISONS with his quarters ;
lna those Of the soldiers. He said: sIf J
g had this made for myself it !
$500 II vi have meant my .
AZ the correspondents left the pen-
sraI remarked: You may 90 wherevar
1ou like, but 1@scannot guarantees voI /,
aun.t;Ss+ from shells or t~orpedoes !
YOU good luck. See that Won .
'usMe PACK mere n have tea with me-" !
s.sneals Ianglng from two-inch POM :
ncE howitzers fell intermittentlv ali :
Eound at the time. "A well kept. wide !
Inc epscommunication trench with al !.
9 OF earth in most places rodde !
~ w thousands OF feet led towardsi !.
- - NINE thra,,eh some 5000 yards away. e
Ind winnings meant q march ~ "a
allies. The officer appointed as rude q
decided that for some disfanco
s.Aeast e would be comparatively safe
~ the party to proceed across the
kon,S II 8 siignt maze In the atmos- Z
l'nclly any movements In the French =
aThis progress, however. did not ,ast !
e shells began to fail with rreats .
6ans e9Ien It was decided to +
sr1nx w ss raaen course OF en- Q
OF miles march ii Indian Aia =
g destroyed viilara cons :
sAMt!y under IRE Breaches IN X I
Eencn parapets especially III the yicins e
- ~ ussteraes caused the party toll
81 sudden flashes with Intervals Of =
yards between eachstwo men. Maanl 2
Me- Artillery fire became more IN {
H. s@n0Sl Wa6 necessary to crouch i,
gMe 4own Very frequently "a avoid =
f s1sp 't g bursting shells: :
~. $780, = May the front line was =
cned.# The majors Id command 81 !
a s&Ewo pattalions holding the nd !
4Meed positions themselves carno MA Z
9a&ileir dugclts To act al ruides and E
the W. 10 parallel 81 asaanif q
~ Ssa 1sW tn Y 49, TO Start the :
zenasMefe pn duty at the lookout posfs
"a OthefBS all having taken ahe1far Il