Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-09-29
UNDER WENT
MOST TERRIFIC SIEGE
IN HISTORY OF WORLD


toward the attainment of this first
great objective. When we arrived with
in less than a mile and quarter of
Combles the town itself was then un-
dergoing the final bombardment and as
sault.
Wiped Off the Map.
Although Combles was mere village
of 1900 inhabitants the Germans had
so fortified every house, especially the
cellars were machine guns were Install
ed, that the allies were forced to en-
ploy siege methods. They completely en-
circled the town with their heavy artil-
lery, which generally closed in with ev-
cry advance of the infantry lines.
From the viewpoint of the enormous
quantity of artillery massed against it
and also from the incalculable number
of shells rained into it Combles can
easily boast of having undergone the
most terrific siege in the history of the
world.
1t was only on reaching the most ad-
vanced artillery lines before Combles
that one could grasp mathematically the
methodical progress which had rendered
the allies new tactics of advancing by
heavy artillery absolutely irresistible,
thought the final artillery lines before
Combles consisted of comparatively
/ light batteries. These have been rushed
forward during the night over ground
rendered impossible by shell shots to
everything but foot soldiers.
But while troops were tugging guns
across this ground, veritable army of
soldiers had sunk tortuous winding
roadway several feet below the surface
of the ground, paving it with bricks
from nearby houses, wrecked by artil-
lery fire. Over this, when we arrived
early the next morning, munitions cais-
sons, screened from the enemy's OBJ
servation by the depth of the roadway,
drawn by four, six and eight horses,
were dashing along every moment with
an incredible number of shells necessary
to feed this advanced line of artillery
which could be reached in no other way.
Hastily Built Roads.
Back from these advanced lines of
galloping careening caissons were thou
sands more soldiers, methodically trans
forming what had been on the preced-
ing day cassion roads, into highways
capable of sustaining huge automobile
conveys bringing up heavier munitions
for heavier artillery than had sup
planted the lighter guns now further adj
vanced during the night. Further be-
hind these automobile fed artillery lines
was still third army of workmen,
steadily constructing railways which
were bringing up artillery so gigantic
that not only it but its shells can be
transported only on specially construct
ed railways. These huge pieces were
supplanting those more transportable
automobile fed pieces already rushed
forward.
! If Combles fell before a methodical,
heavy artillery advance and encircle-
ment, it fell equally before the method
ical construction of roadways, from the
dirt and brick bedded wagon roads to
the full guaged rock ballasted steel
railways This method marks the allied
advance OH the entire 80 mile Somme
front.
| Reaching Maurepas, which is about a
mile and quarter from Combles, we
had vivid impression of the actual
state of affairs in Combles, which was
then undergoing the same bombardment
that preceded the capture Gf Maurepas.
Maurepas, instead Of being simply level
ed to the ground by allied artillery like
other Somme villages during the first
few weeks of the offensive, had been
literally driven into the ground By ter
rifle shell pounding. The village had
almost disappeared from the surface of
the earth, leaving only the naked site,
pock marked by shells like the surround
ing open county.
Dug in 20 Feet Deep.
An officer explained that this was the
result of the allies new artillery meth
ods, whereby shells are driven as deep
as possible into the ground before eX-
ploding for the purpose of ousting the
Germans, who now dig in from so to 10
feet.
Combles being several miles in ad-
vance of the French line OF observation
sausage balloons, the final observation
resulting in the capture of the village
was entrusted to aeroplanes. In great
/ numbers they circled above the village
at great height like a flock of huge
vultures, waiting only the certainty that
life was extinct before swooping down
and seizing their prey.
Yet, so strongly were the Germans
| fortified in Combles, and so completely
were they equipped with artillery that
almost at the last moment preceding the
! passage of the village into allied hands
when an aeroplane swooped down, with
/ in range, | counted within less than a
minute the bursting of several shrapnel
shells about one plane. The aviator
evidently convbinced that the village
was still uncaptured, rcjoined his com
rades at higher attitudes, outside the
( range.
An Ordinary Bombardment.
Durin1 our stendy progress afoOt