Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-02
BY HENRY WOOD
Iited Press Staff Correspondent

WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES Be
FORE CHAULNES. Oct. IA CBy Maid.
The present encircling movement of
the French armies about Chaulnes is
similar to the ones so successfully en-
ployed in the capture of Combles,
Thiepval and other important centers
at the northern extremity OF the Of
fensive.
The capture OF Chilly brought TO
light one OF the most striking exam
pies that has yet been found OF the
extremes of organization and effort
to which the German General Stam
has gone in its effort to cling to the
occupied soil of France.
Following the capture OF Chilly the
French troops found at the depths of
forty to sixty feet below the surface
a tunnel more than half a mile in
length constructed from the head
quarters of the commanding officer in
Chilly to the front line German
trenches then we'll in advance OF the
village.
For the construction OF this tunnel
expert miners had been brought from
Germany, and 1t represented not less
than six months OF their work. BY
it's use the Germans were able to send
not ony their men into the front line
trenches, but also all munitions and
supplies, without exposing a single
man TO the constant trench lombard
ment.
Although the Germans are now
driven considerably beyond Chilly,
they are still near enough to keep up
4 T.. ssfsa II
a last desperate effort to win back
the tunnel, which is now serving the
French fully as well as it formerly
served the Germans.
was enabled to enter the tunnel
from one of the exits II had in the
German first line positions and
traverse its entire half-mile length TO
the village Of Chilly in the rear. con-
scious Of utter security from the Ger
man bombardment, which never
ceased.
The descent into the tunnel was by
three successive flights of stairs, for
the Germans naturally figuring that
their first line positions would suffer
the heaviest bombardment, had sunk
the tunnel at that point to a depth
OF sixty feet Here at the bottom OF
the stairway and at the end OF the
tunnel was grouped of half a dozen
chambers with sleeping and eating
facilities for the soldiers when off
duty. when the trenches were being
too violently bombarded to remain
above, and for the troops who might
be called upon to defend the tunnel
in case the trenches above should be
taken.
These rooms we're now occupied by
the French "poilus.r who had con-
verified all OF the arrangements both
for the comfort and defense OF the
original German owners 70 their own
use.
Entering the tunnel proper. I found
II entirely walled up with heavy tim
Der. the ceiling high enough 10 permit
the troops to pass without STOPPING
down. and with a narrow gauge rail-
way running the entire length for the
hurry.ng OF munitions to the front
line trenches.
Pipes for mechanical Sentilation as
we'll as electric light wires ran the
full length of the tunnel The plants
at forty feet below the surface earth
had been destroyed by the Germans
at the moment OF capture.
Cropping on through the tunnel.
through the foul afr. and lighted only
by candles and pocket flash lights, I
found the floor was strewn with half
eaten loaves OF black bread which
the Germans had evidently flung
frantically down when the word was
passed that the French had taken the
position above.
Potatoes we're strewn over the floor
of the tunnel. as we're also innumer-
able empty mineral water. wine and
beer bottles with which the tunnel
appeared to have been lavishly
stocked.
From both sides OF the tunnel
sleeping rooms branched Off and the
hunks in these contained still the
shoes. coats. caps and other articles
OF clothing Just as the Germans had
left them al the moment OF surprise.
A little farther on was widened
portion that had been the dressing
room and surgical station for the
wounded Germans wounded in the
French bombardment that preceded
the infantry assault, and even when
the French had swept over the posi-
ton. had apparently been hastily