Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1917-06-16

shock. The force of the explosion
actually set the earth rocking to ana
fro, and under the influence OF the
giant guns, which Immediately began
to roar from far and near, the trem-
bling continued indefinitely. 1t was
$40 o'clock when this final terrlnc
bombardment began.
1t has seemed that the battle OF the
Somme attained the ultimate In the
close assembly of war weapons, Out
this sudden outpouring on Mcssihes
ridge was beyond all calculation. Inc
lighter field guns far forward set up
perfect curtain fire, under which the
assaulting troops trudged confidently
to their allotted goals. Farther back
the deep-throated heavies began 10
pour out torrents of high explosive
shells on the German trenches anu
communications, while still other guns
enough to win any ordinary battle
confined themselves solely to the task
of deluging German guns and gunners
in baths of gas fired in shells OF eV-
cry conceivable caliber.
The effect of this counter battery
work was not appreciated until later
in the day, when the infantry sent
back word that their progress had
not been hampered by the enemy ar
tillery and that their casualties
amounted to virtually nothing.
Enemy Signals for Help.
Great black observation balloons
had stolen skyward during the din OF
the newly begun battle. In the wood
back of the windmill spring birds,
awakened by the deafening clamor,
had begun to sing joyously. Like so
many children who have come into the
consciousness of being in the midst of
the war, these birds regarded the ap-
palling noise of the battle as normal
condition of life.
The smoke of the giant mines eX-
ploded along the battle front mean
time rose in great, curling plumes to-
ward the sky and was punctuated by
red signals for help from the stricken
Germans in the front and support
lines. Never was the air filled with
more frantic notices Of danger. The
entire horizon glowed with red balls
of fire sent up by the nervous Ger
mans.
More and more British airplanes be.
gan to make their appearance. One
flew over the lines, the flashes of the
guns being reflected brilliantly on its
highly glazed wings.
Under this appalling fire trudged for
ward on the ten-mile front Genera
plumer's army. At many places tlle
l!en found German troops utterly
dazed by the mine explosion and th{
ordeal of the artillery fire.
First Taste of New Warfare.
Many of these troops had but recent
Nv come from Russia, where they h&t
spent IS months and knew nothing q
what actual warfare was like on tht
western front. They had bolted at th'
first mine explosion and had only beei
gathered together in groups by thei
noncommissiOned officers when tn;
British appeared out of the smoke ant
shells and made them prisoner.
They said they had been given t:
understand by their officers that I'll:
British always killed their prisoners
1t was really pitiful in some instance
to see the manner in which these pris
cners cringed to their captors.
AS matter of fact, the British sol
der, when the fighting is done, is in
clined almost too strongly to treat TIL
German prisoners as pals. Some O
the prisoners taken today had onl
gone into the German lines last nigh
and had made their way forward un
der 4 calling fire and had lost heavily
But the troops already in the line wer
calling for relief in such manner tina
their appeals could not be denied.
Failed to Time Attack.
In view of the fact that the attac
had been expected the German CON
manders were endeavoring to get thei
best units actually into the fightin
front, but had underestimate whe
the British would strike. The troop
in strange line were utterly bewi
dered when the attack began and fe
easy prey to the advancing British.
The Irish. New Zealanders and Aus
tralians, who had been rehearsed i
every detail Of "the show" knew jus
what to do from the moment the wor
to advance was given.
The battle was far more visible dul
ing the first uncertain moments tina
, later when the sun gradually burne
! | it's way through the eastern banks {
clouds. By that time the smoke of c,
plOding shells and the vap0rS from tn
binding barrage, which had been PAL
of the artillery duty, obscured the NOR
, distant landscape to such an extel
that the roaring guns could not be see
at all. although the firing was almo:
5 ut ones feet. The brilliantly leapin
shrapnel shells, breaking far aboy
} ground, appeared through a thick mi:
: only as brief and brilliant electr
sparks.
5 British Planes Rule Air.
5 For month past, but especial
since June 1, the airplanes on TIL
/. front have been indefatigably at wor
y during every possible flying hou
4 They had brought down nearly so n;
: chimes in six days as means of blint
: ing the enemy. Lately the German
f have endeavored valiantly to obtai
Y airplane observations for their arti
: lery, but their observing machine
have seldom been able to direct MOI
than one or two shots before the Bri
n sh fighting scouts had pOunced upo
e them and either sent them crashing