South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-14
DESCRIBES LIFE Of.
AN ARTILLERYMAN
Lieutenant in British Army
Tells How Batteries Are
Placed For Assault.

ence.) Assault on new point In
the German lines iu the west such
as was begun during the past few
weeks ia Flanders. is preceded by
many weeks OF preparatory activity.
The moving up 10 their new posi-
uons OF hundreds OF batteries OF ar
tillery is only one phase OF this pre-
paratory activity. but one which re-
quires an infinite amount OF labor
and transport
70 move "a battery of howitzers
from The old Vimy ridge battlefield
To the new Flanders battlefield re-
quires roughly four or five days. An
account Of this process of transfer
has been written for the Associated
Press by Lieut. *. y. COlEilie. at
tached 90 1000" heavy battery. royal
garrison artillery. lie writes:
We were not sorry 10 leave Petit
court It's last occupants had been
certain Huns and these folk are not
az the best of tines very desirable
tenants. while their time in Occupa-
ton Of PetitcOurt had htterly been
very FAR from best. not even GOOD.
in fact Long before the- left. the
houses mad been suffered 10 fall into
such a state Of disrepair that theJ
were driven TO living i'm the cellars.
which they had enlarged and deep
ened for the purpose. Here they
had spent days at time without
emerging 90 the light of heaven. and
the sanitary arrangements, what
ever they may have been had evi-
IDENTITY broken down badly.
Quarters Disappointing.
1000 heavy battery. r. G.. A, in
due course came to occupy the scene
of the desoiation which itself had
helped 10 create. This, indeed, is the
tragedy of the heavy gunner's life
lie arrives opposite some pleasant
tree-swathed village. admires from
his point Of vantage across the val
ley the white chateau. and thinks
euviously of the comfortable quar-
tiers il is anording to the other side.
In a few weeks. or "a few months. IL
is his turn 20 occupy that promised
land But alas, ne wishes himself
back on Pisgah. away from the smell
and the filth and the CHASTITY ruin of
this sheII-torn place.
Such a spot was Petitcuurt and
We were not sorry when we learned
that our work here was done. and
that we were 70 go and repeat the
operation elsewhere. For before we
could again ply our grim task there
must be a brief interval of move
ment. of the open road. OF the com
radeship 1t brings to men and horses.
We had a day or two TO make
preparations for our journey, and
the time was fully occupied. At q
pinch we could move at few hours
notice. but trench warfare encour-
ages one to accumulate stores and
articles OF luxury which may as well
be properly disposed Of if possible.
for nothing OF il all can be taken eX-
cept the equipment laid down So
our surplus stores were returned TO
ordnance, and our odds and ends of
furniture homemade beds ana
tables saved from the ruins of the
village were distributed among our
neighbors Then. the day before
the start the guns were pulled out
from Petitcourt. and the whole bat
terry united once more, spent the
night down az the wagon lines. an
ready for AN early start next morn
ing
Ncycy TailinS Wit.
a light rain was falling a thins
So common I'm he aattle area that
we have ceased 20 count ii ass good
or evil. il i- part Of the persistent
order of nature. The Vocahsts of
the battery caroled snatches of aU
manner of songs sentimental bur
lesque or beIicose or of the last
Kind proudly told how.