The sun., 1917-10-27
SUN MAN SEES
AISNE FIGHTING
FROM AIRPLANE
Fog Enables AviatOrs to
Reach Within 400 Feet
Of Enemy Lines.
ARTILLERY FIRETERRIFIC
DetOnatiOns Cause Plane to
Rock Like Boat-German
Works Wrecked.
ARTILLERY FIRETERRIFIC
SDecial Gable Desp1tcb fo Tup SuS

Special Gable Despatch 10 Tus Sun.
LONDON, Oct. 2s.--Thc panorama OF
modern battlefield as seen from the air
while fighting is in progress rs described
by THE SUNS correspondent. who few
through the mist and shell smoke over
the heads Of Gen. Maistre's troops as
they advanced to the capture Of Fort
Malmaison in the great victory in
Chemin des Danes on Tuesday.
Two OF U.s." he says. were detailed
and watched the attack at close range
When We left the ground a heavy mist
compelled us to ny low. at a height of
400 feet. We reached the front lines
fivs minutes before the time Of the at
tack and pushed half a mile into Ger
man territory so as to keep abreast OF
the shells. Ahead were French aviators
who were to send back reports Of In.
fan.ry progress.
The wide stretched panorama Of the
hattleheds unrolled below us. A heavy
artillery battle was still raging, and the
front trenches of both armies we're un-
dergoing momentary changes In exis-
tenoe. especially those of the Germans
At times a large part Of them were in
the air in company with what remained
OF the village just over the line. When
| the smoke cleared away nothing re-
mained but a hole or a series Of holes.
In fact there were holes everywhere. in
tho air as we'll as in the ground. The
| big shells whistling around our cars
created a great aerial runpus. making
| our little machines bob about like corks.
! The Attack starts.
The terrain had holes everywhere.
big holes. little holes. dry holes. holes full
Of water. occupied holea The fire Of the
}-bt0. wnns make the face Of the country
| look diseased.
Suddenly from behind a tremendous
uproar burst forth. The hour for the
attack had arrived Tho seventy-hves
had started their barraRe fre. Hun
dreds Of tongues Of fame shot out OF
the mist from the woods and valleys
and along the roads. A storm OF SHELLS
swept beneath us. Before us We sa " the
shells bursting In front OF the German
trenches
Turning in the air we looked. back
at the French trenches and saw a Ions
line Of men more brown than blue ow,np
TO their continual association with mud
climb over the front trenches and
walk steadily forward, They stretched
as far as the eye could see. Just ahead
OF them we saw clouds OF smoke break.
ing on the ground. The men did not &C.
celerate their pace. They seemed TO bs
following automatically their creeping
barrage fire. At times three or four Of
them would disappear In a streak OF
smoke reappearing a moment later or
the other side.
I'VE waited until the poilus were be
meath us and then. kept over them a,
they advanced. JLst behind us and q
little below were two scatter observa
ton machines sending back reports o.
the infantry advance. Like an irresisti
} Bile wave the poilus steadily walked on
the barrage screening them until the!
reached the boche trenches and wen
over to md that practically all re
sistance had been pounded out OF th'
Germans.
I'VE had been so intent watching tn
ground that we had paid little atten
tion to the air. leaving that to thos
assigned to 1t. but just before the frs
objective had been reached a big blacl
German two scatter marked with i'm
mense black crosses on a white groun'
came out OF the mist under US. MAXIM
for our lines, apparently out Of control
Later we found him within our territory
The pilot and observer were capture
before they could destroy the machine.