Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-12-05


the staff championship.
Meet Famous strategIst.
When the game broke up and we re-
entered the headquarters building we
were presented to a man whose name
il famous the length and breadth of
the British front. His keen stratagems
and forceful work have won for him
the praise and admiration Of every
Canadian fighting in France and his
record as fighter would fill several
books. We were fortunate in having
an opportunity Of talking with him.
for he, like the late General Funston,
is keenly interested in newspaper work
and 1t gave us a good start on the
right plane. We explained to him our
reasons for coming to headquarters
and how the car that was to meet us
had broken down.
swell, I'm glad you're here, boys"
he said. "Tll just arrange to have
couple of places set for you at dinner
How are things over in the U. s. A."
We had been talking with him only
a few minutes when an officer brought
to him word that an s. o. s. signal had
been received from certain point in
dicating that the Germans were pre-
pairing to attack. There was no blus-
ter. The information was given in
low, steady voice and the orders for
certain counter-measures were given In
an equally unruffled manner. An hour
later 1t was learned that the Germans
had given up their attempt after being
numerically fiayed by the gruelling
fire which our host had turned loose.
From time to time an officer would
appear at the door and report the prog
ress Of various movements under way,
and throughout the evening there was
no letup in the handling of business.
The whole procedure of this work OF
directing armies seemed to operate as
smoothly as the service at the dinner
table to which we were shown.
When the meal was finished and we
were comfortably seated in the main
room we heard from the lips Of one Of
the officers story Of the thoughts and
feelings Of man directing an often
sive.
For the moment we saw a series Of
pictures thrown on the screen Of our
Imagination. The officer asleep in his
room. A servant calls him in the small
hours. He dresses and walks slowly to
his office, where q number of telegraph
and telephone operators sit at keys
and switchboards. A cup of coffee is
steaming at his desk, broad, fiat ia
BILE, upon which Is spread a great de-
tail map with flags marking the line
Of attack. He drinks the coffee, lights
his pipe and turns to greet his brother
officers.
Men Go Over the Top.
The hour Of the attack is marked by
a general glance at watches and then
the phone rings. The men are over the
top! Several phones ring. A number
Of detectives have been reached. An
S. o. s. signal from "A" section. All
reports are marked upon the big map
by flags, and as each objective Is
reached new flag is added. As re-
ports of trouble come from different
points certain barrages are instructed
to cut loose with everything they have.
A "cut-in" shows the men lying by
their guns, which are loaded and
trained upon certain points. The S.
o. s. signal comes to the gunner near
est the string, who reaches out and
gives it yank while the other gun
ners jump into action. Before the
first shell has reached It's destination
a second Is on its way and the big
show is on in full swing. We see the
men bombing the Germans out of dug
outs; fighting hand to hand in the
open ground with vicious thrusting Of
bayonets.
Finally the picture reverts to head
quarters, where we see the officer,
tired eyed but smiling, reading the
congratulations from all along the line
and transmitting them to the victori-
GUS men out in the shell holes and
trenches.
II don't believe there's a one Of US
that wouldn't have given great deal
to be right down there with our men,"
he said. That's the worst Of having
q staff job. One must take distant
view Of things and stay out Of the
show, which isn't pleasant task, es-
pecially for that young officer who just
handed me this report. I'll venture to
say that he'd yell with Joy II he got
orders to 60 back to his regiment to-
night"
Along toward midnight our disabled
car came limping up to headquarters
for us and our farewells were said
outside the door in the inky blackness
of a rainy night. We shook hands
there in the darkness with these men
who had been our hosts. From the dis
lance came the deep-throated growl Of
heavy guns.
I'VE never let up on them" said
vnaro Prom the sfoDa WIt has hcon