River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-06-14


mic disturbance. 1t was not single
shock. The force of the explosion
actually set the earth rocking to and
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 terrific
bombardment began.
1t has seemed that the battle of the
Somme attained the ultimate in the
close assembly of war weapons, but
this sudden outpouring on Messines
ridge was beyond all calculation. The
lighter field guns far forward set up a
perfect curtain fire, under which the
assaulting troops trudged confidently
to their allotted goals. Farther back
the deep-throated heavies began to
pour out torrents of high explosive
shells on the German trenches and
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 it's
highly glazed wings.
Under this appalling fire trudged for
ward on the ten-mile front General
Plumer's army. At many places the
men found German troops utterly
dazed by the mine explosion and the
ordeal of the artillery fire.
First Taste of New Warfare.
Many of these troops had but recent
~ come from Russia, where they had
spent Is months and knew nothing of
what actual warfare was like on the
western front. They had bolted at the
first mine explosion and had only been
gathered together in groups by their
noncommissioned officers when the
British appeared out of the smoke and
shells and made them prisoner.
They said they had been given to
understand by their officers that the
British always killed their prisoners.
II. was really pitiful in some instances
to see the manner in which these pris-
oners 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 the
German prisoners as pals. Some of
the prisoners taken today had only
gone into the German lines last night
and had made their way forward I'M
der a CALLING fire and had lost heavily.
But the troops already in the line were
calling for relief In such manner that
their appeals could not be denied.
Failed to Time Attack.
In view of the fact that the attack
had been expected the German COM
manders were endeavoring to get their
best units actually into the fighting
front, but had underestimated when
the British would strike. The troops
in a strange line were utterly bewil-
dered when the attack began and fell
easy prey to the advancing British.
The Irish. New Zealanders and Aus
tralians, who had been rehearsed In
every detail of "the show" knew just
what to do from the moment the word
to advance was given.
The battle was far more visible dur
ing the first uncertain moments than
later when the sun gradually burned
it's way through the eastern banks of
clouds. By that time the smoke of ex-
ploding shells and the vapors from the
binding barrage, which had been part
Of the artillery duty, obscured the more
distant landscape to such an extent
that the roaring guns could not be seen
at all, although the firing was almost
at ones feet. The brilliantly leaping
shrapnel shells, breaking far above
ground, appeared through thick mist
only as brief and brilliant electric
sparks.
British Planes Rule Air.
111A toll