The Carlisle independent., 1917-06-14


 this sudden outpouring on Messines ridge was beyond all calculation. The lighter field guns far forward set up perfect curtain fire, under which the assaulting troops trudged confidently to their allotted goals. Farther back 1 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 l the war, these birds regarded the ap- palling noise of the battle as a 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.
 Break Before Vicious Fire.
 Many of these troops had but recent ly 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 It was really pitifuI in some instances to see the manner in which these pris- oners cringed to their captors. As matter of fact, the British sol dier, when the fighting is done, is in- clined almost too strongly to treat the i German prisoners as pals. Some of l the prisoners taken today had only 1 gone into the German lines last night and had made their way forward un- der a galling fire and had lost heavily. But the troops already in the line were calling for relief in such a manner that their appeals could not be denied.
 Enemy Bewldered by 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 l the British would strike. The troops in a strange line were utterly bewil- dered when the attack began and fell f easy prey to the advancing British. 1 The battle was far more visible dur | ing the first uncertain moments than | later when the sun gradually burned 1 its way through the eastern banks of | clouds. By that time the smoke of ex- l ploding shells and the vapors from the | blinding 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 Supreme in the Air.
 For month past, but especially since June 1, the airplanes on this front have been indefatigably at work during every possible flying hour They had brought down nearly 90 ma chimes in six days as a means of blind ing the enemy. Lately the Germans have endeavored valiantly to obtain airplane observations for their artfl lery, but their observing machines have seldom been able to direct more than one or two shots before the Brit ish fighting scouts had bounced upon them and either sent them crashing tt the earth or had driven them to cover at breakneck speed.