Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-16


pouring from tall chimneys, as il the
industrial activities OF the Germans in
the French factories were progress
ing as usual. British patrols were
pressing toward the city from all d.
rections this afternoon.
Mine Towers Dot Country.
From the northern slopes of Vimy
ridge, recently captured from the Ger
mans, it was possible through the
brilliantly clear atmosphere today to
see the spires and chimneys OF Douai,
still German stronghold Nearer,
Lens seemed to lie almost at the very
foot of the ridge, with its surburb,
LEVIN, sprawling well into the new
British lines, Lens presents a strik-
ing contrast to the unusual gray white
towns OF northern France. 1t appears
in the distance as one great slotch
of rcdI--red walls, red roofs, red 4
chimneys--out OF which loom the gray
walls and gray towers of the
cathedral.
Mine towers dot the surrounding
country almost as thickly as oil der
ricks in the petroleum districts of
America. Great Stag heaps rise here
and there like so many Egyptian
pyramids. Into and around these red
buildings and Stag heaps shells ex-
ploded throughout the afternoon,
throwing up dense clouds OF brick
dust which, caught up by the April
storm wind, spread a pinkish-yellow
pail over the lower sections of, the
city.
Use German Shells. !.
Above Lens occasional shrapnel
shells broke. With the usual British |
white puff balls were mingled densely
black puffs, the latter being the Ger
man SO shrapnel recently captured
and turned against the Germans. Sew.
eral times previously during the war
German light field pieces have been
turned against them, but this was the
first time the heavier calibres were
loosed.
Some of the points surrounding
Lens, which are already occupied by |
the British were thorns in the side |
of these same soldiers during the |
famous battles of the Loos salient. 1t |
was impossible at that time to blow
the Germans out of their stronger po-
sitions. Buvnow all this is changed.
The difference between the bonn
bardment with which the offensive |
began last Monday and that when
the British inaugurated the battles OF
the Somme last July was so great
that it is difficult to realize they |
came from the same army. -
Veteran Gunners Now.
At the time set for the Somme
bombardment to begin, some of the
British artillery officers were seeing
large shells fired from their guns for
the first tSne. When the battle OF
Krras began the British officers. and |
gun crews handled the weapons like
veterans. Behind them lay six or
seven months of constant training, |
not only in the schools, but actually |
in the field with the German positions
as practice targets. \
All winter long the British guns
have roared in order that when the
offensive began every artilleryman
would have thorough knowledge of
and familiarity with the various
phases of the modern school of gun
merry. The rapidity and precision
with which the bombardment was
carried out has been one of the dis
tinct features Of the new success. The
small losses suffered were due large
ly to the cooperation and effective |
work of the artillery. Every step
now made forward finds guns OF all !
calibres merely waiting for the word |
to place a destructive fire or pro-
tective barrage wherever the infantry
desires.
Rescue Two Officers.
Canadian patrols, pressing far east
OF Vimy ridge, today rescued from
the Germans two British officers of
the Royal Flying corps who were |
captured FIVE days ago when forced |
to descend In the German lines. One
of them had a fractured leg. The
Germans had kept them In dugout
and had given them small bits OF
food and water, but did not have>timc
IN ret,,nve fth am ~ the rear