The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-11-23
GERMANS HURT IN
PRACTICE Fight
Diary Exposes carelessness Of
Teuton Gunners With Their
Own Men.
REHEARsE FOR BIG BATTLES
Realism Carried to the Extreme by
Germans in Preparing for Trial Of
New strateoy-Says Human
Strength Is Powerless.

With the French Armies.-ft is now
pretty well known that both the
French and Germans frequently re-
hearse their battles, under conditions
as realistic as possible on specially
prepared maneuver grounds. But,
whereas the French on these occasions
take great care that no men shall be
injured, the Germans have carried
realism to such point that each exer-
else of this kind costs them number
of wounded. The fact is attested by
the following extract from the note
book of German of the 21Sth regi-
ment Of infantry:
THE exercise was to represent a
new method Of attack used by the
French, and was to take place on the
2lst, in the presence of the duke of
Wuerttenberg, and other persanages.
ION the 18th our artillery regulated
its fire preparatory to the exercise.
Men Wounded In Drill.
"0n the 21st we were put In place
at S;15 a. m. From o 80 to 10 80 the
artillery and the trench mortars fred.
We we're given each fifty explosive
cartridges. while the men OF the first
and second waves were given each,
respectively. six and two loaded gren-
AIDES. From the start, during the fir
ing OF the trench mortnrs, men were
wounded by spllnters. At 1880 the
business began, and toward 1870 p. m.
our companies were assembled for tile
goose step parade ON the Hachwalsch.
Walderystal road. This parade also
took place before the duke OF w1ert-
temherg. The exercise, Il appears,
satisfied these gentlemen entirely. SO
It viii not be long now before we en-
ter into the hell. Unhapplly, several
men were wounded, one seriously. 1t
IS really sad to see exercise of this
kind carried out with real artillery
and trench mOrtars. Aside from the
fact that 1t costs great deal OF
money, men are wounded almost reg1-
arly. SO it is not enough that we
should risk our lives when we are at
he front, we must even be exposed
o danger when We are supposed 10
,e at rest"
And here are some extracts from the
notebook Of German captured lately
It Hill 304, near Verdun:
Yesterday just after midnight we
vent up to the first line. The march
vas terrible. We were shelled from
very side and the night was black.
We got lost and had TO wander two
nd a half hours in the open. After
ifiicuity of every description We
nally reached our shelter. And what
shelteri The entrance and the exit
Tere half caved in. l hope the shells
ont finally block them, for escape In
UGH circumstances Is not to be
lought OF. Our safety depends only
n divine aid; human strength Is pow
rless.
Next day, $50 a. MI have Just
ot up. In spite of the violent bonn
ardment Of shells and torpedoes l
icceeded In getting more or less
eep. But we have gone without eat
g or drinking. as the supply men
ave not been able to get through the
lrrage fire. / still have piece OF
'ead and little to drink; will re-
in myself as long as possible. Who
lows when we shall be revictualedY'
Why He Could Not Write.
On the day following the same sol
er wrote a letter which was found
! him when he was captured. 1 give
is extract:
Thou hast been waiting long time
r news Of me, my dear Gertrude, but
can send thee nothing because the
tillery fire is generally so intense
at the supply men who take our let
RS cannot get to us. Last night. or
ther today. we went TO gather what
e others threw away when they ran,
d had some success, otherwise we
,uld have had nothing to eat or
ink. To suffer hunger and thirst. I
on seest, is terrible. Every one
VS.: If the French come now it's all
: Thou seest In what a state we
And then the French did come
ul Scott Mowrer in the Chicago
WIS.