Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-11-27

them to withdraw again to the ige Il
the wood. Saturday morning tie Brit
! ish renewed the attack on the village.
The Germans had rushed up rein
forcements which they had obtained
by rakinS every available point of
their line
During the morning the enemy adj
Nanced in strength from the north and
threw themselves against the British
line at the edge of the wood. A SAN
culinary struggle followed. and the
British, unable to withstand the fury
Of the German attack without too
great a loss of life withdrew slightly
and the Germans gained a footing in
the northern edge of the forest But
the British were not TO let the matter
rest, and they surged forward again.
| This time dismounted cavalrymen adj
vanced with the infantry and between
them they drove the enemy back AMI
re-esta blished themselves on the nd
! line.
On Bloodstained Streets
Little by little the Germans were
forced to give ground at the northwest
edge of the wood about Bourbon Vii
lage until the British infantry reach
ed the bloodstained streets of the ham
let once more. Dusk settled down about
the contending forces, but they still
continued to shoot and thrust a. one
another in the gathering darkness
No more grim tragedy has been enact
ed since the war began than was staged
among the ruins of Bourbon village last
night. Its finish found the shattered Ger
man forces outside the village boundary
but still full Of determination Several
times through the night they reformed
and swept forward against the village,
but each TIME they were hurled back
with heavy losses.
The village OF Fontaine Notre Dame,
between Bourbon wood and Cambria. was
still in German hands today. This shat
tered hamlet, however, was giving the
British no cause for worry, and Al the
latest reports they were ignoring it and
continuing to push ahead on the north
west side
Arplanes' Work
The work of British airplanes during
the present offensive forms graphic
chapter in itself Despite the vile wealth
er, which compelled them to operate with
in few feet of the ground, they kept
SledtIIS dL IlhIL CdSh 'A'N' ANiiNN'0N -
valuable assistance both in reconnals-
sance and offensive operations.
The nature OF the fighting can be seen
from the experience Of British pilot
whose machine was literally shot to
pieces by rifle and machine gun ire ami
who finally crashed down behind his own
lines with 10 bullet holes through his
clothing, although he himself was I'M
hurt.
Naturally many Of the men had miracu-
lous escapes from death and some or
course have gone to swell the toll OIL
brave men which have given their lives
for their king and countr!
There IS not much humor III lighting of
this nature but one incident occurred
which is making the whole British air
service laugh today one of the young
EST British airmen was flying at low
altitude when four enemy machine guns
opened on him. He swooped down and
shot three OF his opponents as he swept
by The four machine guns Kept ilrlng
and the aviator in a spirit OF Doylsn mis-
chief leaned over the side of his machine
and wriggled his fingers in Joyous de-
rjsiSn at the Germans. Just as he was in
the midst of this interesting performance
his opponent put bullet squareiy
through the palm Of the airmans open
hand
The aviator presented himself at a
dressing station and when queried admit
ted the truth with crestfallen face. His
consolation for his wound was roars OF
laughter and advice to be more polite to
in future