Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-24
AVALANCHE OF SNOW
BUR|Es ENEMY FORCE
norror OF Incident Forces Germans
to Abandon Attack on
British Line.
MANY AUsTRIANs DESERT
Do Great Work in Piave
Ncgion-Stories OF Prisoners Re-
veal Horrible Conditions - Ger
many Robs Her Ally OF Food.
NY ETHEL BRoADuuRsT.

international News Bureau
tMiss Broadhurst is Scottish Red
ross nurse, on tho Italian front, who
els OF the almost miraculous manner
which an enemy attack against the
lai'an line was smashed by an ava
uncho of snowl
mo average soldier possesses what
e wise call a supers,!tious strain;
NO some OF the stories told In this con-
lection tax ones incredulity great
leai' but there is one incident border
ny on the miraculous for which / can
ouch. 1t happened recently, when the
hemy was giving us rough time
long the whole OF the British line
ror about ten days there had been
eVcrish activity on the part Of the
hemy: and II was clear that he con-
emplated big attack somewhere, but
he difficulty was to find out exactly
mere The fierce gunfire died down.
40 the enemy began to push forward
1asses OF troops, mostly Germans. who
tad been brought for this special
,urpose.
Ihey advanced against our positions
mass formation, and such was their
'crslstence that they carried the first
'osi tions. and were pushing on TO-
'ards tho second. when n strange thing
appened. The story Of this incident,
IL was recounted TO me by British
nicer. who was present during the
peration. and kas since embodied his
tory In plain matter-of-fact official
eport Is appended:
Two fne battalions Of enemy troops
,ere pushing forward along the lower
ropes OF the mountain on which our
light rested. said the officer.
They were we'll supported by aru,-
.ry. and in spite Of the fierce fire TO
which they were subjected by our
Inc men and machine guns. they were
making Roadway at n point where
helr progress was very serious
ienace to our forces. From ledge to
edge the enemy pressed on. gaining
round steadily. and clearing the way
or further advances.
We could hear the e1ultant shouts
victory from their lips. and then
ae miracle happened. Warning shouts
anne from the ranks OF the Huns. and
response to 1t the enemy looked up
ito tho clouds. The sight that met
heir blood. High up In the hills the
now had become detached from its
ocky resting place. and was sweep
ng down in one great avalanche.
here was no time to get out o. the
ray.
Before the Germans knew what was
appening. the moving mass Of snow
'as on top OF them.
TRACKING COLUMN WIPED OUT
BY HUGE SNOW AVALANCHE
Tho sharply outlined figures OF the
teadily advancing troops disappeared
5 In nash. and In their place there
ms great white mass. beneath which
icy were buried. The incident hap
ened in full view OF the whb!c enemy
,rces, and the troops advancing TO
Jpport tho men buried under that
:r!ib!e avalanche set up "A cry Of
error. broke ranks and fed panic
ricHcn. discarding arms and every
,ing else in their enrerncss to get
way.
The horror OF the thing so impressed
re rest OF the enemy troops that the
tack had to bc abandoned. IL was
vain that the officers tried 10 rally
le men. They refused TO be rallied.
OCCASIONALLY bodies Of troops forgot
Heir fears sufficiently TO move for