Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-23
INTENSE ARTILLERY FIRE
REQUIRES SKILLFUL WORK
Nobody Pays Any Attention to -Four
Terrified Germans Wishing TO
Surrender Themselves.
DANCE HoRNpIpE BEFORE TANK
Blare OF Bagpipcs Gives Signal TO
Advance to Second Wave of In
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of Typical
Attack.
by REGINALD wYNNE. NJ. C..

income "a Stcreot?ped plan OF attack
on the western front, To the unini
'ated this may seem very easy way
IF conducting "a. offensive. but in r"
ant; II :eluii6s elaborate calculations
and rrepa rations. combined with mos:
Skillful gcnera!ship. The principal
points of attack have not only to h..
elected with the greatest care. but
have in addition to he so wrecked b.
artillery fire that the task of the in
fantry penetrating the acres Of wiz,
"n'anslenents projecting them h2"ou..
possible. without q. ,hc same timv
ma King /. clear 10 the enemy That any
particular point is TO be attacked.
To each wave OF infantry is allotted
d certain objective. ana in case Of
things no, banning out 4 ( desired. an
alternative mode Of proc=E:ic
The earth shuddcring. air-shiverius
hpmbardment suddenly dies down 10
half It's intensity. The first CLEANS Of
awakening day Elin, the Sky behind
The grim thnGle Of mangled wire
creating the ridge del!mcatins tn-
boche position.
From she opposing British trench
sEadowy forms suddenly loom largely.
and in one long swaying line SURF
the first wave moving to the attack
Away back. some 500 yards. the me-.
:o!ning the second wave snake theul-
elves free o: the letharsy begot b.
the two hours sleep they have man
aged TO snatch. Soon they arc coi!!n.;
through the twisting communications
trenches to the position in the front
i,Hc from which they are TO go over
the top"
III" boche gunners fling shells in
Discriminatory at tho Communication
cnches ana assembly posts. 81
hair breadth miracles the great crumps
u,sa the mon Of the second wave
sp!a shing stubborn!y forward ,hrousa
-e 'nurned up mud which III sone
faces reaches - the skirts OF their
HhaEi-ap.oneG" kits.
broHen-down stretches OF pa-ane,
reveal scattered parties Of HAN prls-
oncrs being herdcd across the open
towards the British rear. \ stream Of
BRUSH wounded. walking cases. cor
uniously meet those pressing forwa I'd
Though each Of these wounded u.cn
is evidently suffering. the victorious
advance IN which ne has Just particle
patcd has prin; ed :, great smile en- his
.s.!id face wailc I've got :, cu.ny
ono" comes ia Joyful tones pcrslste;.;-
~ from his dry !i.s
The second wave reaches the posi-
ton from which it is TO "jump OF '
rh. ohJectile can.Ict be discerucd he
ing hidden by the ridge captured by
tho first wave which also screens Tho
British movements f.orn all save aerial
observation Behind this ridge the NJ
tcrnath OF successful! attack is
kalcrdoscopicaliy and gr!mly depicted
y touch of hunor is suddenly added
TO IN. otherwise somber scene. APP
pearing from no one knows where.
four terrified Dochcs hands held dAs-
pcrateiy nigh over their heads. 1c.
cone leading feature in the picture
Thci. object is the very proper "nc Of
surrpndering, but no one takes the
slightest notice ot their desires Keep
like unbroken colts. iron, one Er up
If Eritishcrs to another shouting,
'kamerad, ka,ncrad.'
WouLD-HE PRISONERS
DANCE BEFORE TANKS
This i,lattentior to their wishes N
creases their terror. and they Sp-:d
hther ard thither with UndiminiSn,d
frenzy. The last tire men OF the second
wave see OF this quaint quartet is
their futile efforts 10 surrender - u
derclict tank in 'front.' OF which they
appear 10 10 aarc!ns 4 hornoiu; va,
embarrassing gusto
Suddenly the martial blare "f the
of Tho guns and blends with the sluea'-
signal TO advance.
kits SWAY IN RHYTHM
TO MUSIC OF PIpEs
To the swlrling. swaggcriag tunes.
recalling ancient Gaelic triumpns, thu
second wave sIrges over the pararet
and II. perfcct alignment rolls for
ward The khakl-aproncd kits sway
in rhythn TO the Wild strains Of the
pipes. On the left flank a couple OF
enemy machine guns with angry pap.
pap: pap's. sweep the line. From
tar in TIE rear tie bochc hurl; great
crumps which. bursting in the already
shcll-pulverized soil. spray the al :
vancing line Will. brown Dirt.
The perfect alignment OF the attack
ing troops is broken for Il short period
as they struggle through dense wire
ENHANCEMENT. The machine guns still
take steady toll. The second wave
sweeps over the trenches. captured and
now being rapidly consolidated by the
first wave. towards their own objective
400 yards ahead.
The wel-kept line swings forward.
and now the British guns, previously
bombarding the objective. become
silent. The boche trench is strangely
quiet-even the mechanical pap! pap!
pappinG of the machine guns has
ceased The wailing skirls OF the pipes
add 10 the already ecrie effect. the
troops trudge relenticSsly through the
heavy shcll-pulverizcd soil. Again
wire entanglements break the align
ment. Then, as the pipes break into a
wild paean of victory the second wave
bursts into the bochc position.
The trench is empty, save for the
twisted forms of dead Huns-silent
symbols of patriotism and British gun