Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-16
TANK OFFICER TAKES
RECEIPT FOR VILLAGE
British ''Whippets' Have Germans the Run When
ever They Appear-Litte Change ..-.
Picardy Front "
By HENRY ". NEYINsoN

Is probably now devising some other
means of attempting to check the on
| set of tanks in general.
So far, however, the value of the
tanks in clearing villages and cutting
passages for the infantry can hardly
be overestimated On the first day of
the advance the Australians sent a
tank to the assistance Of the infantry
In assaulting the village of Marcel.
cave, and the officer commanding the
tank took formal receipt for its cap
ture
Tank fighting is no child's play for
| the crews, because Of the strain, the
heat and the fumes inside the tank.
Let any one try travelling inside, as
nave done, even without the extra
strain Of coming under fire, and he
Will understand what mean.
passed through the considerable
town OF Corbie, at the junction of the
Ancre and the Somme. The streets
are In ruins. and SO is a large and
singularly beautiful church Of the best
ana simplest medieval architecture, al
though its two great towers still stand
and might be restored. g.. .
Continuing along the north, or right
bank of the Somme. which here winds
IN great loops. passed through Vaux,
saiily.le-Sec IA strange name for so
well-watered village). Sally Laurette
ana Chipilly. At the two latter I saw
the remains of bridges from the north
ern high ground to the villages or
ruins on the southern plain.
|, At Chipilly the British had earlier
in the war helped cut the village
bridge with a big iron girder construc-
ton, This they blew up in the recent
retirement, and the Germans built a
wooden bridge on a detour rather
higher up the stream.
!. The Somme runs with a deep and
powerful stream, and. as in most chalk
hill rivers. the water is beautiful and
clear. None the less, it spreads out on
each side of it's main channel or canal
into broad and quiet lagoons, sur.
rounded by reeds and rustlfng poplars.
Troops Bathe in Somme Pools
| In these iagoons British troops were
bathing by hundreds, and I, who have
| known bathing as one pleasure at Gal
lipoli, could wish them no better joy.
! The weather Is fine and hot, though
II cold white fog conceals all the low
| living lands for about two hours after
sunrise.
Climbing up and down beyond Ores
saire Wood, on my left, went along
high cliff looking over the river as
| 1t loops northward again, till L ap.
preached a very beautiful village beside
! the river and little damaged till now,
when the enemy shell fire will prob
ably lay it fat.
Shrapnel was bursting over it and
high explosives fell crashing into
houses, for the British front line was
not far in advance. BY climbing Il
tree on the top of the cliff above the
river / could have seen the spire OF
| Bray, which hides just around the
| loop beyond and is still strongly held
by the enemy.
Shells also fell into Mericourt Just
behind and below me across the river,
and they fell into large wood and
along crests Of the level ridges oppo-
site. No doubt the enemy was search.
ing for the British fire line, and for
any gun position which he supposed
to be not far behind.
1t was beautiful scene which the
guns seldom ceased to destroy. / no.
! tlced that for want Of cultivation dur
! ing the last two or three years the
wheat, which had gone on sowing it
self. was hardly foot high and thin
| in the ear. 1t was returning to grass,
such as prehistoric mankind had the
| wit to think Of eating.