New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-02-02
WITHIN SIXTY FEET
Of ENEMY'S TRENCH
American OldierS Settle Down to
Live in MarShy bitches
EVER ON THE ALERT
Night Frightened by Flare Of Rockets
and Pierced by Shrek of Big Shells
-Nipping Airmen Provides Ex-
citement.

With the American Army in
France, Feb. 1 (By the Associated
Press)-Am erican troops in trenches
on the French front at one place are
only 60 feet from the German line.
In another place a mile of ground
are a number Of positions and
neither side apparently desires to
occupy the water-covered ground. =
The American trenches all are in
more or less marshy ground, making
the use of duck-boards necessary at
all times except when the trench
water and mud are frozen. The
trenches we're shallow when the
Americans moved in, but since they
have been deepened and improved.
In some places that artillery is on
ground but little higher than the
trenches, although a number of our
batteries manage to keep dry feet
most of the time. The enemy artil
lery in some places is on higher
ground ~an the American and in
sight of one of our positions there is
a German observation post, over
looking much territory. The scene
at night is bright and inspiring. In
the firing platforms the men stand
near their rifles Others splash
through the trench sometimes slip
ping from the duck-boards into water
above their knees They are prob
ably going out on patrol.
Far away to one side of the posi-
ton a white stream shoots up to the
sky and breaks into white balls that
throw light as if from powerful
electric batteries. The reflections
show wire entanglem ents and scrubby
bushes on the hills nearby; then the
lights die out All the while there
a, whistle as of express trains Of pro-
jectiles of different calibres go rush
ing over the American trenches seek
ing a German target
German Airplanes Shelled
During the past few days there
has been no aerial activity because
of the fog but during the clear days
preceding the bad weather the men
in the line witnessed many thrilling
fights in the air. German airplens,
! coming over at a, considerable height
on observation trips, would be
! she1led vigorously as they would
! come within range.
On at least one occasion the men
| have seen 2. machine come down with
| in the German line.
Today the American position is
bathed in white fog frozen to trees,
bushes, wires and ground.
They are apparently we'll satisfied
with the food. Two meals a day al
ways are served and som etimes three.
! Within a certain radius Of the front
| line every member of the American
| force is now required to wear his gas
! mask at an alert position and never
| to be without his helmet.
The Am erican headquarters back OF
the line is established in dugouts and
ruins of houses long since knocked
| down by German shells.
Captain Roald Amundsen, the Nor
! wegian explorer, and Captain Ober-
| dygne of the Swiss general staff are
| visiting the American army zone. Cap
| tain Amundsen came by arrangement
! with the state department for the pur-
| pose of obtaining information con-
cerning the American expeditionary
force for the newspapers of Scandl-
| navia Captain Oberdygne will re-
main for a week, visiting all points of
| the zone.