New-York tribune., 1918-09-15

the dlarsS ,,.. o, German raa NJ sOlalsas saaas
of the Allies was kept by an
officer who was in the sector between
Bapaume and Albert from April to Au-
gust. He belonged to the 73d Fusilier
Regiment Of the 111th- German Division.
Aeroplane efficiency was one Of the sub
jects on which he was extremely illumi-
mating. He did not think much of the
German aeropane service.
In April he was convinced that Ger
many had won the war, saying: "The
only explanation I can find for the OBJ
stnacy of our enemies lin continuing to
fght) is that they believe all is lost"
More Of the diary follows:
april 20.-We have been drilling for
week or other fatigues. Men came out
with the last draft some of whom had
hardly had any training at all. In this re-
spect the people at home are taking things
terribly easily. These old chaps even have
to be instructed in the light machine gun
drill.
May 18.-At o'clock we moved on. I
marched my little crowd across country to
our destination. There are seventeen
enemy machines overhead. There is an
English ammunition dump admirably laid
out, which for similar purpose.
There these fellows drop about 100 bombs
a day, sometimes with, very often without,
results. Conscious of our might not
single German machine shows up AL
:hovgh the newspapers cannot brag and
blister enough when they publish anything
abe ut the flying service, our armen them
selves admit inferior to the enemy
in numbers and equipment. In any case
they are not impudent as Tommy Day
ana night he is overhead dropping b.mbs
last all counting
July 10.-We were working every day
on the ammunition dump in the wood I
had to be there although had nothing TO
do. We had visits from airmen every day.
With clockwork certainty the fights ar
rived, dropped their eggs and disappeared.
As rule our Arches could not touch them
as they flew at a height the she'll never
reached. Our airmen show little activity
and do not know in what our superiority
consists AT night the airmen worry US
great deal. Two officers of the Sd NJ G.
Company were wounded, and the 11th Com
pany, too, had casualties from bombs. One
man with six children, who was employed
es kitchen orderly, fell victim to this
treacherous arm
eve have got lot of work with the
training Of the men. They can't shoot, and
IN other ways they lack the most elemen-
tary notions OF soldier l have long
ceased to lose my temper.
"On the evening Of the 6th some Of the
officers OF the Sd Battalion had a little
drinking bout. Finally sought my sor-
rowful couch as drunk as an owl
Gully 19.-On the l1th we went into the
line. 1t had been raining; the ground was
waterloggcd, and the going was bad
Tommy was shelling in front Of and behind
us, and we were lucky to get through,
Moving up is the most trying experience
for the infantryman. You may have bad
luck in the line, too, but at least there he
does not drum the trenches to pieces every
day
Great liveliness prevails in the air above
us, not from our side, but from the enemys
During our last day in rest Tommy crashed
three contact patrols CT ours. The enemy
has got faster and more flexible machines
than ours, and one can only pity our clumsy
things, together with their occupants. when,
attacked by three or tour flying men, they
are under such hot fire they have no alter
native except to crash. All three crashed
IN flames. In the night Of the 13th-14th
Tommy lathered my platoon sector severely.
sent both latrines west and got most un-
pleasantly close to my funkhole
"On the 10th at midday Tommy attacked
our hanking battalion and got into the front
lines. The handful of men in the advanced
line could not, of course, do the business,
though 1t Is easy enough TO conduct opera
Nons IN theory and in deep dugouts. Since
tnen our sector has been under pretty
heavy shell fire. On tho 10th he opened
two very heavy bursts of fire, and the
amount Of stuff he blazed away then was
mad AT night the usual harassing fire. On
the 18th he sheled our trench intersection
yard away from my shelter pulled out
two wounded, one severely. the other
slightly.
Same date.-scarcely have settled in
than I'm obliged to shift again. Early