The Washington herald., 1918-03-19
Correspondent Takes Trip
Inside German Battle Lines
Witnessed Destruction Caused by American
Shelfre on Hun Trenches in Thrilling
Flight as Air Observer.

marking the posts supporting the
barPed wire entanglements. All this
was so shell-pitted that 1t resemDled
the footprints of a thousand dogs IN
the sand on some seaside.
No Mans Land, as far as one could
see, was barren, empty, up-torn, yet
with certain landmarks still left, such
as a shel-tattered stone farmhouse
and an old COW stable, whose walls
were still standing at a feeble height.
These places are favorite rendezvous
for night patrols. Then 1 passed over
the advanced German line. It looked
exactly like the American line, with
the same endless scroll of trenches.
We steered to the left and then saw
the spot where the American bonn
bardment prepared the waysfor yester-
day mornings raid. The effects OF the
latest rain Of shells also were plainly
visible, some craters showing up
bolder and deeper than others which
had been created in former days.
Passing over the first networks of
German trenches 1 noticed communi-
eating positions leading back toward
the second organized position.
There too, 1 saw clumsily camou-
fiaged gun pits and looking at my
map found them accurately noted
there for our gunners' information.
The villages behind the enemy's
lines were crumbling and shottorn,
the same as those behind our own
lines, and the roads began again from
nothing, assuming shape and form and
developing into fine highways a little
way further in.
Puffs Of white smoke showed that
our machine was being fired at by
high angle antiaircraft guns, but we
were not hit. We continued inward
not straight ahead, but obIiqueIy, so
we could veer and double" back the
moment hostile fighting planes ap-
peared.
We saw a couple OF German two
scatter machines regulating German
artillery. They were about our level.
but they minded their own business
and We paid no attention to them.
Gazing eastward 1 saw shells cough
ed up from the throats of American
guns far behind, saw them plump into
the enemy's position. burst, and throw
up clouds of black and brown dirt and
smoke.
Once, when we were furthest in
side the enemy lines l looked back
toward the enemy lines and saw sew
eral flashes which 1 afterwards learn
ed were from trench mortars throw
ing over flying pigs" toward the
American lines.
Seemed Deserted.
In all that journey I had not seen
a single moving human being, even
through my glasses, despite the fact
that the subterranean positions be-
meath teemed with armies of fighting
men.
And in all advanced positions. on
both sides, I did not see a single
moving vehicle. although far off
back Of the German lines 1 did see
dust clouds thrown up by conveys on
the move.
We turned slightly, fitting steeply
on one wing-and scared homeward.
The pilot signalled to me to look
down. Staring through the floor
glass l saw another French machine,
much lower than we were.
Almost at the same time a dull
thud penetrated the terrific noise of
the whirling motor, and the pilot mo-
TONED me again. saw a fluffy,
white cloudlet Of anti-aircraft shrap-
nel-enemy gunners were trying to
lay the range on our comrade be-
meath.
There were a dozen more almost
lnaudlole thuds, and saw a string
OF these fluffy shrapnel cloudIets
hanging in the air along the path
way Of the French machine below had
been taking. But he was far away
he "wingslipped," turned and escaped
entirely.
Although We were less than 2Ooo
feet up in this region, the enemy
anti-aircraft gunners did not choose
US for target and we re-crossed
No Mans Land. Again passing over
the American battery positions 7
saw ominous flashes from the pun
breeches, but did not hear a shot fired
and didn't hear a shell whistling
through the air.
Took IS Minutes.
We retraced our way, apparently
not moving, and fighting in the teeth
OF bowling wind while the terrain
below slipped by imperceptibly. We
passed over an American observation
balloon and finally reached the ayia-
ton field, alighting at so miles an
hour.
l looked at my watch, we had been
gone thirty-five minutes. but 1t seem
ed ages, because of persistent idea
that we had been battling against a
head on gale continually.
Did you see that German single
scatter above US Just before we turned
oackr asked the sub-lieutenant pi-
lot, hopping from his seat.
Il think he saw we didn't have a
machine gun and thought US easy
prey as he was on his way home and
then turned and chased US a little
way. Otherwise I would have taken
you over to another sector and shown
you the German positions there with
AhlaL hls.