Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-21
PEASANTS FLEE IN TERROR
BEFORE 0NCOM|NC ENEMY
Correspondent Describes Many Pa
thctic Scenes in Zone OF German
Advance in Flanders.
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION NEAR
Bank of Smoke From burning Ham
let's and Guns Marks Progress of
Battle Line Over Territory Here
toforc Untouched by Strife.
GHy Associated Press !

WITH ERITlSH ARMY ~ FRANCE.
April :".-It Is difficult for one ia the
british war zone TO adjust himself to
the ncw conditions here. II all seems
Ike horrid dr"am-ihiS Spreading
German blight across the cultivate
plains OF FLANDERS. with their ancient.
picturesque villages.
II Is but little more than - wc"k
since on" was free 10 motor quietly
along highways leading through M"r-
vile. Halllcul and score OF other
nearby places which never lost their
charms. Then peaceful farm lands lay
freshly turned ready for tn" saiin.
crops. The BATH, lines wer. not far
to the eastward bat death and dos;,uc-
ton seemed remote with walls OF
khaki-"iad men guarding the land
Little lads stood at attention ~ tho
roadside and salut.d AZ the motors
passed and old mcn ANA women beam
ed welcome from the doors Of their
cottages
Within few days, tho plague Of
war has descended. Now ono meets
his civilian friends The little fou, and
their way sadly back along the brond
highway. leaving behind all they hold
dear.
'rhc> look back on tho rolling fields
mat separate them from their little
world iiy day bank "f grim. gray
S'n"h" from burning hamlcts and from
myriad trlchirS :;uns MARKS Tho zone
along which ar" STRUGGLING the srlcu-
did british soldier. in their efforts 10
block further iuroads Of tho Hun E,
nlSht the Sky lin" Is sometimes :, lIrid
elaz" a consuming flares lean an
from hundred homes and Srca, can
non V"mit volcanic FIRE /, ~ :, I,-
Ing he'll It B.. par, or hor..ntorc
untouched FLANDERS going tn. way OF
IN" devastated regions Of tho So,nrr,.
us '"fnln.ss has rumbcd the braing
OF tho pcasan, folk
IN" correspondents, found a ii,,lc
family group cro.ching horca,b t,,r.
mr'iSh hc"it4erg hc'd in reserve
mere were no tears and NJ words VA,
IN" expression on their faces war; ytbr
ihat ~ on" just condemned To do
WY they stopped hcsid. tn. rr.-t
sun" was UNEXPLAINED rosa,oiy /.
NaE h"caUse II gay" thorn q sense Of
pr"'"otlon Many Of tho refugees iuov.
""'E " = general way whittier ihcv 10.
th"y ar" following tho icad o.: mis-.
'hfF Si!"cs llkc sheep ne"ing from, =,
storm Few cherished h"lonr.,r
afc AT trey carry with thcu.
hundreds 81 Flemish homes have
"ceh ShoTn % their protectors VINO
nay" been called To the i.ron,h coin.
and for these this has been :, ,,,. ~,
d"nol" terror. some ~ tho pc.s,,fe
ihd""h chung 30 thc.r cottage. ,,utix,
the crashing OF shells uutIl R-i;!eb .ul-
hIers led ih"m away. There urro ,n1r,.
Mt!tu! cases Of bed ridden ,ry,f,oe
who's" friends had 70 remove with HIN
from the soldiers
Twas only Tuesday ,h., a n~t...h
oh'"'ai rho,"graphcr discovered . hcla-
less parhirtic lying IN 4 house already
oeeh partly wrecked by shells. Tla
Invalid had no relatives and ,ir
friends "ho had looked after him.
wer" dead a. cut on from hln "a
the pao'oGrarher and a soldier carried
tn" man to safety. though IA r. roA!
lay through what might have been Z,
horrible den'h a, any momca.. RMS
- one Instance auDpuy many