The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-07

It is strictly true to say that the Huns are paying a high price for every inch of ground we yield to them. On has but to look at some of the sorry specimens of shattered manhood who fought their way into our lines in the first and second days of their offensive, and then collapsed to realize the frightful gruelling they have undergone. These men were among the finest of the German army and they started out on this task representing the last word in .phy- sical fitness.
 One of the first men I encountered when the first batch of prisoners reached our lin was a Branden- burger whom I had known in my schooldays in Germany. He was an officer in one of the crack corps be- loved of the Kaiser. What he had been through in the previous "A hours had so altered his appearance that I would never guessed at hls identity had he not recognized ana spoken to me. Poor devil! He was completely shattered, and l gave him what I could to brace him up. When he was talking he related a very ln- teresting story.
 The Kaiser's Mission.
 ''There are so many reasons why our High Command has launcneo this attack at this juncture, began the Brandenburger, and perhaps the most pressing of them all is the in ternal situation in Germany which makes a desperate attempt to eno the war this year absolutely lmper- ative.
 Letters from the Fatherland de- sscribing the misery at home were having a. disturbing effect on the men at the front. These letters urged that something should be done to smash the ring of steel which was encircl- ing the German Empires. At one period these letters were stopped, ana then suddenly the censorship depart ment raised the ban. In a few days the accumulation of letters flooded the trenches, each telling woeful story of terrible privation, and be- sceeching the army to save the Fath- erland from further suffering.
 This adroit manoeuvre on the part of the authorities was destined to have a magival effect, which was height ened when Hindenburg and the kais- CT dramatically appeared on the scene.
 For eight weeks they mixed among the men, talking to each regiment destined to take part III the 'orrensive r l reminding them of the terrible ,sufferings of their women and child ren at home. They were remlndeo that the Kaiser had offered to the enemy peace on terms that were saic to be honorable to all in the war but that the Allies had rejected these terms. as they were determined tC crush Germany by starving her civi population.
 '-~ '"The only way to save the womer and children from their miseries, sait the Kaiser was to attack once more and smash the British and French before the Americans could come tC their aid.
 Speaking to the Brandeburgers, h. told us that it was reserved to us t. attempt the most difficult of all-t' breach the British line at the poin where it was held by the terribl Highlanders. With that he left us. "Hindenburg also assisted to pre-
 pare the ground and to propagat the fighting spirit in the troops. H \ promised that when the time was rip \ for joint action Germany would strik hard not only on land, but on SC X and in the air; this to counter act tn \ growing dissatisfaction engendere II by the fact that the navy was not en
 during sacrifices proportionate t II the army. And now will tell you somethin
 of our experiences on the day of tn i great attack. True to the intentio
 of the Kaiser, the BrandenburgeI
 and eight other picked divisions we1
 thrown forward to attack the Higt
 land Division on our front.
 " Three divisions took part in tt
 actual assault three others followin
 in their wake, ready to take the
 places when they were unable to COT
 tinue and in reserve were the otht three.
 Four Hun Divisions Shattered.
 "As soon as we fell in behind smol
 screens and started for the Britt:
 lines we were met by a furious hs of bullets and our men were cut dov in hundreds.
 Escape there was none. 1ndee we seemed to plunge deeper al deeper into the inberno with eve step. Some of the men were hy anu ulu IlOI kEOW WuaI In were doing. One man tried to st me with his bayonet, under the il precision that I was one of the drea
 ed Highlanders. Another came on number of comrades lying on t ground, dead and wounded started plunging his bayonet into the in the belief that they also were Hig flanders.
 "Six times our assaulting hord
 were flung back, and after the six
 fepulse the Highlanders broke fro their trenches and pursued us, sta ping with bayonets or killing us with bombs. It was a terrible TO y'The attack was completely sh tered, and the other six divisions we brought into action before even t most modest success could be obta
 ed,
 N"Of the nine divisions taking p
 in that fight four had suffered so t
 ribly that by the close of the seco
 day they were retired from the | to ref1t, and were replaced by fir, divisions from another part of (
 battlefront"
 Forty Against Battalion
 A non-commissioned oficer of 1