Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-31

first in March, 1917, on another day
Of victory.
Bapaume is not much different TO-
dag from when I last saw it before
the German avalanche a few months
ago.. Since then the British guns have
pounded it, flying men have gone over
it at might, dropping down tons of
explosives, and now the enemy is shell.
ing it again, but what difference can
there be in a place already a ruined
scrapheap of broken houses. except
more holes in the walls, broken roofs
rebroken, brick work smashed into
smaller dust?
/ prowled bout the streets Of Ba-
paume, through the gaping walls OF
houses, over piled w~reckage, and found
it the same old Bapaume as when l
left it, except that some of the Brit.
ish huts and the officers clubhouse
and some Y. NJ. c. A. tents and shell.
tiers had been blown to bits like every
hing else. This was the chief differ.
ence, except again for many sign
boards showing the recent occupa-
ton by the enemy.
One notice caught my eye, and ]
saw the same message of warning as
in Grevillers and Achiet-and other
places near Bapaume--showing how
effective had been the work of the
British airmen in striking terror to
the German soldier. 1t said, "Weg
vor der strasse; hier linden euch
feindliche" c"keep off the street here;
you will find hostile airmen'c. These
notices were even in the open coun-
try down the battlefield tracks, tell
ing how the British airmen had
swooped over them all with their con-
slant menace.
Finds An Editor Rifleman
Proving about those sinister streets
of Bapaume l met a fellow in a steel
hat who had a valuable box Of
matches, which was good for two
cigarettes, and in a friendly converse.
ton he told me that before he became
a rifeman Of the New Zealanders he
was the editor Of a newspaper In his
country and fond Of literature. We
exchanged views on the war and life
and shellfire and ruins, and he told
me how some days ago, when he was
outside Puisieux with his platoon, they
had been badly troubled by German
machine guns in front of them. The
editor was one of six men who went
out to get rid of this trouble, II they
had luck, and they not only brought
in a machine gun. but twenty-six pris-
oners as well, being the first batch
from PuisieuX. 1t vas another little
experience for a man who was more
ready for a fountain pen than a rife
before the world went to war.
In the streets of Bapaume l picked
up a book dropped in a hurry by some
poor devil who will never read 1t.
Der kraft der stron. der frieden, das
meer der gnade" C'The source of pow
er. of peace, the sea Of grace"D, and
I think when / have time / shall read
1t to find out the angle Of German
philosophy with regard to the war
1t ought to make good reading. though
not perhaps as the author intended.
Guns Far Forward
At $3.50 o'clock another action be
gan outside Bapaume and for half ar
hour or more the British drumfre was
very fierce n heavy. 1 was amazed
to ind the guns so far forward, heavy
guns al well as field guns but al
through the recent fighting the New
Zealand gunners have been like grey.
hounds on the scent, and have fol
lowed their infantry with amazing
speed and skill.
The heavies were firing in a Wild
arc around Bapaume, and their she'll
came through the air with . rippinl