Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-09-16

few men available for work everything
had progressed so we'll that the attack
could be arranged to begin on April
8. | was glad of this. The sooner it
could take place the more likely ii
was to surprise the Portuguese in the
plain of the Lys.
myself visited the 18th corps
headquarters in the 9Th army as late
as April 7, and received the impression
that we could keep to the time pro-
posed. In order to go over all the
preliminary artillery work Colonel
Bruchmuller had been sent to the 9Th
army. hE
As early as July 1917, he had ar
ranged the employment of the artil-
lery in the break through in East
| Galacia, and at the time OF the attack
in March he was artillery general at
the 18th army headquarters. (This
was the army that broke through
when the others failed1 His great
knowledge and capacity, his devotion
to his profession and his army, and
his military enthusiasm marked him
out as. one of the most prominent SOL
diers of this war;, His suggestions had
already formed the groundwork for
the employment of the artillery on
March 81. Ills
One Reason For Failure.
The artillery of the 18th army was
completely imbued with his spirit.
Thise added to the fact that it struck
the weakest point in the enemy's line,
! contributed greatly to the fine success
of that army. The 18th army. which,
moreover, had the strongest enemy in
! front of 1t. worked on similar princi-
Piles, but the vitalizing energy which
emanated from Colonel Bruchmuller
was lacking.
This is another instance of the de-
cisive Influence of personality on the
course of events in war. as in life
generally, G.H.Q had not only to
reckon with the enemy, but also with
| the personal qualities of the men who
! were striving for the same object with
| the same devotion.
Colonel Bruchmuller inspected the
| preliminary arrangements and re-
ported that all was in order On the
morning OF April . the attack at first
went ahead very we'll. The reports
which came in up till noon were IA
vorable. This was different birth
| day to the one had passed the year
before, the day of the heavy defeat at
| Arras. N.{a $50 sis8
| His majesty listened to the report on
| the military situation at Avesnes and
stayed to lunch. He remembered ME
in a few words, and also my two
dead sons. and presented me with an
iron statuette of himself by Betzner.
| Tanks Prove Hindiance
| In the afternoon the attack seemed
to progress more slowly. The ground
was still soft in places and this made
it very difficult to bridge the enemy's
Tench-systenn, The direction of the
roads was not favorable to that of our
attack, and the detachment of tanks
We had employed had proved a him
! drance < 1t took long time to get up
guns and ammunition The country
was close, and this enabled the en-
emy's machine-gun posts to delay our
infantry considerably
In the evening we were advancing
! toward Armentierres had reached the
| Lys and were approaching the Lave.
| In the direction of Bethune we made
little progress. On the left. at Given
chy and Festubert, we were held up.
The result was not satisfactory. 3.
pa OhfApripf10 the attack continued,
! but II only gained sufficient ground
toward ArmentierTes and across the