Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-11-10

burg and Herr Krupp Won Bohlen u.
Halbach whom l had asked to join
the train. They considered it quite
possible in view of our stocks of raw
material to increase our output of
war material if only the labor prob
lem could be solved.
Early on the 9th we were back
again in Pless l was now at home
in my position and understood my
sphere of work.
1t was an enormous field of labor
that suddenly opened itself before me,
and many things were expected of
me with which | had hitherto had
nothing to do. Not only had | to
probe deeply into the inner workings
of the war direction, and get a grasp
of both great and small matters that
affected the home-life of the people,
but / had to familiarize myself with
great world questions that raised all
sorts of problems.
Our old offiees-in one of the
knights houses of the princes castle
were now too small for us. Fresh
ones were taken in the administrative
buildings of the principally of Pless.
We ourselves occupied the house of
Herr Nasse, the estate agent of the
prince of Pless. Regular work now
began.
AS was to be expected, the en-
tente's offensive was continued
throughout September and October,
and even later, with unremitting Wig
or. September was an especially crit
ical month. 1t was not made easy for
US to embark on an operation in
PENNSYLVANIA against Rumania.
The battle of the Somme, which
had started on July /, with an at
tempt at break-through on a large
scale, had been continued through
out July with the same intention and
in the same strength. With the i'm
mediate object of wearing down our
resistance the entente had continued
to launch big attacks in great strength
on all parts of the battle front. After
Rumana's declaration of war. these
attacks were renewed with fresh vigor
and the entente returned to their plan
of q regular break-through.
The battles that We're then fought
are among the most fiercely contested
OF the whole war and far exceeded all
previous offensive. as regards the
number of men and the amount of
material employed
North of the Somme the attack was
resumed as early as September and
lasted until the 18th. The enemy nen-
etrated into our positions more and
more deeply. On Septembsr 5. south
OF the Somme. the French also at
tackled on wide front and gained
ground at several points.
On the northern bank fighting be-
gan again on the 9th and lasted until
the 18th. We We're thrown back still
further Ginchy and Bouchayesnes
fell into the enemy's hands The / 7tb
was day of heavy fighting on the
southern .bank; we lost Berry and
neniecourt South of the Somme the
fighting was somewhat less fierce.
though the hostile artillery fire was
kept up.
North of the Somme fighting
ceased; but the 25th saw the begin
ming of the heaviest of the many
heavy engagements that made up the
battle of the Somme. Great were our
losses. The enemy took Rancourt,
Morval, Geudecourt and the hotly
contested Combles. On the 26th the
Thiepval salient fell. Further enemy
attacks en- the 2Sth miscarried
The fighting had made the most
extraordinary demands both on COM
manders and troops. The relief ar
rangements inaugurated at Cambria
and the new system of reserves pro-
jected for the west front no longer
sufficed.
Divisions and other formations had
to be thrown in on the Somme front
in quicker succession and had to stay
in the line longer. The time for re-
cuperation and training on quiet sec
tors became shorSer and shorter. The
troops We're getting exhausted. Every
thing was cut as fine as possible.
The strain on our nerves In Pless
was terrible; over and over again we