New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-14
MEUSE.ARGONNE is
STILL DEVASTATED
Havoc Of Va, Where Amei.
cans Fought, Is Evident
RY WEBB MILLER

tefleld, France, Nov. II. (UP)-
After ten years this towering hill
dominating the region where the
greatest battle In Americas history
started. in which 631,i05 America MS
and $4,000 French smashed
through the Hindenburg line and
defeated $4,000 Germans, Is deeply
SCARED by the terrible struggle.
On the crest Of the hill the II ick-
walled concrete machine-gun M
placements and artillery shelters
are still standing. Some are par
TALLY smashed as they were left
by the advancing American troops
One Of the thickets shelters was
used by the German Crown Prince
A. an observation point during the
battle OF Verdun, Inside one shell
ter there are vestiges OF the cAplo-
sion OF hand -srenades which Ameri-
cans tossed through the narrow
openings where the noses Of ma
chine guns protruded. Now the en-
placements are covered with tail
weeds and thistles.
The church on the crest remains
Z heap Of Erass-grown ruins. and
the hospital is likewise. There is
a tall wooden observation tower
constructed by Americans just aft
er the Armistice, still standing
Many penciled their names on the
sides and 4 few are still 1egib'e
The record Charles ~ Mason. 18th
Division, left of his visit is still
visible. Another proudly wrote
Seventy ninth division captured
Montfaucon" At the side Of the
hill the village Of Montfancon Is
entirely rebuilt. Shell-holes can
still he seen among the apple Or
chards on the hillsides.
From a distance OF many miles
the top OF Vauquoi Hill appears
as a livid wound. The rain OF
shells blasted the fertility from
the earth and very little Vegetation
has sprung UP.
Rupprecht's Dugont
Near Harazee there are man!
concrete shelters in the hillsides
where troops crouched during the
Commandments. Between Harazee
and Four de Paris are dozens OF
''fox-holes" the Americans hastily
dug in chalky bluffs. The hamlet
Of -Four de Paris exists now only
a. a cross marking the site.
Many will remember Prince Rup-
prechts famous luxurious dugou'
In the dIpths OF the Argonne woods
where he had installed running
water. electric light, and billiard
room. Although the plateglas.
windows and all the fittings and fur.
niture have disappeared there is
still plenty Of evidence OF the
amazing luxury of Rupprecht's un.
derground hide-away.
At tienne-le- Chateau, In the
middle Of the Argonne. the house
whore the New York division had
headquarters in the cellar is en-.
tirely repaired and caters to tour.
lists as Z restaurant. A blue-pen.
ciled sign indicating the "3oth In.
fantry Headquarters still remain,
pasted on 4 door. In a shattered
tree outside a pole erected by the
Seventy to carry their
wireless aerial is standing today
Only 4 few miles away the little
ravine where the Lost Battalion
was cut off and lost $40 of its 56i
men 10 a thicket. The village Of
Vienne lie Chateau had 800 inhab-
itants before the war. now there
are 500.
Appalling Devastation
Back toward the Champagne bat.
tlefields the devastation remains
appalling. The battlefield has bee n
left untouched. In this region
many villages were cXte1ninatcG
forever. The Second and Rainbow
divisions and Texas and Oklahoma
troops remember this sector. Mas.
siges IL a pile of stones no higher
than 4 man. Perthes-les- Hurlus /.
a heap Of rubble with only sigr
to indicate that it was a countr,
village OF several hundred inhap pit
ants. Murius is a mound covered
with thistles. No human being
lives within many miles.
Through the Argonne the shat
tered chunks Of concrete of the
IIindenburg Line lie where the
shells threw them. In ten year.
vegetation has covered some sec.
tions. 1t is not worth expense
to clear up the debris and it Vii
probably lie there forever as ar
Informal monument TO the great
Meuse Argonne battle which lasted
46 days and in which the Ameri.
can army suffered 1900 casual
ties.
This is the third Of series OF
four articles dealing with the war
zone as 1t now is.
The Chateau Thierry Of the pres
ent will be described tomorrow by
Miller in the last Of this series oil
articles.