Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-11

another bombardment from the inv!si.
| bic gun. That day Is shells fell In tho
| city and . outside. killing IL anc
| wounding 81 persons. Efforts were made
by French aviators 10 and the big gun
and what was thought to be It's enplace.
ment was found The French moved q
piece of heavy artillery up as close n
! possible and opened Are, but Bis
Bertha" continued TO bomb Paris.
On March IS the firing slackened q
bit. Four shells were hurled into the
city and two landed outside. II is be.
licved that the life Of the gun wa,
about SO rounds. and that this day
marked the end OF the first Big
Bertha"
On March 80 the second long-range
gun went into action and 10 1t and lis
crew. therefore. can be laid the great
est single instance OF havoc wrought
both In loss OF life. wounds and prop
erty damage by big guns.
March 70. 1918. was Good Friday
That afternoon. Paris churches we're
crowded with throngs Of worShipers at
tending services in commemoration OF
the Saviours death The historic old
church OF st, Gervais. In the Place
ST, Gervass. was packed with the de
Vout~~men women and children. Al :
O'Clock that afternoon projectile
crashed through the north side Of the
roof The roof collapsed and this. with
the falling masonry. killed rs Of the
crowded congregation and injured 90
others. Two American women were
among those killed. Visitors % the
enufch may now see q commemorative
alter In the second nave chapel on the
right.
The hit" Is laid to pure accident
Tor the impoSsibiiity OF hitting any
eiVen target from such a great distance
generally conceded. II was jus, one
OF those queer turns OF fate with which
The war was i1lled
During the early days OF the bonn.
hafdmcnt, firing began between 7 and
o'clock In the morning and continued,
NJ ls~mtnute intervals while Il lasted.
while. during the latter days. the Ger
mans selected the lunch hour. begin.
ning firing along about 1880 or l3,Sp
The last propectile fell into the city
between and } o'clock on the after
noon OF August y, In the face os the
allied advance, the great cannon was
either spirited away ar DESTROYED.
The opening Of Pig Bertha'S" ofYen~
sNe was evidently timed for whatever
psychological effect Il might have. for
ON March ii. two days previous 10 tho
opening bombardment. Germany struck
the f'rst blow Of the long .heralded Of =
!ensive which was to break allied
power before the United states could.
IA Germany supposed. throw her full
strength into the struggle. IL was also
probably intended 10 NJ In with the
great series of air raids which had been
directed against the capital aimee Janu~
AIRY 80,
Property destruction was small when
compared % that caused by the air
bombs. as was also the loss at life
When a shell exploded In n street VI
IN u garden Il dug for itself q hole
about ~ ar Is feet IN diameter and
about I 10 d feet In depth The various
Zig hefthas" tred total of SOS pro-
leotiles, az this number iaa fell In
Parts and 100 outside. causing the
death of sat persons and woundins
ua0 others,
What effect did II have on the morale
Ut pariaf II II true that al flrst, 1t
produced an exodus from the city,
Outgoing trains were crowded with per-
sons seeking more peaceful sorsuund.
lnaa, Hut the great Mariotity vt the
rartstana tauk II calmly, reAxaned Il
was their patriotic duty tn remain,
dreaded the night air raids more than
the hoMharstment with \ ahsua of the
shoulders haeane angry and merely re-
paatad tho phrase they had been re-
peating for 'ioNr long. weary years
s0NaA u kNerFAAs