1917-01-06 — Page 8

THE SOMME BATTLES.

derman Views of the "Blood-Bath."

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, 'SATURDAY, JANUARY

After that: we had an hour off,

*

and

Them wrote:

The

It seems queer to me that whole villages close to the front look as flattened as a child's toy run over by a steam roller. Not one stoas

Sentries

became

Here is a little picture of life in British lines, written by a man German dug-out near the

now dead.

1917.

WAITING FOR "DEATH."

OSTRACISED CURATE.

Despairing Letters from German Trenches.

too horrible!”

Slowly Going Back. The following is from a man of the Moraer battalion in the trenches:

I

I

:

**Heinous Crime" of Yolunteering for the Army.

that:

AN ENGLISHMAN IN GERMANY.

Mr. Whitman's Reminiscences.

cherished guest. When Bismarck died Mr. Whitman was the only person outside the family who was admitted to see the body, a Emperor. The All-Bighest, in- privilege which was denied to the dend, appears to have been treated with unfamiliar blanicent by the

Biemarcks. His offer of state 3. My name, on the first op funeral was briefly declined, and portunity, was obliterated from when he wont to Friedriobarah to the annuals of the parish. see the last of his great Chappal-

Above all thì về noirs of this kept on getting-baris on the way back to billets we confusion s04-death in the had-been-a-perscet trench a fow were to sing Deatschland aber night the hard, stern voice hours before, was in peria com Allse," but this broke down oom of German officers rang out, and pletely blown in. The men are pletely. One never hears songs Germen discipline prevailed and getting weaker. It is impossible of the Fatherland any more. at men marched on to greater perils, to bold ont say longer.. LonsON

They were silent, grave-byad

5 They were in the shall some loan no longer be reckoned so- men who marched through the British Headquarters (France), streels of French and Belgian on the marsh was tracked all of our people are killed.

now, and sometimes a regimen: curately. Without a doubt many Nov. 29-Before the ending of towns to be entrained for the along the way by British gunfire That is only ons ont of thous

Writing in a Kingston`news- the first phase of the Battles of Somma front, for they had fore-directed from aeroplanes, and aads of such grusome pictures, good wishes from my grave in the thank Mr. Low, one of the church- "Dearest Wilbalm.send you paper (the Surrey Comet), to the first penthe second phare bodings of the fate before them. captive balloons. It was the fate true as the death they described, if this frightfal artillery fire does parishionera of Long Ditton, near Political Writer in the Capitals earth. Soon we shall become and wardens, and a number of the member: The Becollections of a begins, I imagine, with our great Yet none of their forebo lings of a captured officer I met who which have gone to German

In its notice of Things I Re- advance on Sept. 15 from the were equal" in intensity of fear had detrained at Bapaums for the homes during the battles of the not cease. Nicht and day it has Surbiton, for a testimoni il recent of Europe," by Sidney: Waliman, Pozieres- Longueval - Guillemont to the frightful reality into trenches at Contalusison. As Somme. These German soldiere er been like this before, they presented to him on leaving the Daily Chronicle saga line-the German troops had in which they were fung. The Bapaume his lattalion was hit by are grand letter-writers, and men. Under the earth all day we the parish to join the Royal vented a terrible name to describe journey to the Summe front on fragments of 12.a. shella. Nearer sitting in wet ditches-in loxi, baving neither light nor san- Flying Corps, in which he bas this great ordeal; it was "The the German ride was a way of to the line they came under the holes, so they call their dug-out shine, but just waiting for death. obtained a commission, the Rev. Cruces are better reading then the Mr. Sidney Whitman'e reminta- " Blood Bath of the Somme." The error, ugliness, and death. Not fire of Sin sad Bin shelle. Far--"ap to my waist in mad," as Any, minute may bring it W. A. Haslam, a former curate of reminiscences of journalists as a name and the newe could not be all the imagin tion of morbid point-aerens fand them some one of them described, soribbled should not write to you like this, Long Ditton, saye hidden from the prople of Germinds searching obscenely for where by Bezentio.

rale. These are néocmarily trivi«l many, who had already been foulzers and blood in the great talmaison they marched into a might reach their people at home. it. Again the dreadfal attack is crime (socording to a particular too many points to get inja it

At Con- pitiful things, which they hoped dear Wilhelm, but I cannot help

and without significance, because chilled with horror by the losses deep pits of human agony could barrage, and here the offer as a voice from the dead. For they beginning! Shall I ever ace you coolesiastical opinion) of volun Having ormmitted the heinous

a jurnalist bas to tonoh life at at Verdun, tor from the soldiers surpass this scenes along the was taken prisoner. Of his bed little hope of escape from gain God know. Oh, it is sarily offering my services to the Acne English scoo of reserve regiments quartered in way to the Germn lices round battalion there were few men the blood bath." “When you get

anywhere deeply of Intimately, French and Belgian towns like Courcelette and Fiers, Gacute left. It was a with the 3rd Jaeger this I shall be a corpse," wrote letter, and it was found by our full manetion of the Bishop of the class, but when he takes us to the A German soldier wrote that country, even though I had the lections belong to this superficial Valenoienose, St. Quentin, Cam-court, Morval, and Los Bœufs. Battalion, ordered up hurriedly one of them, and one finds the brai, Lille, Bruges, and as far back Many times, long before a German to make a donater-attack near Be Brussels, waiting to go to the battalion had arrived near the Flers. They suffered so heavily documente. Even the lucky one, and he wrote it from his dag-out in the parish of Long Ditton. La that we are being conducted by sime foreboding in many of the troops. Re is (or was) = member i dioosss for doing so, I am ostracis Continent, and especially when of the 66th Regiment of Foot, ed from all soolesiastical matters he takes us to Germany, we And front, nor from the civil popula-trenches, it was but a collection on the way to trenches that no tions of those towne held for two of nerve-broken men bemoaning attack could be made,

who could get come cover from the German trenches on order, therefore, to clear up sur sa enthusiastic and thoroughly years by their enemy-there losses slready anffered far i hind stretcher bearers had all the work English gars, began to lose span of the Somme battlefield. misunderstanding that certainly informed guide. He gives us

the incessant bombardment by blonde young men who lived in the lines and filled with hideous to do. their houses, marched down their apprehension. For British long-

their nerves after a day or two. shell-fire, Dight after night of ing sa ordinary member of the marck household, in which he Day after day of cosseless British site with regard to my becom charming impression of the Bis- streets, and made love to their range guns were hurling high became more tragio a Every

The way up to the trenches They were always in fear of remorseless attack, has proved congregation, I should like to say was obviously a frequent and women. The news was brought explosives into distant villager, kilometre was passed, until the upon them suddenly behind

British infantry, sweeping too much. down from the Somme front by borraging crose ronde, reaching

Yet the letter, though perhaps 1. The moment it became at all Red Cross brains, striving in end-ant to rail-heads and ammunition stench of corruption was wafted the "Trommelfener," reshing

more graphically written, is no apparent that my services might leen succession, and packed with dampe, while British Airmen were on the wind, so that man were their dag-outs with bombs and maimed

more heart-broken than many be required for military duties I and mangled

men.on bombing flight over railway sickened and tried not to breathe, bajonets. German military policemen form stations and rest-billets,

and marched kurriedly to get ou

jumpy," and signalled stacks another message that is finding was asked to resign the curacy.

2. Any farther services to the ed cordone round the railway high roads down which the the lee side of its foaldeas. They when there were no attacks. The its way now from the Somme stations, puched back civiliane German troops esme marching at walked now through places which gee alarm was counded constantly battlefield towards the inner heart parish offered voluntarily, se who came to stare with sombre Cambrai, Bapaume, in the valley and once been villages, but were by the clang of a bell in the of Germany. The true tale of the opportunities arose, were refused: eyes at these blanket-d handles, between Irles und Warlencourt, sinister rains where death lay in trench, and men put on their re is no doubs of that

Somme is reaching Germany. and of living deb, but when the at Ligny-Tbilloy, Basigay, and wait for German soldiers. One of heavy gee-masks and sat in them ambulances rambled through the many other places on the lines of

anti! they were nearly atified. sireste Lowards the hospitals-route. long processions of them, with Gorman oldiers arriving at

If it was not for the fact that lor, the men of the family geocited the soles of men'e boots turned Cambrai by train fund them

this ecclesiastical opinion of Lang him in black evening-dress, and ap over the stretchers on which river under the fire of a single

**So you are coming to Cambrai. Ditton is absolutely unique in not in their quiforman un they lay quiet and stiff-the tale neroplane which few very low remains on another. The streets

The telephone bell rings, "Are you were coming so near me.

should never have expected that treating my cass as it has, and nest-of crime against majesty, was told though no wori wae had dropped bomba. They ex are one line of shell holes. Add to you here? Yes, here's Nau's am convinced that we shall soon their appreciation of my servi os

that the parishioners have shown They had closed the cofil, and spoken.

ploded with heary crashes, and at the thunder of the guns, and battalion" "Good That is all meet here, for your real destine in the way they have, I should et Emperor by reopening it.

did not offer to pistify the The tale of defeat, of, great one bomb hit the first carriage you will see with what feelings Then that ceases, and now the tion is probably here also, and once tender to the Bishop my loseer, cf grave sal increasing bebind the engine, killing and we come into the line into tren. wire is in again, perhaps for the that is-to your death. Thousands resignation of Holy Orders instead known, wsa by ze means blind to Bismarck himself, as is well anxiety, was told clearly enough our ding several men. A second ches where for months shells of twenty-fifth or thirtieth time. are gone and baried already. of waiting and considering the his young Sovereign's faults,

as I have read in captured bomb hit the station buildings, all calibre have rained.

Thas the night is interrupted, Anything like what goes on here matter, as I bare letters-by the faces of German and there was a great clatter of Flera is a scrap.

and now they come, alarm mess has not happened in this war. I to be officially associated with doubt his wisdom in having ex DO dosire which sometimes caused him to officers who went about in these broken plass, the reading of wood They had reached the Bath of "ge, one after the other, each must tell you that. towns bebied the lines with and the fall of bricks. All lights Blood at last, above that river of

more terrifying than the other, of decrees that you should come here, has shown in no undecided men-

But if fate an "English" institution which sited the Prassian Monarchy :- gloomy, and whose tempere, never went out, and the German sold the Somme which s long as the bombe sad shells of the enemy,

enormous losees through the you will see for yourself." of the sweetest, became irritable ere groped about in the darkness history of this wat laets will be of hage, mases of troops advano-German ecldiery, are beginning

"Yes," he said, "I found Royalty ner such an intensely unpatriotic in a bad way; it was too wask for and ache-rahle, so that the amidst the splinters of clase and coloured in the imagination of ing spon us, of all possible pos- so look upon orders to proceed to broad-minded sad popular clerio, then, I fancy, I have been the

It is getting clearer that the tons at a time such as this. soldiers hated them for all this the fallen bricks, searching for men by the orimson daw of life tibilities, each as a treia broken the Somme se being equivalent to has been curate to the parish for means of making it 100 powerful, what is reqaised under our mon cursing and bullying. A certain the wunded by the round of pilt on these battlefielde, though down, and tortored by the terrora a death warrant,

The rev. gentleman, who is a arabical conditions. Now and battalion commander bag a their proses. It was hat one it as silver-bright between the of the day can invent. Our perves nervous breakdown because he scene al ng the way to that blood- high rushes on its banks. In the quiver. We clench aur teeth. go through every time they are rendered services to the local rider who could not get on his bus to meet his colonel in the hath, through which they had to fire-trenohen and support tren- None of us can forget the horrors driven out of their positione by Workmen's Club and Institute.

Something of what the Germans' amateur conjurer, and has also you ev heard the story of the past four years. He is a clever at least for the time being. Have morning. "He is dying with fear wade to the trenches of the ches and communication trea of the night. and auxiety," writes one of bis Somme. comradee.

hormo, and eslled upon his patron ches up by Thiepval, Other men,

the British attacks is shown in not Flights of British aeroplanes tinpuich, and Courcelette, by battalion

Heavy rain fell, and the dag. the following letter from a man

saint to help him into the saddle? commanders, are circled over the villages on the Flers and Gasadecourt and outs became wet and filthy. of the 11th Infantry Reserve :~~-~

The patron saint came to his se even

Worc afraid of way.

At Grevillions, in August, Morval, even farther back by Our sleeping places were full

sietance, and gave him "adoha superior cficers, upon eleven 12-16 bombs fell in the Grandcourt and Le Sare, British of water. We had to try to bail every day. For the first few days "The English attack regularly

powerful lift up that he vaulted whon this bad Lews from the market square eo that the centre shell-fire came in great storms, out the trenches with cooking we had to live without cover in our batteries so that they may be other fer the teed, on to the

clean Somme Las an evil effect. The of the village collapsed in a state ploughing up the earth, barying dishes. I lay down in the water the trenches till we had made the peppered, and are always attack-don't be so violent cried the Gantly! of rain, burying soldiers billeted living men, uaburying dead men, with G We were to have needful boles for ourselves. The ing our captive balloons, which borsemen. I now and then fancy there. Every day the British air-searching for Garian fesh and worked on dng-sate, but not a risk was appalling. We had is the same as putting our eyes I may have been too piolent." men paid there visita, meeting blood, many daye before the Bri- Boul could do any more. Only a losses as heavy again as those we out. Meanwhile the air is black their battulious lad been cut to the Germans far up the roads on tigh infantry leapt from their fa ecctions get coffee. Mine got had at Fricourt. pieces. Some of their regimente their way to the Summe, and own trenches and began the nothing at all. I was frozen in British shell gave us 16 dead and sirmen-but of that why speak ?

The author informs as itat One single with their aircraft, wherese our had lost three-quartere of their ping over them like a flying second phase, or, if you like to every limb, peared the water out several others wounded. In the It would be merely pearing water and that his instructions to Ger Bismarck set great vaļng spja atrength. Lucy described the Death. Even on the march in reckon differently, the third of my boots, and lay down again. front lines it was ghastly. Every into the Ebine. We could saÝC

the friendship of Great Britain, frightful-es of the Bitir open country the German soldiers phase, of their advance, on Sept. The German generals and their day we had at least so hour or many shoneands of lives if we diplomatic representatives in artillery-the mashed treuches, rumping silently the abell-cratere, the great horror. singing in spite of order-wore

along-not 15..

stafa could not be quite indiffer-two of the fiercest bambardment, had the E-glish airmen and

British possessions often pla

closed It is not good for the moral of bombed and sh-t at by these way up to the lines. The relief spite of the cold scientific spirit Yogoanimagine theexperiences

Again and again men lost their eat to all this welter of human and the fire from individual gaan ganners. It makes me despair with the words: “Doellip year. men who are first going up there British aviators, who w down could only be made at night, lest with which they regard the the men go through. There is

suffering among their troops; in mevargossos.

when I think of it all."

power to keep up good relation to take their turn. The men who very low, pouring out streams they should be discovered by problem of war. The agony of not even a trench in the foremost

ihip with the English. You need was afraid of bis colonel "eitel of machine-gun bullete.

Slow Suicide.

not even use 8. Beret cipher in day long writing bome with the Germans lost their

The British airmen and British gun the individual soldier would not lines. They lin in shell holes.

cabling. We have, pothing, to picture of his wife and children sach

ners, and even if these German trouble them. There is no war, The dug-outs we have been forced soldier in a unit not sisted lolly for nga 15 to 7 Entagonise "The following is a letter from conceal from the English, for it before his eyes." He is afraid of into the ditches, falling over each gaidanos was but little good when shops of asses of man had too fare, any bettor. Some ste at this letter. I cannot properly

scattered soldiers bad trench-maps the without agony. But the pey-to make to get a bit of cover do

would be the greatest pomibis other things. Bavarian soldiers olur, etrack and cursed by their many trenches had been smashed be rooidered, because it affecte knooked in by shell fire before, explain to you. If you think it Dear Ewald.-You will wonder quarrelled with Panasiana, : ccused then (aj ly) of shirking the their dead and wounded in the fand. They stumbled through I shall show, the German General constantly under fire, for in the dne to a presentiment. If after his withdrawal from office, anding in, and only shell-craters could be the effisiency of the maschine. As they are ready. The trenches are nonsense, burn it. Perhaps it man tendencies, which developed He was disquieted by the Ger Somme battlefieldsend leaving the roadway. Bavarians to go to the blood-b the nearer to the battlefields they sometimes waist-high in water. becoming seriously alarmed by tion which, when they fire, are

As the route went the darkness and into these pita, St if on the Western front were traverses there are gans in poel-Hoone on saviesand was door the Emperor, he oppe said to Mr. All the Bavarian troops are were choked with the traffic of The British fares shot up with a the declining moral of their in-noticed by airmen.

tell you it is the end, excuse me, being sent to the Summe (this wat, with artillery and transport vivid white light, and the men fantry under the ingressing strain slowly going back." much is certain, you can see no wagons and horse ambalances, oroached low and still between of the British attraks, and adopt- Prussians there) and this in spite and always thousands of grey men the rockets, and then crawled on od stern measures to cars it. But In case it should be imagined of the loses the let Bavarian marching up to the lines, or back again. Shells burst over them, they could not hope to oure the that these mourafal letters are Corps suffered recently at Ver- from them, exhausted and broken and there was the chatter of Eog heaps of German dead who were the outpourings of mere simple dan! And how we did sufler! after many days in the fires of bell list. maobine-gans. It appears that we are in for

up there. another turn, at least the 6th

written by ons of thess Germans maimed men who were being ing candid confession written by lying on the battlefields, nor the German privates, uple the follow Bavarian Division Everybody roadside directing all the tramo Officers sat on their horses by the has been talking about it for a with the usual swearing and curs

carried back to the dressing ax officer (lieutenant) of the 170th power that we shall be thingistaly, the attribute; of Fridg, supremo - It is doored by this higher an individual arrogated to himself In the front line of Flers the stations, nor to bring back the Regiment: long time. To the devil with it!ing, rode alongside the transport men were only occupying shell prisoners taken in droves by the

annihilated. I say we, not Gar srbiter of war and peace, the Every Bavarian regiment is being wagons and the troops, urging bolos. went into it, and it's a swindle.

Behind there was the French and British troops. Be longer in the witches ostidron sooner will the end cons, for the volent intentions, periodically "You in Champagne are no many. The sooner we acquiesos tha|intter to depend upon his bens them forward at a quicker race, intense smell of patrefaction, fore the attack It was in no cheerful mood that because of stern orders received which filled the trench-almont Fleurs line, the capture of sitting always awaiting the shrink from confessing this, it gift, to baressived in anʼsiklade on the on the brim of which we are end will surely come. Sinos we rodbbased to the world 18% free men went away to the Somme from headquarters demanding anbearably. The corpses lie either Thiepval, and the German deba moment to fall in from one side will be all the longer, and after or grateful humility," "fa" ** battlefields. Those battalions of quicker movement. The reserves, quite insufficiently covered with ale at Beaumont Hamel the or the other. It is, durmoil bere gres-clad mon entrained without it seemed, more desperately want earth on the edge of the trench enemy's. command was already again. The air bus been alive suicide."

all it has been merely slow-Ass-recognised interpreter of say of the old enthusiasm withed up in the lines. The English or quite close under the bottom filled with a grava enxibly at the with aviators in the past few

// German Alo and Marakage to the which they had gone to earlier were attacking again. God alone of the trench, so that the earth enormous losges of its fighting days, and still more so with which are mere samples of many member of the Eurobone mat The letters I have gooted, British public, god a leading batiles. Their gloom was nodded knew what was happening. Relete the stench through. In some strength, was compelled to adopt the heavy shells that have been how that the confession of the New York HeraldioMe by the officeru. Sing, you giments had lost their way. place bodies lie quite angsvered new expedients for increasing the flying over as and on to our has at least began. We sball Whitman: enjoyed regéeptional sheep's heud, sing!" they Wounded were pouring back in a trenck reoses, and no one number of its divisions. It was poor pomrades on our flank and be completely annihilated." abooted. They were compelled Officers bad gone mad.

acom to trouble about them. forced to withdraw troops badly on to our, batterica,

"This opportunities of observing, the to sing, by order. A man of the luto "the midst of all this armoil One sees horrible: pictures-here needed on other fronts, and, as I

the German soldier in the fare degeneration of Gárgáð” sta 18th Esserra Division wrote: sbells fellabells from long-range so aim, here's foot, bere a head, shall point out, the successive the heaviest oslibro which the salies. It is fall of guideince, betrayals of the housitali

"The number of guns and of front of battle is beginning to manship; and, without phines We had to go out bguiu: we guus, Transport wagons were sticking out of the earth. And shooks of the British cfensive English now posions in unganný, this writing from the fold of were to learn to sing. The blown to bits. The bodies and these are all Gorcana solidiore reached so far sa Germany itself, and the amount of ammunition bittle. But such writing "must to him in Berlin; he diblonus aut-

which W& grouter part did not join in, and fragmente of artillery horses lay heroen! Not far from us at the so that the whole of its recruiting they are off fr fabulous." To not lead on.too far. These men fioinnt of the spirit, which long the song went feebly. Then we all over the roads. Men lay dead entrance so a dag-out nice men system had to be revised to fill up addition—what makes it so bad are tasting deless in all fin bir before the 7a REPEN And to march round in circle or bleeding ander the debris of were buried, of whom three were the gaps torn out of the German, möbelf airmen are only threes, Batmany more Chazaiani Halparor a tire, and sing, and that wontza better." gun-fhools and broken brinks, dead. All along the trench men ranks.—Daily Telegr

ders over bur liner Thay point out have yet to selle ikan

their

bad news san spread by divisions

taken out of the line sad sent back

to rest. The men reported that

times, and

'unteroffizieren,"

*

DBTYC at

BAYA:

Mar

A lotter

T

We

Officer's Confession.

sre

the

glas

"

of hir

י,

and, apparently with his eys on not know this field of lettis. Of Whitman —

And your year olses in not the entirety would resent a situation those out here in this field and on other fronts a very small number business

"Qaly no cock of the walk

mardor began by a higher power, which it might coms to pass that will ever see their homes again. term in English); “Entope sa an

(Biemarak aged f

last that will fell victims to this derogatory, if not intolerable, in

M

extended