BATTLE – SCARRED FRANCE

Patea Mail, Volume XLIV, 29 November 1920, Page 1

BATTLE - SCARRED FRANCE

A STRATFORD MAN’S LETTER. The following interesting letter lias boon received from Mr. C. E. Ibellringor, who was in Europe recently, by Mr. G. D. Sole, of Stratford:— Arniontiorcs, France, September L’Sih, IPt.’l), Dear Afr. Side, — I have spent this afternoon on a visit to Ypres. 1 went by motor ear, and on the road passed through country which has been made red forever with the blood of men. Evidences of I lie hellish destructiveness of war are everywhere before you. Here at Armentiercs, there are buildings that have be«n rent and torn by shot and shell: at Ypres the -work of destrnetion has more fully been done. On onr way we passed through Xieppe, a small place on the outskirts of Armentiercs, now largely a heap of shattered bricks and mortar. Soon after, we crossed through Xeuvc Eglise, the scene of much fighting. A large church in ruins is prominent by the roadside, and all around broken and (ottering walls show tho deadly power of the lire so often directed on the town. The work of rebuilding is in full swing, and clearing work is being done in much of the town area. As we conic to the country, we find the roads lined with rows of dead trees, gaunt and grim in their dead nakedness. Citings ,of men arc engaged in cutting these down for firewood. Wo drove by wood waggons carting big trunks into Ypres. Some of the trees were shooting out new growths at the base, but otherwise these sentinels were dry and white in their loneliness. Wo drove round the base of Mount Kcmmcl and viewed it from the east ■and west. It was hard to realise that here (here had been such a deadly struggle. The hill is comparatively small, but around it there was waged bloody conflicts in which thousands were killed. Sliellholes are to be seen on every hand, and the trees were cut down and smashed. Nature is converting this part of the field of slaughter with a mantle of green, and already much has been hidden by her kindly hand. A short distance away on our right, and clearly visible, is Alessines. t ho scene of the Australians’ great victory; while a. little further on, bright and red, the new village of AVytschaele, built on the site of the old village, utterly demolished in the desperate struggles about it. Very soon wc are at Ypres. On the way we pass houses rebuilt with old bricks gathered up and cleaned up out of the heaps of debris, stud other huts made of the black corrugated iron sheets, rusty and often pierced with shrapnel. There scorns to be no end to the heaps of this black iron, red with rust, often crumpled and full of holes. The peasants are working hard cleaning up (lie broken fields. Dumps of old wire, iron shells, and till sorts of rubbish, (ho aftermath of war, are plentiful. As the ground is in such a desperate condition it can only be cleared by hand. Mon, women, and even children are sharing in the task. Here and there a small plot is in cultivation, showing something already accomplished. Near Ypres J saw long narrow strips uf mangels, turnips, potatoes, and the like, the result, doubtless of much hard toil. Only men and women of strong determination would tackle the job. Ypres itself must 'be seen to get anything like a true conception of the state it is in. Huge piles of bricks that have been cleared with much labour, alongside great heaps of fragnrents of bricks and mortar cellars open to the heavens and all the top structures razed to the earth. Here a spot off which the debris has been taken, close by piled up heaps wailing to be dealt with. Ruin and devastation abounding on every hand. Truly it is (he abomination of desolation. The work of rebuilding is being pushed on with vigour, and the old bricks being made useable wherever possible. The Cloth Hall in the centre stands forth as a monument to the Huns’ utter callousness and indifference to all sentiment and spirit ol consideration in his warfare.

\Vc Iravelled a short way on (lie Monin Tvoaci. Close to ns on our It* 11 Inv I’asschcndaele. of bloody niomory. on tin* right Sanctuary Wood, stark and will'd. Tim ground on ovory hand was deeply dug by largo shellholes, lull of wator. It lookod as if ovory square inch had boon blown up. Vet ovon horo tho peasants woro at work, and soino plots had alroady boon levelled, dug, and cropped. Wo passed Hell Fire Corner and other spots o( deadly fame. in one place a signboard, in Knglish, said; “This was once lloogo.” On to tho Tank Comotory, to see tho tnnks there, derelict and abandoned, then homeward, (irant, the American (tenoral said, ‘‘War is , 1 11,1 know this to bo so when yon behold (hose lands of death and desolation.