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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 245, 19 November 1914, Page 8

Like Deserted Landscape

The uninitiated observer would almost have believed this a deserted landscape, rather .than the scene of a great battle, which, if successful for the Germans, would force the jnain French army to retreat from its entrenched positions along the Aisne River. About three miles away, across the Meuse, a quadrangular mound of black, plowed-up earth on the hillside marked the location of Fort Les Paorches, which had been silenced by the German mortars the night before. Fort Camp Des Romaines, so named because the Roman legions had centuries ago selected this site for a strategic encampment, had been stormed by Bavarian infantry two days earlier, after its heavy guns had been put out of action, and artillery officers stated that Fort Lyonville, 15 miles to the south and out of the range of vision, was then practically • silenced, only one of. its armoured turrets continuing, to answer the bombardment.

The correspondent had spent the previous night at the fortress town of Metz, stopping under-the same roof with Prince Oscar of Prussia, invalided and in from the" field in a state of physical breakdown. Prince William of Hohenzollern, father-in-law of ex-King Manuel, and other officers either watching or engaged in the operations in the field, and travelled by automobile to the battle-front 35 miles to the west. Forts Well Concealed. For the first part of the distance the road led'through the hills on which are located the chain of forts comprising the fortress of Metz, but although the general staff officer in the car pointed out now and then to a hill as the site, of this or that fort, traces of the fortifications could only occasionally be made out. Usually they were so skilfully masked and concealed by woods or blended with the hillsides that nothing out of the ordinary was apparent, in striking contrast to the exposed position of the forts at the recently visited fortress of Liege, which advertised their presence from the skyline of the compassing hills and fairly invited bombardment. The country as far as the frontier town .of Gorze seemed bathed in absolute peace. No troops were seen; rarely were automobiles of the General Staff encountered, and men and women were working in the fields and vineyards as if the war were a million miles away instead of only next door. Beyond Borze, however, leading southwest through Chambley, St. Benoit Vigneuillesto St. Mihiel, the road was crowded with long columns of wagons and automobile trucks bearing reserve ammunition,

provisions, and supplies to the front, or returning empty for new loads to the unnamed railroad base in the rear. Good March Discipline. Strikingly good march discipline was observed, part of the road being left free for the passage of Staff automobiles or marching troops. Life seemed jnost comfortable ior the drivers and escorts, as the army in advance liad been long enough in position and its railroad base was so near that supplying it involved none of the sleepless nights and days and almost superhuman exertions falling to the lot of the train in the flying march of the German armies toward Paris.

A few miles beyond Gorze the French frontier was passed, and from this point on the countryside, with its deserted farms, rotting shocks of wheat, and uncut fields of grain, trampled down with infantry, and scarred with trenches, excavations "for batteries, and pits caused by exploding shells, showed war's devastating heel-prints. , Main army headquarters, the residence and working quarters of a commanding general whose name may not be mentioned; were in Chateau Chambley, a fine French country home. Telegraph wires Jed to it from various directions; a small headquarters guard lounged on the grass, under the trees; a dozen automobiles and motor cycles were at hand, and grooms were leading about the chargers of the general and his staff. Headquarters in Chateau. At St. Beuoit, five miles farther on, a subordinate headquarters was encountered, again in a chateau belonging to a rich resident. The Continental soldier leaves tents to the American army, and quarters himself whenever possible comfortably in houses, wasting no energy in transporting and setting up tented cities for officers and soldiers. No matter how fast or how far a German army moves, a completely equipped telegraph office is ready for the army commander five

minutes after headquarters have been established.

At St. Benoit a party of some SpO French prisoners was encountered, waiting outside headquarters. They were all fine young fellows, in striking contrast to the elderly, reservist" type which predominates in the German prison camps. They were evidently elite troops of the line and treated almost with deference by their guards, a detachment of bearded landwehr men from south Germany. They were the survivors of the garrison of the Roman camp fort, who had put vp such a desperate and spirited defence as to win the whole-hearted admiration and re speet of the German officers and men. Their armoured turrets and cemented bastions, although constructed after the best rules of fortifications of a few years ago, had been battered about their ears in an unexpectedly short time by German and Austrian siege artillery. Taeir guns had been silenced and trenches were pushed up by an overwhelming dPorce of pioneers and infantry from the advanced entrenchments to the casemates of the fort.

No Surrender. Here they maintained a stout-resist-ance and refused every summons to surlender. Hand grenades were brought up, bound to a backing of boards and exploded against the openings into the easemates, filling these -with showers of steel splinters. Pioneers, creeping up to the dead angle of the casemates where the fire ,of the defenders could not reach them, directed smoke tubes and stinkpots against apertures in fhe citadel, filling the rooms with suffocating smoke and gases. '•'Have you Jiad enough?" they were asked after the first smoke treatment. "No," was the defiant answer.

, The treatment was repeated a second and a third time, the response to the demand for surrender each time growing weaker, until finally the defenders were no longer able to raise their rifles s.nd the fort was taken. When the survivals <Jf the plucky garrison were able to anarch out,-revived by the fresh air, fkey found late opponents presenting arms before them in Tecognition of their gaUant stand. , They were granted the most .honourable terms of surrender; their officers were allowed to retain their. swords, and .on their march toward an honourable captivity they were everywhere greeted with expressions of respect and admiration.