Great
craters were made around the other, interfering with its use, and toward
the end of the period it was only occasionally that the remaining gun
was fired, and no great damage resulted.
Another feature of the great German drives was the tremendous
destruction that accompanied them. Not only were churches, public
buildings, and private houses throughout almost the whole district
turned into ruins, but the very ground itself was plowed up into craters
and shell holes, and the trees smashed into mere splinters. During the
whole campaign poison gas of various kinds was used in immense
quantities, and it was constantly necessary for the troops to wear gas
masks. Sometimes after a town had been evacuated by the enemy it was so
filled with gas that it was impossible for victorious troops to enter.
One of the fiercest bombardments was that directed against the
Portuguese during the fighting along the Lys. The enemy made a special
attempt to crush the Portuguese contingent which behaved with the utmost
gallantry.
It was the season of the year when the orchards were covered with
blossoms and the fields with flowers, but the horrors of war destroyed
the beauty of the spring. In these battles men fought until they were
completely exhausted and one could see troops staggering as they walked
and leaning on each other from pure exhaustion.
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