I counted in an hour thirty-six shells directed at the factory, but the
chimney, like the steeple of a persecuted but triumphant religion, was
cocking its unbowed head to the skies.
Now began the shelling of the trench, while the German rifle bullets
searched along the front. This, however, is a game at which the Russian
riflemen are specially proficient. They can in a few moments organize a
combined murderous fire which forces every German who is not weary of
life to keep his head down. After a few minutes the German rifle fire
goes wild, their bullets no longer striking about our loopholes.
Toward late afternoon their fire increased, and the Russian long-range
battery came into position behind us. The gun out of sight astern of us
roared grandly. A shell traveled over us, whistling in its flight, then
splashed in brief fire, and a great cloud of smoke arose a hundred yards
ahead of us and the same distance short of the German trenches. A second
shell burst about the same distance beyond the German line. Then, after
careful sighting, and the position having been verified, came a third
shell and landed superbly and within easy sight upon the very lip of the
trench, blowing a great gap in the earthwork. It was gunnery of the most
exact and expert kind.
Shell after shell under our eyes, timed to a fraction, raked the trench;
then came the reply to it.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260