The Boy Allies in the Trenches; Or, Midst Shot and Shell Along the Aisne

by Clair W. Hayes

There came a lull in the fighting. The French retained a foothold north of the river at St. Paul, where the bridge from Soissons crosses the stream; but the bridge head was commanded by German artillery on the heights.

The promenade along the exposed side of the plateau, in sight of Soissons and the bank of the Aisne, also held by the French in force, gave a rather uncanny feeling of insecurity. However, it was less dangerous than it seemed, for a slight haze rendered the group in German field gray invisible to the French artillery on the heights on the opposite side of the valley.

In the part of the field where Hal and Chester had been on the eighth day of the fighting, at the edge of the plateau, the struggle had been desperate. Here, with the final German assault, the French had fought stubbornly and a hand-to-hand struggle ensued.

Regiments of French troops, rather than retire to safety down a declivity, had contested this section of the field to the last, finally to be mowed down by the German artillery as the infantry was forced back.

Hal and Chester had taken no important part in the battle, and had remained with the little body of British troops, held with masses of infantry of the French, in reserve, and had only been thrown forward with the reënforcements when General Joffre decided that it was time to halt the tide of the German advance.

Immediately heavy reënforcements were hurled upon the Germans, and the latter must have been surprised by the fact that an apparently beaten enemy could come back so strongly to the attack. It became evident, however, after the eighth successive day of fighting, that the German leaders realized that General Joffre had anticipated the German attack; for, when French reënforcements were hurled forward in force, and the entire line assumed the offensive, the Teutons gave back rapidly.

All that they had gained at such terrible sacrifice was again soon in the hands of the French. To their recent positions the French advanced—and beyond—carrying trench after trench which had been occupied for a few days by the enemy.

There was no staying this terrible drive.

The greatest pressure by the French was brought to bear upon the two flanks of the enemy, and these gave back while the German center held; but soon this gave way also and retreated, for General Von Kluck perceived that if it did not keep pace with the retreat of either flank, it was likely to be cut off and annihilated.

Thus, from apparent victory the Germans had met defeat. It was a hard blow to the Kaiser, who from the rear watched the battle as it progressed and stood nervously clenching and unclenching his hands as victory turned into defeat.