It was all that was left of a farmhouse called “La Maison Rose.” It had been sharply disputed in terrible combats and had passed in succession from the enemy into our hands and then from ours to the enemy, to remain finally between the lines.
The front line Trench [See page 154]
Our artillery was riddling this pile with shells to prevent the Germans fortifying it and making it a point of support commanding our trenches. But the mass of ruins stayed there and formed a ridge which, if it was not dangerous, was at least annoying.
Sub-Lieutenant Delpos demonstrated to me by means of a periscope the use they might make of that pile of stones. He was a daring but prudent tactician and went on the principle that everything ought to be used to spare the men’s lives, and that we should not neglect to take advantage of any incident in the terrain.
“Lieutenant, here’s an order.”
The battalion intelligence officer handed him a paper written in pencil:
“Chief of battalion of the company of machine guns. A reconnaissance of aeroplanes signals that the enemy are installing gas-throwing or liquid fire machines behind the pile of stones in front of your lines. Blow it up with several bombs on the ends to scatter it. Ask for volunteers.”
“See what I told you. The Germans lose no time in utilizing the advantages of the terrain. See, behind that pile of stones they are installing their gas machines. They think they’re sheltered, but nothing is from our aeroplanes. Oh, the aeroplanes!”
A man from the engineers, who have received a similar order, comes with the explosives. He looks at the emplacement through a loophole, and turns to us whistling and shaking his head: