WAR- CHRONICLE

32
their dug-outs, into which they had crept when the seven "Fieldgrays"
had so suddenly appeared before them and begged for mercy:
"Pardon, pardon, camarades, nous sommes des pères de famille''
are the cries which can be heard from the surprised. Quite a
number of prisoners are taken without any bloodshed, part of the
enemy's entrenchments captured and this, all as a consequence of
the plucky, judicious advance led by the leader of the Fifth. All
the participators were decorated with the well-earned Iron Cross.
What a loss this part of the entrenchment was for the enemy, was
only proved on the following evening, on which the "Red breeches"
decided on a desperate attack, which, however, was repulsed, as
we on our side, were well on our guard. Day and night the
entrenchments were full of "Fieldgrays" and when the expected
happened, a few vol^s drove the enemy back. The French suffered
very heavy losses, while on our side the lists of dead and wounded
on both days were small.
The behaviour of the hostile artillery was interesting. It shot
like mad at our old position during the whole affair, while we
had pressed forward and were in the trenches, which up to then
had been the enemy's. But it either did not know of this, or did
not dare to bring fire on the new position on account of its being
so near its own entrenchments. However, the old entrenchments
got more than their share of the murderous grenades, but that could
not harm us any more and it encouraged all those, who were in
the trenches these days, as it seemed, the powerless rage of the
French was the cause of all this firing. One lesson can be learned
from the above circumstance, as we already hinted, that instead
of attacks with heavy casualties, now and then an advance, as
described above, can be carried out with far less danger and quite
as much success. (Krmzzeitung, 3*1 January 1915.)
Christmas opposite the Enemy."
Main Headquarters, December 26.
On Christmas Eve the commander of the regiment, which afforded
me hospitality in its position opposite the enemy, gave a
splendid supper—very good roast goose, if I am not mistaken,
Munich bottled beer, and as dessert, Niirnberger Lebkuchen out of
the Colonel's own Christmas box, as well as a very good punch.
The recipe for the latter was supplied by the regimental doctor
and carried out by the practiced hand of the regiment's A. D. C.
The punch was not prepared with simple hot water, as is otherwise
often the case, but with weak tea. Probatum erat and praesente
medico, it would not have done me any harm, if the Christmas
celebration in the Colonel's dug-out had lasted a little longer,
than it really did. But my visit to a neighbouring regiment had