Then on November 30th the Germans, under the direction of General von
Marwitz, came back upon us with a tiger's pounce, in a surprise attack
which we ought to have anticipated. I happened to be on the way to
Gouzeaucourt early that morning, and, going through the village of
Fins, next to it, I saw men straggling back in some disorder, and gun-
teams wedged in a dense traffic moving in what seemed to me the wrong
direction.
"I don't know what to do," said a young gunner officer. "My battery
has been captured and I can't get into touch with the brigade."
"What has happened?" I asked.
He looked at me in surprise.
"Don't you know? The enemy has broken through."
"Broken through where?"
The gunner officer pointed down the road.
"At the present moment he's in Gouzeaucourt."
I went northward, and saw that places like Hermies and Havrincourt,
which had been peaceful spots for a few days, were under heavy fire.
Bourlon Wood beyond was a fiery furnace. Hell had broken out again and
things looked bad.
Pages:
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860