mportant immediate aim of both attack and defense. In this respect as
we have seen, the German gray-green uniform assisted by rendering them
almost invisible within shelter of such woods as those before Mons. On
the other hand, the brown khaki shade of the British field
uniforms--originally designed for the same purpose on the sandy wastes
of Egypt and Northern India--became conspicuous upon a green background.

As the battle of Mons developed, the British line of the Conde Canal was
swept with German shrapnel. German shells, also, began bursting in the
suburbs of Mons and in the near-by villages. Sir Douglas Haig's right
thus came under strong fire. German aeroplanes assisted by dropping
smoke bombs over the British positions to give the angle of range for
their artillery. Thereupon fights above took place between British and
German airmen, while the armies beneath thundered shot and shell upon
each other. The Germans came on in massed formation of attack. The
British were accustomed to attack in open extended line, and their
shooting from any available cover was generally excellent. They could
not understand the German attack in such close order that they were
mowed down in groups of hundreds.

The German infantry rifle fire, breaking from the shelter of the woods
to encounter a stronger British fire than was anticipated, was at first
ineffective. As to the mass formation they depended upon overwhelming
reserves to take the places of those dead piled in heaps before the
British trenches. It was General Grant's "food for powder" plan of
attack repeated.

Thus the battle raged upon the entire length of the British line, with
repeated advances and retreats on the part of the Germans. Now and then
the bodies almost reached the British trenches, and a breach seemed in
certain prospect. But the British sprang upon the invaders, bayonet in
hand, and drove them back to the shelter of the woods. The Irish
regiments, especially, were considered invincible in this "cold steel"
method of attack, their national impulsive ardor carrying them in a fury
through the ranks of an enemy. But at Mons always the Germans returned
in ever greater numbers. The artillery increased the terrible rain of
shells. Pen pictures by British soldiers vividly describe the battle
somewhat conflictingly.

"They were in solid square blocks, standing out sharply against the
skyline, and you couldn't help hitting them. It was like butting your
head again