egan on September 22, 1915 and
was pursued night and day according to a time scheme and a division of
labour previously determined upon. The results expected were:

[Sidenote: Results of bombardment.]

(1) The destruction of the wire entanglements.

(2) The burial of the defenders in their dug-out.

(3) The razing of the trenches and the demolition of the embrasures.

(4) The stopping-up of the alleys of communication.

[Sidenote: Work of the long-range guns.]

The gun-fire covered not only the first trench but also the supporting
trench and even the second position, although the distance at which the
last was situated and the outline of its wire entanglements made it
difficult to make field observations in that direction. At the same time
the heavy long-range guns bombarded the headquarters, the cantonments
and the railway stations; they cut the railway lines, causing a
suspension of the work of revictualling. The best witnesses to the
effectiveness of our bombardment are to be found in unfinished letters
found upon prisoners.

[Sidenote: Letters found on prisoners.]

"SEPTEMBER 23.

"The French artillery fired without
intermission from the morning of the 21st to
the evening of the 23rd, and we all took refuge
in our dug-outs. On the evening of the 22nd we
were to have gone to get some food, and the
French continued to fire on our trenches. In
the evening we had heavy losses, and we had
nothing to eat."

"SEPTEMBER 25.

"I have received no news, and probably I shall
not receive any for some days. The whole postal
service has been stopped; all places have been
bombarded to such an extent that no human being
could stand against it.

"The railway line is so seriously damaged that
the train service for some time has been
completely stopped.

"We have been for three days in the first line;
during those three days the French have fired
so heavily that our trenches are no longer
visible."

[Sidenote: Number of wounded.]

"SEPTEMBER 24.

"For the last two days the French have been
firing like mad. To-day, for instance, a
dug-out has been destroyed. There were sixteen
men in it. Not one of