war and the future-第16节

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broken；　so　that　it　is　marvellous　the　wings　of　the　machine　did　not
just　up　at　once　like　the　wings　of　a　butterfly。　　The　solitary
aviator　had　been　wounded　in　the　face。　　He　had　then　come　down　in　a
long　glide　into　the　British　lines；　and　made　a　tolerable
landing。。。。


2

One　consequence　of　the　growing　importance　of　the　aeroplane　in
warfare　is　the　development　of　a　new　military　art；　the　art　of
camouflage。　　Camouflage　is　humbugging　disguise；　it　is　making
thingsand　especially　in　this　connection；　military　thingsseem
not　what　they　are；　but　something　peaceful　and　rural；　something
harmless　and　quite　uninteresting　to　aeroplane　observers。　　It　is
the　art　of　making　big　guns　look　like　haystacks　and　tents　like
level　patches　of　field。

Also　it　includes　the　art　of　making　attractive　models　of　guns；
camps；　trenches　and　the　like　that　are　not　bona…fide　guns；　camps；
or　trenches　at　all；　so　that　the　aeroplane　bomb…dropper　and　the
aeroplane　observer　may　waste　his　time　and　energies　and　the　enemy
gunfire　be　misdirected。　　In　Italy　I　saw　dummy　guns　so　made　as　to
deceive　the　very　elect　at　a　distance　of　a　few　thousand　feet。　　The
camouflage　of　concealment　aims　either　at　invisibility　or
imitation；　I　have　seen　a　supply　train　look　like　a　row　of
cottages；　its　smoke…stack　a　chimney；　with　the　tops　of　sham
palings　running　along　the　back　of　the　engine　and　creepers　painted
up　its　sides。　　But　that　was　a　flight　of　the　imagination；　the
commonest　camouflage　is　merely　to　conceal。　　Trees　are　brought　up
and　planted　near　the　object　to　be　hidden；　it　is　painted　in　the
same　tones　as　its　background；　it　is　covered　with　an　awning
painted　to　look　like　grass　or　earth。　　I　suppose　it　is　only　a
matter　of　development　before　a　dummy　cow　or　so　is　put　up　to　chew
the　cud　on　the　awning。

But　camouflage　or　no　camouflage；　the　bulk　of　both　the　French　and
British　forces　in　the　new　won　ground　of　the　great　offensive　lay
necessarily　in　the　open。　　Only　the　big　guns　and　the　advanced　Red
Cross　stations　had　got　into　pits　and　subterranean　hiding　places。
The　advance　has　been　too　rapid　and　continuous　for　the　armies　to
make　much　of　a　toilette　as　they　halted；　and　the　destruction　and
the　desolation　of　the　country　won　afforded　few　facilities　for
easy　concealment。　　Tents；　transport；　munitions；　these　all
indicated　an　army　on　the　marchat　the　rate　of　half　a　mile　in　a
week　or　so；　to　Germany。　　If　the　wet　and　mud　of　November　and
December　have　for　a　time　delayed　that　advance；　the　force　behind
has　but　accumulated　for　the　resumption　of　the　thrust。


3

A　journey　up　from　the　base　to　the　front　trenches　shows　an
interesting　series　of　phases。　　One　leaves　Amiens；　in　which　the
normal　life　threads　its　way　through　crowds　of　resting　men　in
khaki　and　horizon　blue；　in　which　staff　officers　in　automobiles
whisk　hither　and　thither；　in　which　there　are　nurses　and　even　a
few　inexplicable　ladies　in　worldly　costume；　in　which　restaurants
and　cafes　are　congested　and　busy；　through　which　there　is　a
perpetual　coming　and　going　of　processions　of　heavy　vans　to　the
railway　sidings。　　One　dodges　past　a　monstrous　blue…black　gun
going　up　to　the　British　front　behind　two　resolute　traction
enginesthe　three　sun…blistered　young　men　in　the　cart　that
trails　behind　lounge　in　attitudes　of　haughty　pride　that　would
shame　the　ceiling　gods　of　Hampton　Court。　　One　passes　through
arcades　of　waiting　motor　vans；　through　arcades　of　waiting　motor
vans；　through　suburbs　still　more　intensely　khaki　or　horizon　blue；
and　so　out　upon　the　great　straight　poplar…edged　roadto　the
front。　　Sometimes　one　laces　through　spates　of　heavy　traffic；
sometimes　the　dusty　road　is　clear　ahead；　now　we　pass　a　vast
aviation　camp；　now　a　park　of　waiting　field　guns；　now　an
encampment　of　cavalry。　　One　turns　aside；　and　abruptly　one　is　in
FranceFrance　as　one　knew　it　before　the　war；　on　a　shady
secondary　road；　past　a　delightful　chateau　behind　its　iron　gates；
past　a　beautiful　church；　and　then　suddenly　we　are　in　a　village
street　full　of　stately　Indian　soldiers。

It　betrays　no　military　secret　to　say　that　commonly　the　rare
tourist　to　the　British　offensive　passes　through　Albert；　with　its
great　modern　red　cathedral　smashed　to　pieces　and　the　great　gilt
Madonna　and　Child　that　once　surmounted　the　tower　now；　as　everyone
knows；　hanging　out　horizontally　in　an　attitude　that　irresistibly
suggests　an　imminent　dive　upon　the　passing　traveller。　　One　looks
right　up　under　it。

Presently　we　begin　to　see　German　prisoners。　　The　whole　lot　look
entirely　contented；　and　are　guarded　by　perhaps　a　couple　of　men　in
khaki。　　These　German　prisoners　do　not　attempt　to　escape；　they
have　not　the　slightest　desire　for　any　more　fighting；　they　have
done　their　bit；　they　say；　honour　is　satisfied；　they　give
remarkably　little　trouble。　　A　little　way　further　on　perhaps　we
pass　their　cage；　a　double　barbed…wire　enclosure　with　a　few　tents
and　huts　within。

A　string　of　covered　waggons　passes　by。　　I　turn　and　see　a　number
of　men　sitting　inside　and　looking　almost　as　cheerful　as　a
beanfeast　in　Epping　Forest。　　the　make　facetious　gestures。　　They
have　a　subdued　sing…song　going　on。　　But　one　of　them　looks　a
little　sick；　and　then　I　notice　not　very　obtrusive　bandages。
〃Sitting…up　cases；〃　my　guide　explains。

These　are　part　of　the　casualties　of　last　night's　fight。

The　fields　on　either　side　are　now　more　evidently　in　the　war　zone。
The　array　of　carts；　the　patches　of　tents；　the　coming　and　going　of
men　increases。　　But　here　are　three　women　harvesting；　and
presently　in　a　cornfield　are　German　prisoners　working　under　one
old　Frenchman。　　Then　the　fields　become　trampled　again。　　Here　is　a
village；　not　so　very　much　knocked　about；　and　passing　through　it
we　go　slowly　beside　a　long　column　of　men　going　up　to　the　front。
We　scan　their　collars　for　signs　of　some　familiar　regiment。　　These
are　new　men　going　up　for　the　first　time；　there　is　a　sort　of
solemn　elation　in　many　of　their　faces。

The　men　coming　down　are　usually　smothered　in　mud　or　dust；　and
unless　there　has　been　a　fight　they　look　pretty　well　done　up。
They　stoop　under　their　equipment；　and　some　of　the　youngsters
drag。　　One　pleasant　thing　about　this　coming　down　is　the　welcome
of　the　regimental　band；　which　is　usually　at　work　as　soon　as　the
men　turn　off　from　the　high　road。　　I　hear　several　bands　on　the
British　front；　they　do　much　to　enhance　the　general　cheerfulness。
On　one　of　these　days　of　my　tour　I　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　the
…th　Blankshires　coming　down　after　a　fight。　　As　we　drew　near　I
saw　that　they　combined　an　extreme　muddiness　with　an　unusual
elasticity。　　They　all　seemed　to　be　looking　us　in　the　face　instead
of　being　too　fagged　to　bother。　　Then　I　noticed　a　nice　grey　helmet
dangling　from　one　youngster's　bayonet；　in　fact　his　eye　directed
me　to　it。　　A　man　behind　him　had　a　black　German　helmet　of　the　type
best　known　in　English　illustrations；　then　two　more　grey　appeared。
The　catch　of　helmets　was　indeed　quite　considerable。　　Then　I
perceived　on　the　road　bank　above　and　marching　parallel　with　this
column；　a　double　file　of　still　muddier　Germans。　　Either　they　wore
caps　or　went　bare…headed。　　There　were　no　helmets　among　them。　　We
do　not　rob　our　prisoners　buta　helmet　is　a　weapon。　　Anyhow；　it
is　an　irresistible　souvenir。

Now　and　then　one　sees　afar　off　an　ammunition　dump；　many　hundreds
of　stacks　of　shellswithout　their　detonators　as　yetbeing
unloaded　from　railway　trucks；　transferred　from　the　broad　gauge　to
the　narrow　gauge　line；　or　loaded　onto　motor　trolleys。　　Now　and
then　one　crosses　a　railway　line。　　The　railway　lines　run
everywhere　behind　the　British　front；　the　construction　follows　the
advance　day　by　day。　　They　go　up　as　fast　as　the　guns。　　One's　guide
remarks　as　the　car　bumps　over　the　level　crossing；　〃That　is　one　of
Haig's　railways。〃　　It　is　an　aspect　of　the　Commander…in…Chief　that
has　much　impressed　and　pleased　the　men。　　And　at　last　we　begin　to
enter　the　region　of　the　former　Allied　trenches；　we　pass　the　old
German　front　line；　we　pass　ruined　houses；　ruined　fields；　and
thick　patches　of　clustering　wooden　crosses　and　boards　where　the
dead　of　the　opening　assaults　lie。　　There　are　no　more　reapers　now；
there　is　no　more　green　upon　the　fields；　there　is　no　green
anywhere；　scarcely　a　tree　survives　by　the　roadside；　but　only
overthrown　trunks　and　splintered　stumps；　the　fields　are
wildernesses　of　shell　craters　and　coarse　weeds；　the　very　woods
are　collections　of　blasted　stems　and　stripped　branches。　　This
absolutely　ravaged　and　ruined　battlefield　country　extends　now
along　the　front　of　the　Somme　offensive　for　a　depth　of　many　miles；
across　it　the　French　and　British　camps　and　batteries　creep
forward；　the　stores；　the　dumps；　the　railways　creep　forward；　in
their　untiring；　victorious　thrust　against　the　German　lines。
Overhead　hum　and　roar　the　aeroplanes；　away　towards　the　enemy　the
humped；　blue　sausage…shaped　kite　balloons　brood　thoughtfully；　and
from　this　point　and　that；　guns；　curiously　invisible　until　they
speak；　flash　suddenly　and　strike　their　one　short　hammer…blow　of
sound。

Then　one　sees　an　enemy　shell　drop　among　the　little　patch　of　trees
on　the　crest　to　the　right；　and　kick　up　a　great　red…black　mass　of
smoke　and　dust。　　We　see　it；　and　then　we　hear　the　whine　of　its
arrival　and　at　last　the　bang。　　The　Germans　are　blind　now；