Die 18. I.D. wird ihrer schweren Verluste wegen abgelöst. Mehrere Tanks sind schon erbeutet und viele Tausend Gefangene gemacht. Wir rücken weiter über Villers-Faucon nach Longavesnes. Die ganze Straße ist mit endlosen Kolonnen verstopft. Zu beiden Seiten der Straße fährt unsere 45er Feldartillerie auf und protzt ab. Plötzlich durchschneidet ein Pfeifen die Luft und nacheinander sausen 6 dicke Brocken in die Truppenmassen hinein. Augenblicklich entsteht eine heillose Verwirrung. Nach der ersten Detonation versucht jeder, sich ein wenig Deckung zu verschaffen. Aber wo? Straße und Feld sind voller Menschen. Jeder denkt, der Engländer beschießt die die Gegend. Dabei waren es keine Granaten, sondern Bomben. Ein Flieger, von niemand gesehen, hat sie aus großer Höhe herabgeworfen. Nun kommt er tief hinunter und fliegt bald in ganz niedriger Höhe über das aufgescheuchte Leben hinweg.Die Verwirrung ist allgemein. Die Kolonnen schicken sich an umzukehren, doch die Straße ist restlos versperrt. Kilometerlang reihen sich Wagen an Wagen. Etliche von ihnen versuchen über die Felder zu entkommen. Die aufgefahrene Artillerie macht wieder kehrt. Pferde reißen sich los und galoppieren davon, während jeder Mann so gut Deckung nimmt, wie er es vermag. Jeder denkt, daß der Flieger nun das bunte Treiben nun mit Maschinengewehrfeuer beharken wird. Glücklicherweise bleiben wir jedoch davon verschont; der Flieger kehrt um und verschwindet. Das Ergebnis des Bombenabwurfs ist, daß einige Batterien Volltreffer erhalten haben. Es hat viele Tote und Verwundete gegeben. Wir sind wieder einmal gut davon gekommen.
Am Abend marschieren wir nach Templeux-la Fosse. In einem Barackenlager übernachten wir.
The 18th I.D. [Infantry Division] is relieved because of its heavy losses. Several tanks have been captured and thousands of prisoners have been taken. We advance via Villers-Faucon to Longavesnes. The whole road is crowded with endless columns. To both sides of the road our 45's field artillery arrives and gets into position. All of a sudden, a whisteling sound sound hurls closer and one after the other six big shells smash right into the massed troops. Instantaneously, enormous confusion breaks out. After the first detonations, everyone trys to find some cover. But where? road and fields are crowded with people. Everyone thinks, the Englishman is shelling the area. But in fact, those were not shells, but bombs. An aeroplane, unseen, dropped them from a great height. Now he comes down and soon flies across the flushed life at a very low altitude.Confusion is complete. The columns start to turn around, but the road is hopelessly blocked. Wagon follows wagon for kilometres. Many of them try to escape across the fields. The artillery turns around, horses get loose and gallop away, while every man tries to get cover as good as possible. Everyone thinks, that the aeroplane will now spray the hustle and bustle down below with machine gun bullets. Fortunately, we are spared; the aeroplane turns around and disappears. Teh result of the bomb drop is, that some batteries received direct hits. There are many dead and wounded. We have gotten away luckily again.
In the evening, we march to Templeux-la Fosse. We stay for the night in a barracks camp.
FRA
La 18^ Div. di Fanteria viene rilevata a causa delle gravi perdite subite. Parecchi carri armati e molti prigionieri sono stati catturati. Noi avanziamo via Villers-Faucon verso Longavesnes. L'intera sede stradale è intasata da colonne senza fine. Su entrambe i lati della strada arriva la nostra 45^ Artiglieria Campale che si mette in posizione. All'improvviso un sibilo sembra scagliarsi vicino a noi e, uno dopo l'altro, sei grossi proiettili esplodono tra le truppe ammassate. Istantaneamente scoppia una grande confusione. Dopo le prime detonazioni, ognuno cerca di trovare un qualche riparo. Ma dove? Le strade ed i campi sono piene di gente. . Tutti pensano: gli Inglesi stanno bombardando l'area. Ed infatti quelli no sono proiettili, ma bombe. Un aeroplano, che nessuno ha sentito, le aveva lanciate da grande altezza. Adesso esso scende e veloce vola a bassa quota attraverso quelle vite insanguinate.La confusione è completa. Le colonne tentano di aggirarla, ma la strada è bloccata senza speranza. Carri dopo carri per chilometri. Molti di questi tentano la fuga attraverso i campi. Le artiglierie girano a vuoto, i cavalli si perdono e galoppano via, mentre ognuno cerca riparo come meglio può. Ognuno pensa che l'aeroplano diffonderà ora il panico con le mitragliatrici. Fortunatamente ne siamo risparmiati: l'aereo vira e sparisce. Il risultato delle bombe è che alcune batterie sono state colpite direttamente. Ci sono molti morti e feriti. Ce la siamo cavata di nuovo, per fortuna.
La sera, marciamo verso Templeux-la Fosse. Ci sistemiamo per la notte in un accampamento.
The 18th I.D. [Infantry Division] is relieved because of its heavy losses. Several tanks have been captured and thousands of prisoners have been taken. We advance via Villers-Faucon to Longavesnes. The whole road is crowded with endless columns. To both sides of the road our 45's field artillery arrives and gets into position. All of a sudden, a whisteling sound sound hurls closer and one after the other six big shells smash right into the massed troops. Instantaneously, enormous confusion breaks out. After the first detonations, everyone trys to find some cover. But where? road and fields are crowded with people. Everyone thinks, the Englishman is shelling the area. But in fact, those were not shells, but bombs. An aeroplane, unseen, dropped them from a great height. Now he comes down and soon flies across the flushed life at a very low altitude.
AntwortenLöschenConfusion is complete. The columns start to turn around, but the road is hopelessly blocked. Wagon follows wagon for kilometres. Many of them try to escape across the fields. The artillery turns around, horses get loose and gallop away, while every man tries to get cover as good as possible. Everyone thinks, that the aeroplane will now spray the hustle and bustle down below with machine gun bullets. Fortunately, we are spared; the aeroplane turns around and disappears. Teh result of the bomb drop is, that some batteries received direct hits. There are many dead and wounded. We have gotten away luckily again.
In the evening, we march to Templeux-la Fosse. We stay for the night in a barracks camp.