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66 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
Ersatztfuppen, i.e. reinforcements, but I do not see a single
face which betrays the sUghtest feeling that death is near.
They hear the thunder of the guns better than we do, for the
humming of the car drowns all other sounds. But they seem
to delight in the dull music, and yet their place is far in
advance of the artillery positions. Ersatztruppenf it means
that their duty is to replace the fallen, and that the same fate
awaits themselves. Yet they are gay and happy. " Dulce et
decorum est pro patria mori."
The soldiers’ helmets are provided with covers of the same
shade of grey as the uniforms. On their backs they carry
knapsacks containing their most indispensable kit, their share
of the tent, and a couple of bowls with spoon, knife and fork.
At the side they carry the bayonet and the " portable tool,"
spade or axe. To the waist-belt are fastened the filled cart-
ridge pouches, the whole outfit weighing about 56 English lbs.
It is a fairly substantial weight and, although figuratively
speaking the soldiers march into battle with a light step, their
steps are in reality pretty heavy, especially on country roads
softened by rain. Anyhow, their marching capacity is nothing
short of wonderful—I for my part should not get far with such
a load. Practice makes perfect, as the whole German nation
knows. That is why the Germans do not refuse to spend
enormous sums on their defence. And that is why they
conquer, even though attacked by four great powers whose
soldiers have not received the same thorough scientific train-
ing in times of peace.
We fly through Dun. One can hardly speak of more than
one street in this prettily situated little village on the banks
of the Meuse. Yet this street has indeed been hardly dealt
with. It is a melancholy comfort to know that its comely
houses have been destroyed by the French Army’s own
artillery, so as to make the stay at Dun as disagreeable as
possible for the Germans. It is now a " line of communica-
tion " base depot with Depot Kommandantur, a " line of
communication " hospital and store depot, and also has large
supplies of arms and ammunition. The railway, now under
Prussian management, is being worked up to this point, where
the transfer takes place from the supply trains to the great
columns of the Army Service Corps.
The population, which fled on the approach of the Germans,
has already begun to return. The two bridges over the Meuse
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