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312 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
in the north, west and south-west. I felt as if I were enclosed
in a ring of fiery throats all spitting out amiable pleasantries
at one another.
Near the coppice from which the young lieutenant was
making his observations stood a 15-cm. howitzer battery.
It was extremely interesting to note the skilful manner in
which the guns had been concealed among the trees and
bushes. They could not even be seen at a very short distance,
and I had to come right up to them to realise where and how
they were hidden among the boughs and branches. As an
extra safeguard they were partly covered over with leaves
so as not to be seen from above. The ammunition stores,
huts for the gun crews and provisions were as effectively
hidden. For protection against the enemy’s fire the gunners
had dug the customary underground dwellings. At the present
moment they were very busy attending to their guns. " Why
don’t they shoot ? " I asked. In answer the lieutenant
pointed to the south-west. " Over there, above those trees,
you notice a French airman, and it is probably his business
to try to locate this battery. We have been shooting from
here and have probably done some damage on the French
side. Now they are on the prowl to find us, but so far without
success. The enemy shells are bursting just now at only
500 metres to the south-west of us. Up to now they have not
reached us, but they are getting nearer and may hit our
battery at any moment. If we were to fire now whilst the
aviator is in the air, their fire would be on us in no time."
As he spoke the airman described circle after circle above
the covert. As long as we remained at the observation post
he kept circling over the same spot. It was clear that he was
seeking the answer to some question. Perhaps he thought
that the projection of his line of flight on the earth’s surface
would give the confines of a spot which might profitably be
shelled by the enemy. Our friends fancied they had seen him
signal with flags and with white and red lights. The batteries
which the Germans had opposed to them at this part of the
front were all said to be British.
The lieutenant and his men at the observation post and
battery followed the aviator’s movements with the closest
attention, and special pickets were posted under the trees to
stop anyone from moving in the vicinity when the aviator had
his machine turned in such a way that he had a free outlook
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