war and the future-第13章

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considerable　weight　of　bombs　beneath。　　They　cannot　of　course
beget　up　with　the　speed　nor　soar　to　the　height　of　our　smaller
aeroplanes；　it　is　as　carriers　in　raids　behind　a　force　of　fighting
machines　that　they　should　find　their　use。

The　British　establishment　I　visited　was　a　very　refreshing　and
reassuring　piece　of　practical　organisation。　　The　air　force　of
Great　Britain　has　had　the　good　fortune　to　develop　with
considerable　freedom　from　old　army　tradition；　many　of　its
officers　are　ex…civil　engineers　and　so　forth；　Headquarters　is　a
little　shy　of　technical　direction；　and　all　this　in　a　service　that
is　still　necessarily　experimental　and　plastic　is　to　the　good。
There　is　little　doubt　that；　given　a　release　from　prejudice；　bad
associations　and　the　equestrian　tradition；　British　technical
intelligence　and　energy　can　do　just　as　well　as　the　French。　　Our
problem　with　our　army　is　not　to　create　intelligence；　there　is　an
abundance　of　it；　but　to　release　it　from　a　dreary　social　and
official　pressure。　　The　air　service　ransacks　the　army　for　men
with　technical　training　and　sees　that　it　gets　them；　there　is　a
real　keenness　upon　the　work；　and　the　men　in　these　great　mobile
hangars　talk　shop　readily　and　clearly。

I　have　already　mentioned　and　the　newspapers　have　told　abundantly
of　the　pluck；　daring；　and　admirable　work　of　our　aviators；　what　is
still　untellable　in　any　detail　is　the　energy　and　ability　of　the
constructive　and　repairing　branch　upon　whose　efficiency　their
feats　depend。　　Perhaps　the　most　interesting　thing　I　saw　in
connection　with　the　air　work　was　the　hospital　for　damaged
machines　and　the　dump　to　which　those　hopelessly　injured　are
taken；　in　order　that　they　may　be　disarticulated　and　all　that　is
sound　in　them　used　for　reconstruction。　　How　excellently　this　work
is　being　done　may　be　judged　from　the　fact　that　our　offensive　in
July　started　with　a　certain　number　of　aeroplanes；　a　number　that
would　have　seemed　fantastic　in　a　story　a　year　before　the　war
began。　　These　aeroplanes　were　in　constant　action；　they　fought；
they　were　shot　down；　they　had　their　share　of　accidents。　　Not　only
did　the　repair　department　make　good　every　loss；　but　after　three
weeks　of　the　offensive　the　army　was　fighting　with　fifty　more
machines　than　at　the　outset。　　One　goes　through　a　vast
Rembrandtesque　shed　opening　upon　a　great　sunny　field；　in　whose
cool　shadows　rest　a　number　of　interesting　patients；　captured　and
slightly　damaged　German　machines；　machines　of　our　own　with　scars
of　battle　upon　them；　one　or　two　cases　of　bad　landing。　　The　star
case　came　over　from　Peronne。　　It　had　come　in　two　days　ago。

I　examined　this　machine　and　I　will　tell　the　state　it　was　in；　but
I　perceive　that　what　I　have　to　tell　will　read　not　like　a　sober
statement　of　truth　but　like　strained　and　silly　lying。　　The
machine　had　had　a　direct　hit　from　an　Archibald　shell。　　The
propeller　had　been　clean　blown　away；　so　had　the　machine　gun　and
all　its　fittings。　　The　engines　had　been　stripped　naked　and　a　good
deal　bent　about。　　The　timber　stay　over　the　aviator　had　been
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
ove