Show JS LAUGHTER AT CHARLEROI CHARLER 01 I 1 IS GREATEST IN HISTORY by FRANKLIN P MERRICK international news newa service paris burned villages and heaps ot of bodies lying on belgian soil boil around charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi show the ferocity with vitti which the allied french and british troops opposed the wave of german troops that rolled them over and drove them hack bark to franco france for ten hours the tide of battle ebbed and flowed at charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi the town being taken and retaken five times before the allies withdrew part of the city waa wrecked according to reports received by the war office the villages of March lennes monceau chatelet and landelles dandelles Lan delles were burned citizens killed though the inhabitants of the pence peaceful little villages had been warned that the conflict was coming scores remained in their homes and perished in the names flames or were killed under the rain of shot and shell that swept the streets when they were driven from the shattered structures pierce fierce hand band to hand fighting took place in charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi the french were the first to occupy the town but they were driven out by a bombardment from the german artillery the germans then entered by the left bank of the river cambre but within a short time more of the allies troops arrived and the conflict was renewed the germans sought cover in the houses in the lower part of the town and to dislodge them the french were forced to sweep that section with their artillery wounded fill town the lower part of the town was soon in flames and the germans were forced into the streets back and forth through these surged the contesting soldiers fighting desperately for victory the dead lay thick when the french were finally forced to withdraw for three days wounded soldiers have been pouring into maubeuge Mau beuge the monastery and nunnery there are ara filled the inhabitants have given up their homes to the wars victims on sunday the germans drove the tha french troops through the town of I 1 charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi back to tho the second defensive position on the line defined by the towns of Av avesnes Aves esnes nea and me cleres recaptured by french the french artillery from the heights now a furious cannon ading abing on charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi which had been bombarded previously by the germans from the other side the germ german an po botlon was so weakened by the deadly accuracy of the french gunnery that a counter attack by the allies was ordered and at daylight on monday the entire line advanced charged the german position and recaptured charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi the conflict probably was unequaled in history in severity and casualties the germans must have succeeded in bringing up reserves for early on tuesday they made a successful counter attack along the whole battle line and retook charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi driving the ri rench french back to an In trenched position which they held until the morning ot of the second day retreat in good order the retreat was made in good order the main forces of the french remaining intact both armies suffered terrific losses the battle has not yet finished the herman catapult cata Is bamme hammering ring at the french and british allies again trying to tn batter its relentless way to parla paris there Is desperate fighting along the belgian frontier at several points and french victories are reported at two places charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi and co dutral though nothing official has been given out charge battery at the beginning of the combat the french made a sortie in a medieval manner with the object of surprising the enemy the latter were found in number far exceeding the franch expectations and the attempt to rout them failed then the turcos burcos in the face of a withering fire charged a german boterman buttery at the point of the bayonet 1 lve hundred or of these brave french soldiers from north africa left on the charge only returned their sortie had no effect against thi the e steady german advance which continued to creep step by step through the outskirts of charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi before the railway station the germans fought for two hours in an effort to 0 o capture the bridge their losses were enormous but the bridge was captured french beaten rapidly after the teutonic advance over the bridge the germans gained ground rapidly taking in succession the villages of March lennes landells ancelli an delli and and the country as far as walcourt balcourt Wal court later the french artillery opened tire fire on charleroy charleroi Char lerol leroi and the french in advanced under this cover the tide ide of battle appeared to favor the tricolor tri color edlor but not for long ions french infantrymen declared the roola became so jammed with dead that the victims victir ms of battle remained where they were shot and were used by the living as breastworks from behind which to fire on an the enemy tho last stand of the french was along the linelle tween thuan and mot met let at A nightfall the fighting ended both sides tired beyond en lurance monday morning the french returned to the attack PAt entering ering the town in the face of a withering fire from machine guns mounted lu in tho the steeples and driving the german defenders in confusion across the river cambre many houses in flames they found many houses smoldering or in names flames the inhabitants terror stricken were in fit the cellars german officers and soldiers were found dead in the streets sido by side with frenchmen who had fallen before or afterward one german officer was shot while ho he was washing his face and his bis head was bowed over a basin while his big face was covered with soap another had been bean lifting a cup of coffee to his lips when a french bullet brought death lie ile was found lying face downward across a table the broken cup beside him on the floor german losses enormous En ormom an idea of the enormous losses of the germans in the great battle in southwestern belgium and of the brav erlof the kaisers keisers kai sers sold soldiers leris Is the story of a returned traveler who witnessed part dart of the fighting along the cambre river southwest of charle ro rol 1 I was near in a region covered with dense woods while the lighting fighting was taking place said he 1 I could hear the sound of cannon away awat to the east and knew that a big battle was raging from my place in the forest I 1 suddenly saw the advance guard of a german army approach ing along a roadway which skirted the trees there seemed to be an endless pr procession of soldiers all dressed in a uniform of gray rank after rank passed by and I 1 thought that theand the end would never come there was no hesitation the men swung forward with quick steps and I 1 saw off leers galloping along the lines urging them forward french open fire suddenly there was a fresh sound of tattle battle this time in front of me and I 1 knew that the french artillery had opened upon the advance guard of the germans I 1 moved cautiously forward to a point where I 1 could get a view of the battle scene it was a view which seared itself into my memory the french guns were hurling a hurricane of steel and flamo flame into the german ranks but the soldiers pushed forward with their battle shouts on their lips straight into that pit ot destruction rushed the advancing troops men alen jell belll or 0 e everand naj Jt seemed that whole pla platoons a oong in melted elte a away over the bodies ot of the dead and ana wounded pushed the rear ranks of the invading army rushing with fixed bayonets upon the smoking muzzles of the french artillery it was a superb picture of gallantry aeroplane Is smashed near erquelinnes I 1 saw a german aeroplane brought down the military aviator was flying high in the air taking a of the allies positions the specially construct ed guns designed to attack air cratt craft were turned upon the aeroplane but the aviator continued his work suddenly I 1 saw the machine lurch splinters flew and then the shattered ma chine began to drop it had been smashed by a projectile |