WHEN II O'CLOCK STRUCK.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16417, 10 January 1919, Page 5

WHEN II O'CLOCK STRUCK.

DRAMATIC SCENES ON THE BATTLE FRONT. At 11 o'clock this morning (wrote tho Exchange Telegraph Company's correspondent with tho American armies on the day of the armistice) hostilities ceased on the American front, whereupon began what is probably the most wondorful collective demonstration of joy the world has ever seen. The momentous news was.flashed alone the lines as by an electric current. After an artillery preparation that lasted the whole nignt long a fresh advance began at dawn and continued until the last moment, meeting at places with stiff resistance. The orders to cease were first flashed by wireless about 9.30 t and at once tho | guns quickqned in-their firing, belching projectiles fast and furiously until a few moments bfcfore 11, when for a brief! space they were hushed. ] On tho stroke of 11 a tremendous salvo from thousands of guns, then a silence, broken "by cheers. Official orders forbade any .fraternising, and ordered a vigorous prosecution of-the projected plans until 11, after ■which firing was to cease —unless the Boche continued. , , . Most of the front was shrouded in ■thick fog. " Some of tho advanced units did not receive their orders until. a few minutes before the hour, and it was feared that it would be impossible to reach others in time owing to the .rapid advances made. Witnin a few minutes - after the "Cease fire" the beils of' Verdun started Dealing. Just before time the Boche spitefully sent a few big shells into the already shattered city. While one unit was reading the orders threo minutes before ll there came the announcement of the capture of another village and wood. _ The news of the armistice spread like wildfire in the: back areas. Motor cyclists toro along the roads, shouting ' it s over, bovsl" Every village hung out flags, ana people lined the streets shouting and singing. Marching Americans passed groups of prisoners engaged in rbndmaking and yelled, f'TVhat do you think of it now?" The prisoners worked on sullenly. .. . The moment the guns were stilled innumerable, locomotive whistles and automobile horns began shrieking. BLAZING CAMP FIRES. The vast American war machine lay dormant, while the scattered German Army was withdrawing from many places on the front. The Americans were busily engaged in digging in upon the exact lines reached at eleven, o'clock. Duriug tho afternoon there / was sporadic firing somewhere, where an isolated detachment was unreachable by 11. Despite the efforts of the runners the Germans complained, and attempted themselves to notify the fighters to put ua tho white flag. In the St. Mihiel region the- Gtermans told the Americans approaching the lines they were retiring .immediately to take the train towards Germany. "Within two hours some points were quieter. . :, In sectors of the Americans, Germans emerged from shelters and trenches after 11, walked over No. Man's Land,and through the wire talked ana traded souvenirs for tobacco and sweets.'Practically all admitted • they were beaten. German doughboys translated for little groups of' Germans, \who appeared depressed at the prospects of Germany's future, but in high humour at the chance of going home. Some did not believe Germany would accept peace unless the terms were suitable. Behind Verdun, in mojnents when the mist lifted, observers saw long lines of Germans flowing to the roar. Here the lines are soino distance apart, and the ' Gennans crawlcd out of pits and dug-outs-and curiously watched the Americans. across the valley, a few of them "waving,their hands. In three or four sectors the Americans wore ordered. to advance, shortly •before 11 for machine-gun fighting. The 51st Division attacked only thirty minutes before 11, and realised a good ad- ■ vanca. . They dug a few instances. Small units were firing,until 2 9 clocks owing to tho. communications being cut and the.runners unable to reach them.

To-night many miles of the front, scattered deeply in the back areas, knew, and all night long there ensued such a celebration as ia unknown' to history. Along the front the sky was alight with rockets, flares, and red lights. The fighters gathered in the open around blazing camp fires, motortrucks protecting the lights, ablaze for the first time in the war. Searchlights scoured the 6ky, and I saw one writing on the clouds the word "Peace."