FLARE LIGHTS ON THE BATTLE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 148, 12 March 1918, Page 5

FLARE LIGHTS ON THE BATTLE FRONT

. Q PYROTECHNIC SIGNALS BY THE GERMANS. "What do two red lights and'a green mean?" asks tho "fresh and fair" nowcomer in ono of Bairnsfatlier's " cartoons. Coloured lights, alarm flarss, barrage signals—wo read of these every day in the war correspondents' dispatoheß, and, indeed, to ail observer watching a great battle on the Western front they are perhaps the most spectacular feature in the grandiose if sinister display accompanying modern warfare. Apart from their several intrinsic advantages, visible signals are the only kind tho enemy can use under the violence of a modern British bombardment. AH his telephone wires are cut —there is an interesting mathematical reason why every telephone wire should bo cut, as it always is, under even a moderate bombardment. Assume that a shell bursting within four or five feet of the wire is sufficient to cut it every time. Double this, and multiply it by the length of the wire and you get an area of about an acre. This is tho danger zone of tho wire. Now during a bombardment an acre of ground is bound to receive many shells. So tho chances of a shell falling in the danger zone of the wire are _ overwhelmingly high, and tbo wiro is certain to bo cut at some point—trad as well as having his wires cut the enemy's runners and messengers are helpless under our barrage. Therefore the handy coloured light fired from a. Vorey pistol has conw to be the oxclusivo kind of signal used. It is prompt, easily seen, and rises above the smoke of tho barrage. Being essentially a form of firework, it can be varied in an infinity of ways. It may blazo in its flight as a single mass, or it may split up into two, three, or more parts, each of which may havo it own independent colour.

The following are a typical series of observations illustrating the mode of employment of pyrotechnic signals by tho Germans:—

Tho British are preparing for an attack which is to take placo at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The assembly trenches are already manned and seething with activity, for rations, bombs, Stokes mortars, and no forth have to be carried and distributed to their proper positions ready for the attack. Throughout the previous night tho Boclio has confined his activities to tho sending up of ordinary Verey lights, but with tho dawn _ of day and the increase in tho British fire he becomes apprehensive, and wo are soon rewarded by the sight of his coloured lights. It is to bo noticed that these lights aro. employed equally in iJSylight and 'by night. Events proceed as follows: — I—A. British ration pnrty maruhes up to tho rear trenches over the open. Tlio Boche can see the men and his snipers open.lire at long range. Then a signal light is .fired which breaks at the top of its flight into three red lights. Result: A weak, dispersed barrage is opened by the enemy artillery to drive the observed British to cover.

». —The ration party has now entered the trenches and is jio longer visible. L'or a time nothing further happens. Then the Boche fires an ordinary magnesium Veroy light. Result: Enemy artillery relapses into silence (oy comparative silence). Tho Vcrey light is presumably a sign of "All clear," and at further frequent intervals durfiig the morning' plain, uucoloured Verey lights are fired to indicate that the position is being maintained (attack, of course, being expected).

3. —The British _ open drum-fire. Single green lights aro iired frantically from the German trenches—not necessarily from tho front line alone, but from supports and reserves as well. Company headquarters nre in the support line, battnliun headquarters in the reserve, and ail uf these havo their own special rocket posts in addition to those in thu front line. Tho single green light is a warning to the reserves and artillery to "stand to" immediately.

4.—.The British are "over tho top." Tho enemy iires red lights which burst into two. This is the S.O.S. An intenso euemy barrage is opened as uear to his own trenches as possible! These various signals are, of course, interchangeable. What is the S.O.S. one day may be the gas alarm tho nest.—George F. Sleggs, in the "Daily Mail."