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A FINAL DAY ON THE WESTERN FRONT 373
reached the commandant’s office just as the wagon began
skidding so hopelessly that the back wheels took command
and the whole bag-of-tricks was on the point of overturning.
Our somewhat eccentric entry into Rixingen aroused violent
mirth from all who happened to be about. Here, however,
we secured a third car and drove on gaily to Blamont.
On leaving the village to the southward, the road turned up
a hill to a slight eminence, the right-hand side of which was
wooded. In a field immediately to the north of the little
wood and evidently concealed by its trees, stood a battery,
which was thundering away for all it was worth. It was really
a very impressive sight to watch the guns firing their salvos.
The officer in charge gave his orders in a loud voice according
to the information received from the observing station. Then
followed the usual brief, brisk words of command :
" Load !
Ready ! 1 Fire ! ! !
" The target for the moment was the village
of Ancerviller, situated about 5600 metres south of Blamont.
As the gun is discharged a sheaf of fire issues from the muzzle
and a white smoke cloud forms several metres in front.
In order not to attract the attention of the enemy, instruc-
tions have been given that the battery must only be approached
on foot. On the crest of the hill stood the local commanding
officer, Lieut.-Gen. von Tettenborn, acting Adjutant-General
to the King of Saxony, surrounded by his staff, some
twenty officers. He was a powerfully built little man with
steel-grey hair and moustache. Hung over his shoulders he
carried a light brownish-grey cape with red collar and on his
head he wore a helmet with a grey cloth cover. Reports kept
pouring in regarding the progress of the action. Now it was
a horseman, now a motor-cyclist, now a car that came tearing
along at full speed with information, whilst orders were sent
out with equal rapidity to the various fighting units.
General von Tettenborn received me with the greatest
kindness and we stood chatting awhile on the hill as if there
had been no war within a hundred miles. I was also intro-
duced to all the other officers and in two minutes I felt
thoroughly at home. The general atmosphere here was exactly
the same as I have had occasion to record and admire all
along the front, calm, reliant and cheerful in the consciousness
of the monstrous strength of the German army.
Two kilometres south of Blamont and about half that dis-
tance from the point where we were standing, lies the little
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