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[page 23]
43
(6).
whole thing. The sausages first burst into flames and then exploded and fell to earth. Each would contain two expert observers so their loss would be no small one to Fritz. That night the Germans were evidently very angry for they threw things at us for hours. We didn't mind his shells that night though, we were so tickled about his balloons. The Boche still shows a preference for Churches when he starts shelling. Only this week he picked out two tall steepled edifices in Armentiers - he didn't touch anything else, he just wanted to try a new gun or something. Mind you a church steeple makes a fine target and must have the same impelling fascination for an artilleryman as a window in an empty house has for a small boy with a stone in his hand. The man behind a gun seldom sees what he is firing at and therefore does not get the satisfaction of observing the damage he does. An opportunity to knock over something visible like a church steeple must be very inviting and after all there seem to be plenty of them to spare. Every little village, every hamlet even, has an enormous church with an equally big steeple. I won't go so far as to say that the country is over churched but there are a great number of them vacant. The rectors are at the war - not as chaplains but as combatants - the male portion of the congregation is at the war and the women folk are far too busy working to go to church. The Germans do not often trouble Armentieres but when they do, we have only to plunk a couple into Lille and they stop at once. Lille and Armentieres are within about six miles of each other and it is said (I give it for what it is worth) that British Engineers tapped the Electric supply xxxx cable feeding Lille and for four months lit Armentieres at the Huns' expense.