Once the
hill was captured and the fire of the Japanese guns could be
directed, the fate of the fortress was sealed.
Similar conditions have prevailed during the present campaign,
especially in the western theatre of war, where the ruggedness of
the country has tended to render artillery fire ineffective and
expensive unless efficiently controlled. When the German Army
attacked the line of the British forces so vehemently and
compelled the retreat at Mons, the devastating fire of the
enemy's artillery was directed almost exclusively by their
airmen, who hovered over the British lines, indicating exactly
the point where gun-fire could work the maximum of havoc. The
instant concentration of massed artillery fire upon the indicated
positions speedily rendered one position after another untenable.
The Germans maintained the upper hand until at last the aerial
forces of the British Expeditionary Army came into action. These
airmen attacked the Teuton aerial craft without the slightest
hesitation, and in a short while rendered cloudland absolutely
unhealthy. The sequel was interesting. As if suddenly blinded,
the German artillery fire immediately deteriorated.
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