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SECOND GENERAL ATTACK 193
October 30th was a fine autumn day. There
was not a cloud in the deep blue sky, but it was
very chilly, with a light northerly breeze. The
whole of the previous night the bombardment
had proceeded uninterruptedly. After dawn it
increased in strength, until at about eight or nine
o’clock it became furious. After ten it abated
somewhat, but from about 12.30 p.m. it recom-
menced with a force and vehemence the like of
which we had never seen before nor should ever
be likely to see again. On that day over 20,000
shots were fired from the bigger guns alone, not
reckoning the many thousands of shrapnel hurled
against the positions from the field batteries
and of these 20,000 shots, over 1,800 were fired
from the ii-in. howitzers, of which sixteen were
now in position. I estimate that, for the couple
of hours when the vehemence of the bombard-
ment was at its maximum, over 100 shots must
have been fired per minute against the Russian
positions. The fire was directed against all the
enceinte forts on the eastern ridge, against different
parts of the covered way and the high battery
positions behind, but was particularly strongly
concentrated on North Kikuan and Erhlung forts.
The sight was unique. A haze created by the
thousands of bursting shells and shrapnel had
drawn its blueish veil over the whole landscape,
toning down all vivid colours, softening all sharp
outlines, and then lay to rest in valleys and
gullies, looking like an evening mist. Through
this haze an interminable series of white clouds of
smoke and big columns of reddish yellow earth
leapt up every second ;
catching the rays of the
sun which caressingly enveloped them, painting
them with burnt gold and copper and gorgeous
colours.
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