The enemy had another incidental but, as it turned out, very important
advantage--that of the weather. Exceptional weather favored his designs.
It was both dry and misty. The attack which succeeded was made on that
part of the line where under ordinary Spring conditions the ground would
have been almost impassable.
A wounded officer told a friend of mine today, a General, that under
ordinary conditions no one could walk across the part which was
traversed by the Germans at this time of the year. But it just happened
to be absolutely dry and firm, and they walked across ground which no
one had any right to expect at this time of the year would be in that
condition.
Not only that, but the fact that it was warm increased the mist, and the
Germans were actually in some parts within a few yards of our front line
before any one knew of their approach. It was quite impossible to
observe them. This was a special disadvantage to us, inasmuch as our
scheme of organization in that particular part of the line depended
largely upon the cross-line fire of machine guns and artillery. They
had, therefore, a very special advantage, of which they made the fullest
use.