. Rheims and the battles for its possession . , and completed their work of destruction, in the course of theafternoon of the 21st, by burning the centre of the town. Hardly anybody wasleft in the latter, except the firemen, who, despite their prodigious activity andvalour, were unable to cope with the flames. Whole streets, often the finest, were burnt down, more than 700 housesbeing destroyed. When, on October 5, the Germans retreated, the havoc caused by this con-tinual bombardment was incalculable. Of the towns 14,000 houses, only aboutsixty were immediately habitable when the people came
. Rheims and the battles for its possession . , and completed their work of destruction, in the course of theafternoon of the 21st, by burning the centre of the town. Hardly anybody wasleft in the latter, except the firemen, who, despite their prodigious activity andvalour, were unable to cope with the flames. Whole streets, often the finest, were burnt down, more than 700 housesbeing destroyed. When, on October 5, the Germans retreated, the havoc caused by this con-tinual bombardment was incalculable. Of the towns 14,000 houses, only aboutsixty were immediately habitable when the people came back. In addition to the material losses, there were, unfortunately, numerousirreparable artistic and archaeological losses. Life in Bombarded Rheims Although there were short respites, it may be said that for four yearsRheims led the life of a besieged town, under the fire of the German guns andhowitzers. The enemy increased the calibre of their shells and varied theirmodes of bombardment, sometimes firing for a few hours, sometimes all day. the destructions, photocraphed from an aeroplane (Cliche Illustration) ND-The —Place Royale. D.—Hotel dc la ;;, Societe I lenerale Bank. P.—-General Pos1 Office. J.—Palais de Justii e. T. -Theatre. M.—Museum. (111. Grand H6t< I. LO.—Hotel du Lion —Archi-episcopal —The Cardinals —Professional School for Young ——Place Godinot. L.—Lycee. C.—Colbert Barracks.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidrheimsbattle, bookyear1920
