INDIAN TROOPS IN ACTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2293, 29 October 1914, Page 5

INDIAN TROOPS IN ACTION

LANCERS AND INFANTRY ' ■ GRIM ONSLAUGHT OF WHIRLING STEEL . t (By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright.) , London, October 27. An eye-witness of an incident at La Bassee, at the end of last week, narrates that the Germans had heavily shelled the British trenches, also a line of miners' cottages running northwards. There was nothing to indicate any intension to rash a particular point, though aviators had- reported the massing of several brigades behind the-artillery. Suddenly aft avalanche of men was let loose. A section of the line of British infantry thinned out tlio enemy rank after rank; but the rush was irresistible, and the entrenchments were carried, the British defending them to the last. Reinforcements wero hurried up, but before they could, repair the broken' line further hordes of Germans appeared. For a while the situation was dangerous, but the Germans, confident they had found a way to-the coast, wore rudely undeceived. (La Basseo is 12 miles south-west of Lille). .Indian Troops to the Roscue. The Indian troops were sup]>ortlng the British; it was the first time they had been in action. For days they had boon watching the bursting shrapnel and thirsting to prove their quality. They wcro now ordered forward with the bayonet. The forces met and clashed, but, in an instant, said an eyewitness, the issuo was decided.; The German advance was not only checked, but the Germans were beaten and 1 their line broken. The Indians rail through them, pressing the foe back to receive a right and left fire from tho British infantry. The Indians, not content with recapturing the trench, leaped it and pursued the Germans downhill -until their officers recalled them. Thrilling Charge by Bengal Lancers.' 'A corporal of the Field Artillery, who has arrived at Aberdeen," narrates the story of a thrilling charge by the, Bengal Lancers. The British had been fighting hammer and tongs for three weeks and were exhausted. One brigade of German infantry attacked them. When tho Germans wero half-way'to the trenches, the Bengal Lancers, who had arrived tho day_ before, made a slight detour to avoid the British line of fire, and then swept, into the Germans from the left like a whirlwind. The Germans knew tho Turcos, but not these darkskinned lancers, who, with shrill yells, brought down a man with every lancethrust. The Germans ran for their lives, and the Lancers pursued them for a mile. The Lanccrs received wild cheers when tlioy returned to the British linos. Twenty Thousand Dead and Wounded. The "Central Nows" coiTesporidcnt, describing the fighting at La Bassee, states that the SilAs and Gurkhas partook in the charge. A staff officer estimated that twenty thousand dead and wounded Germans were left on the field. . Tho British losses (lid not exceed two thousand. The Prime Minister received the following official message from London yesterday morning:— In the neighbourhood of La Bassoo tho Germans, in overwhelming numbers, rushed and captured a section of our trenchc-s. The, supporting Indian troops were brought up; they stopped and broke tho advance, running through the enemy and using their steel m their well-known way, pursuing the onomy until their officers prudently recalled them. Tho German losses were heavy.