THE BRITISH ATTACK ON AUBERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2461, 14 May 1915, Page 5

THE BRITISH ATTACK ON AUBERS

OUR MEN FOUGHT LIKE HEROES

(Reo. May 14, 0.30 a.m.)

Dunkirk, May 13. The British attack coinmenoed on Saturday with a terrific bombardment of the German trenches on the hills. Then, the Right Centre carried the first-line trenches on tbo Aubers Ridgo, almost without opposition. "Our troops, including the Indians, advanced to the second line and cam© under a withering fire of rifles and maohine-guns. The German infantry, massed in groat force, had suffered little from shell-fire, the trenches being deep and made of reinforoed concrete, with underground galleries. When the British advanced the, Germans issued from the subterranean trenches and turned on their massed machine-guns. "Our men fought like heroes in the face of tremendous odds. Our left had almost reached Haubourdin, but the enemy, in great numbers, debouched from Lille and wo were slowly driven back, still holding a footing en the Aubers Ridge. The French now command the plain extending from Douai to Lille, and are within striking distance of Lens.

La Bassee Battle Subsiding, At La Bassee we made better profilers, but the British had the Tiarder task, triid- our repeated rushes on the outskirts of La Bassee cost us terrible loss. The men encountered entanglements in the most unlikely spots. The Germans largely relied on their mach-ine-guns, the number of which appeared to be unlimited, .and their supply of ammunition inexhaustible. "The trenches under the walls of La, Bassee are made of concrete, and are shielded by thick steel plates against artillery fire. Our troops returned, heroically to the assault again and agam, out the battle is noiv diminishing m intensity.."

Regiments Sadly Cut Up. There was renewed fighting on the hill. Princess Patricia's Regiment and the 2nd Gloucesters were almost surrounded, ,kit were saved by the Kifle Brigade and the Argyll and Suther-. land Highlanders swimming a section of the Yser Canal and falling on the German flank.

Under an intense artillery fire, the. Pathans and Gurkas prepared the. advance on Aubers by capturing the woctl of Ranimelles. The Germigs, however, profiting by their Neuve Chapelle ex- ~~ perience, cunningly concealed machineguns during the bombardment, and the British force had to • be 1 content with a footing on the lower slopes of the ridge.

The Indians suffered severely.. The Ist Gloucesters were badly out up. The British work was accomplished 'despite the Germans strewing a lane with thousands of star-shaped contrivances which always had a four-inch spike 'uppermost.

The Bedfords and Highlanders were most prominent at La Bassee, and between Saturday and Tuesday night we fired a million and a half shells.