THE BATTLE OF HOOGE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2539, 13 August 1915, Page 5

THE BATTLE OF HOOGE

AN INFERNO DESCRIBED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec., August 12, 9.5 p.m.) London, August 12. Mr. Phillip Gibbs, writing to the "Daily Chronicle," says: "The Germans have not yet made any serious counterattacks at Hooge. Our artillery div stroyed ten machine-guns during; the preliminary bombardment. . In spite of the destructive effect of our shell-fire the Germans who snrisr«l the ordeal fought doggedly, and there was some hand-to-hand fighting—.literally hand- ' to-hand, for soma of. our soldiers used their fists to givo a knock-out. _ "When daylight came many German; dead lay among tlio wreckage of tho trenches and dug-outs. Hie German batteries were prodigal in their expenditure of shell, but 'we managed* to straighten our lino and consolidate it without serious loss ; Hoogo is likely to become prominent in dispatches, for it is a point whore there has been con-, tinual nagging 011 both sides. . Hoogo is not what soldiers would call a health resort." ■ Router's account says: 'After our initial charge, there was some hot bay-' '.: onot work in tho trenches. Tlio scene at . daylight was a weird ' one —dim forms swaying about, stabbing, shouting, and swearing; fleeing Germans and pursuing Tommies, and the incessant • din'of our bursting Shells, which were • pitched on tho enemy's reserve tranches, to prevent the enemy fr'nnv bringing up reinforcements; the cries : of .the wounded, and tho moans of tho dying. As tho sun rose the fighting ' died down." .