TRIUMPH FOR BRITISH INFANTRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2603, 27 October 1915, Page 5

TRIUMPH FOR BRITISH INFANTRY

STORMING OF WESTERN / REDOUBTS FIELD DAY FOR THE BOMBERS ByMegra. p h-Pr<;ss Association-Copyright \ .limes ana Sydney < 'Stln ,, Services.) London, October 25. A correspondent at British Headquarters says: "Our capturo of the Kernal_ and Hohcnzollern redoubts maintained the ground' won at Tangiblest. The effect of our attack on October'l3 was another triumph for the tenacity of the British infantry. The attack was launched at 2 o'clock, and after a severe bombardment of gas the enormous strength of the German firstline fortress was revealed. Despite the heavy artillery preparation our men met a violent cross-fire from machine guns, yet they made a brilliant first advance, while in the centre they streamed into the main trench of tho redoubt, and the right and left wings hurled themselves on tne communication trenches.

"The men were over-impetuous, in the wing attacks, and were compelled lo give ground under German machinegun fire. They sheltered in innumerable shell holes with which the redoubt was pock-marked. "The struggle rosolved itself into a test of endurance and combats between bombing parties. While some under the cover of smoke bombs consolidated the position at Kernal, the others forced their way up to the trenches stretching out to the oentre. Bombs were continually used in large nunibei6. Our losses from this arm were heavy, but the enemy's were greater. "This sort of confused fighting puts a premium on personal initiative and coolness, and I have heard fewer finer Btories than that of a colonel who was shot in the knee, and who was discovered sitting up wrapped in a rug directing the fight. "The at Hoh?nzollem was only an episode in the huge whole. The fact that we have maintained and slightly increased our initial success in tho fact of the strong German positions and repeated heavy shelling is encouraging."