BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2838, 1 August 1916, Page 5

BATTLE INCIDENTS ON THE SOMME

SLEEPLESS DAYS AND NIGHTS . AT POZIERES TERRIFIC STRAIN Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. • London, July 30. Mr. Beach. Thomas states ■ that tlio Poziercs battle was six days of constant stress. Some- of the soldiers had no sleep for four days. A brigadier-general had ono and a half hour's,sleep in'six days. The Germans used egg-sized bombs, which a good cricketer could throw a hundred yards. They also used their biggest guns, the shells falling in linos of regular rhythm. The mutual bombardment at Deiville Wood was beyond precedent. A hundred thousand shells were fired. huns'peeper desertion to ' insanity; Amsterdam, July 30.' Fifteen German deserters who arrived at Maastricht said that it was impossible to live through the British and French bombardment without going mad. They preferred desertion to insanity. GERMAN POSITIONS; ABANDONED BEFORE ATTACK. . Paris) July 30. One of General von Billow's ■ army orders found on a prisoner complains that certain unattaeked positions were abandoned, and threatens officers with penalties unless they fight to the' last. THROUGH THE "DEVIL'S WOOD" FOLLOWING THE BARRAGE. . '.Roc. July 31, 8 p.m.) . . 1 London,-July 30. Mr.' Philip Gibbs writes: "The British bombardment of Deiville Wood began on Thursday morning. It was arranged as a progressive series ' of barrages by every kind of gun and. howitzer. The infantry advanced stage by stage under shell fire, depending for lives upon the scientific accuracy of the.gunners a long way behind them. 11l the oront of shells dropping short, they get them 'iu the neck,' but this risk had to be taken because of tho greater risks if the troops flinched from the chance of being killed by our own shell fire. ' . \ "The infantry advanced by scattered groups in extended order, but keeping touch, scrambling juml crawling forward. There was not two yards of .ground without a shell hole.' Fallen trees and brushwood niado a' tangled maze of obstacles, and there were pitfalls everywhere. Tho troops wore heavily loaded with kit' and had' bombs slung- in their belts. They progressed slowly through the infernal wood, which had been taken four times by waves of British infantry, and retaken four times by German waves. It hud been a dumping place for the most furious bombardmonfe. The English therefore advanced through a great grave-, yard~of unburied dead. The ghoulishness of the place even left its mark on tho minds of men who were not troubled much by the .sights of battle. Many of them wince at the mention of Deiville. Those slashed trees, naked trenches,_ smoking shell holes, and charred timber,' intermingled with blood, and stained bundles that once held life, make a nightmare extraordinary. .After, the tornado of flying steel, several hundred Germans remained alive. Our men, advancing, wore surprised to see them Tunning away, though bits ot white rag fluttering from tho 6hell holes indicated that tho groups that were crouching at tho bottom'were anxious to surrender. The British shouted: 'Come out!' and the Germans emerged, hands up, crying, 'Pity!' a \vord newly-learnt. When tho British, poked the bayonets towards them, big men fell on their knees and cried for mercy, which was given, although the" soldiers were angry because the Gerraaus have been firing many gas shells. In' tho meantime the troops upon the right, pushing to the top of the wood, encountered deep dug-outs, and stepped' cautiously down tho dark steps. /Huddled forms groaned at the touch of their boots. Many men were lying in pools of blood, and the damp earth and tho fumes of am oil lamp mingled with siokening odour."