AN "IMPREGNABLE" POSITION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 120, 7 February 1918, Page 8

AN "IMPREGNABLE" POSITION

♦ AND HOW IT WAS TAKEN. At the battle of Mossines, "zero" (the time to go over) was fixed at 3.10 a.m., at which same moment nineteen huge mines were exploded within the space of a mile of front. One officer now in Wellington describes the "iglit of tho mines exploding as most brilliant and awe-inspiring.

"I was standing on a ladder with my eyes on my watch —all the officers' watclies had been synchronised at midnight— counting out to the men below the number of minutes to go before they had to 'go over.' " 'Five minutes to go! Four! Three! Two!' but before I got. out the word to go, 'thero was a deafening crash, a sheet of flame a mile square leapt to the heavens, the earth rocked, and I was Ditched off my perch into No Man's Land.'

"There was one place we knew was strongly held—our glasses hail told us that —a bit of a farm-house, on rising ground heavily protected. We had organised a daylight raid a few days before solely with the idea of getting information and taking a few prisoners. One of the prisoners we got had told us that the place mentioned was held bv two companies, who had been told that their" position was impregnable. So a whole company was detailed to take the place in the big push. AVhen they reached it. after the earthquake all thoy found of the 'impregnable' position was a great hoTe and a. few bricks."