A WAR STORY

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1929, Page 8

A WAR STORY

GUNNERS FIGHT AS INFANTRY. South-east of St. Veuant on April 12th, 192 b, the Germans attacked suddenly pist before dawn, pushing towards the La Bassee Canal. Near Pacaut Wood our' infantry and the batteries supporting them were almost surrounded. The batteries of the 12th Australian Field Artillery Brigade had come into action west of the Robecq-Calonne road on the previous day. At 6 a.m. on the 12th, the 112th Battery reported that German infantry were advancing on the guns. This battery, and the dGtli near it, found little difficulty in limbering up and withdrawing westward to St. Venant; but the 4oth and 47th Batteries, in position farther north, could not get away so easily. The guns of the doth Battery were unuer machine-gun fire and rifle fire at 6.15 a.m. and soon they were heavily shelled. The teams of limbers were promptly brought up at a gallop while the gunners fired with rifles at the German infantry barely 300 yards away. , Two men of the battery, one with a rifle and one with a Lewis gun helped a party of infantry to hold off the Germans until the guns were well away on the road to Robecq. The 47th Battery, also under heavy fire got off along the same" road with fifty yards interval between guns. Fortunately the Germans shootibg was erratic. But the enemy skirmishers' were very near and several of the gunners joined’ a'‘party of the 6th Warwickshire and opened fire ’on them from behind a hedge along the road. On this day too, several officers Vr" the Brigade were leading parties of our infantry who lin'd few officers left • gunners with rifles fought as infantry in many places and one party helped to defend one of the drawbridges over the La Bassee Canal.