WAR STORIES

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1929, Page 3

WAR STORIES

ALL-DAY STAND AT MONCHY. During tli© first two days of the battle of Arras in April, 1917, the 10th Loyal Hussars and Essex Yeomanry had been waiting east of Arras in sleef and snow for an opportunity to head a cavalry advance. On the morning off April 11 our infantry were reported in Moncliy-ie-Treux, and the two regiments went forward to sieze the high ground beyond' the village,

Heavy” shelling and machine-gun fire •obliged thefn to : Hurry "into Monqhy from the horth-'west.' ; There parties of oijr infantry iii the place, but they were not strong enough to defend it, so "oie two squadrons rode through tor the eastern side. Here they came under such heavy .machinegun fire that they were obliged to dismount at once and take up defensive positions.

The remainder of the two regiments soon arrived at the gallop. Every available German gun seemed concentrated upon the village, which was blown to ruins. The cavalry lost many officers and men, and the German fire prevented reinforcements coming up. But all day the Essex and Hussard on to ; Monchy,. and. were Relieved ,infancy, mostly on this.night.blit ; xdme ' not tilt 24' Honrs'Jaijerj- The Yeby nianfy fust ’l3' officers and 166,., bpth commanding officers bging wounded. 1 : f kdYAL : BER!KisHiRIjLS AT ;;r LOQS. ( . 'V y On the .first day of the .battle of Loos ‘25, 1915) the:/-Bth ' Beajkshir.es attached . ;from trenches south of ( itjie Vqrrijelleg rr H,uL, luch road. In action' for -, the: first time, officprs and men went forward in,splendid style, although ,the gas we had discharged hung in the air and proved more of a handicap than an advantage. Our bombardment, too, did not prevent German machineguns from enfilading the advance. Nevertheless the breasted the low ridge in front of them, rushing La Haie Copse and reaching the wire in front of the first German trench.. The entanglement had not sustained much damage fioin.oug artillery fire, and the J .battalion/ lost, heavily " while the 'wire-cutters were doing their work. ' . Ninety minutes after start the Reading qomparties ' were in .. Gun, Trench, a thousand' yards within the Gerinan line. i ’ i The tvillage ;of HiUiuch, ’ defended by a strongly wired Trench undam-, rged by our artillery, was" harcjly - more than a quarter of a mile beyond'; but the Berksliires and Camerons, who had a few of the 10th Gloucestershire on their right, were, too wgak in numbers for a fresh advance. ' • , li : on, ; aloiig • yp.^d, in the afternoon drove back by jth,eir. yapid fire q: counter-attack .delivered : by a battalion of the Sc-hieswig 15'7th Regiment,- .wH^.H-was.-severely handled. “‘ r *

rif .the| liad-i become mixed with the 2nd Gordons. attacking. on the left of their battalion further forward;! ( |)ut ( .pf jt'hjs,-. gallant-.,, band! 'Survived/ Altogether the Berkshire/ lost about 450 ’ officers and men oil this., day- .. v. •> s -i (w

TRENCH RAIDERS WHO WENT BACK. •

The Ist Queen’s Westminster Rifles (16th London) were in'trenches southwest of Cambrai, where No Man’s Land was wide. An aeroplane photograph had disclosed the fact that the 'priefny was entrenching in advance of his -ffobt-' line,' and On the night] of jfept'emb'er 28, "1917, a subaltern took 'tnit ai- fighting patrol thirty’’strong to -'di&pW&e fhe' working 1 papty and bring ;: in ,: fl' pfirsoWdr''if possible. ■=' _ ’•; 'Goirig : fervvhvd ' Aileiil'ly' tlie .patrol :, {vab 'close’ to The enemy ; 'when, it' : '#ds "Suddenly' fi’red; on 'fronp ■behind ‘At short rkrigri, 1 ' Ohr men at 'oricb turned' about and opened with their rifles and Lewis guns upon' this fresh party .of Gennaris.' ; : • Tw6 : of the enemy, brie of Whom was wounded, were captured after a struggle.

Our patrol then made its way back and on arrival in the front trench discovered that six men were wounded, none of them severely, but a sergeant was missing.

The subaltern promptly assembled a search party, and the ground in front Was explored as thoroughly as possible. Although no fewer than eleven dead Germans were found there was no trace of the ' missing sergeant. Before dawn, however, he crawled unassisted into ouf lines with a wound ih his foot.

The prisoners proved to .be Wurttemburgers of the 414th Regiment, a useful identification.

THE 10TH CANADIANS AT " VIMY RIDGE. When the battle of Arras opened, on April 9, 1917, the 10th Canadians were almost in the centre of the assault on Vimy Ridge. The coniassembled in trenches ahd shell holes, and in the near rims of the mine craters which divided our front line from that of the enemy.

Snow was falling fast at 5.30 a.m. as our barrage come down. In four waves each of one company, the 10th Battalion advanced through the ruin and carnage of the German front trenches, 1

There were many oldish mqri and lads ih; ; the enemy ranks, and , these bad no liking for the bayonet, for they ceased shooting and surrendered freely when the men of the 10th. eairie upon them.

But the German machine-gubnera and snipers were of sterner stuff; refusing to yield, they fought desperately from every pdint of vantage, and their shooting was deadly. There was a fierce struggle before the German second line, called. Tolf Weg, was taken, and in killed and wounded and missing the 10th Canadians had lost 13 officers and 36$ others. V- '• ; ,