BATTLE OF SOISSONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 706, 23 September 1914, Page 5

BATTLE OF SOISSONS.

FIGHT FOR THE TRENCHES. THE ALLIES' SUPERIORITY. GERMAN ATTACK REPULSED. DEADLY BAYONET CHARGES. Received this day, 12.30 a.r;. London, Motuu;\ Mr Phillip Gibbe, cabling from Chalons on Saturday, stated :i great storm was raging at Soissons on Thursday and Friday Hooding the trenches. The British bad a trying time in the war which had u-ied their nerves and souls to tho last point of human endurance. Several who loft trenches on a special mission looked as though they hnd been through torture and suffered nameless horrors. Nevertheless, Uiero was no grousing. They were chilled to the hone and shaking in every limb. Tho army was dirty as mud-larks and unshaven. The soldiers tottered, hut wc*v still confident and ready to joke. The strength of the German position made it very difficult for the British to crosß tho marshland which was intersected by rivers and canals. At present, it was utterly impassable for infantry, cavalry and heavy gum? to cross tho swamps. The German llin guns on the surrounding hilla wer* giving a lot of trouble. The British gunners maintained an incessant artillery duel for days under cover of which both sides had been entrenching and rushing over open ground with rifle Are and bayonet charges in order to obtain advantageous positions for further entrenchment!?. The British showed superiority in tho buttle of trenches and gained good ground, though at heavy cost. With tho experience of the Boer war the British were far belter than the enemy, taking advantage of every scrap of cover and lighting in open formation. On several occasions they took trenches which by all rules of war wore impregnable. The British, assisted by the Zouaves, who repeatedly charged under the deadliest (ire, reached tho enemy's positions. The Germans fled, but not until the trench™ were filled with corpses of thoso tdnin by tho Frenchmen who tossed thorn out of the pits as though hay-making, »3 one of them said. General von Kluclr, on Friday 1 night, ordered a general advance of infantry from Chavi.iguy and Naizyo Chatteau, upon the foremost British trenches round Soissons, while tho artillery again searched the position, endeavouring to unnerve tho British. The wind was howling and the rain lashing down, and the British needed all their courage. Shrapnel Milled many, but the Gormnnn were not the right stuff to turn out; the cni renewed British and they retired quicker than they came.