IN NEUVE CHAPELLE TRENCHES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 185, 15 April 1915, Page 3

IN NEUVE CHAPELLE TRENCHES.

' ' -A-.1. IMPRESSIONS. ' (Tinibs-Sydney "Sun Special Service)., v LONDON April 13. A correspondent spent the niglit ».j "the ""hew British trenches, defending tin shell-torn' earth 'the British won a Ne'uve Cliapelle. ■ He says there is no more cheeri'u ' spot under the British flag. It ; i worth 'a.sleepless night to mix with tn< soldiers who'suffered su'eli hard knocks r ;.'Rumours from London', 1 ' complaining ■ of the heavy cost'.of the victory, ari ; not shared in flie trenches. The sol diers understand ' the :. situation, am; they were'prepared to pay the price < success.. They point out that U>< ground was,' gained 'with no heavic •losses flian the Germans." A lot of on; -ffillows" \verc killed, but this time v was pushing the 'Geimans instead 0" trying to hold them. "You can't real ise," said a Tommy. ',' unless you have been fighting since Mons, how-'J thii bucks np our chaps.-" "'"'' *i " ..Round braziers made' with-;'hole: ■punched in buckets and tins gather ■•..•50l diers off- duty, warming' frvinp: bacon, and'boiling tea-; -"'at* f". o i

passing" carefully;along the trench keeping 'heads below 'the parapet ro ay.o.id.,..bti.llejs. Bark patclie : s' : rtr'e' jvisrblc ,ih the moonlight "betweelr* r .posing '.These masses' - r.rc prostrate'bpclies in c the''attitiides. -■ m whieh they The Gormnlis drd not -asjt .for _an_ arniisFice/t'c .bury"the de:ul. iAY,hpn r thp. x --Britj'sfi. .previously asked, it wfliS'.. -r.ef;use'd, therefore the corpses re* plain; a grim ac'tirality of war. Despite this, salllies of wit are exchanged . by- jesters, who .are careful not-:t : o.sWw their heads, lest the jor.e should .prove;the. last one. , At dawn,, where the trenches are sixty yards apart, "Gocd mornings'-" are exchanged. " '. ' ' :'. .An Eiiglish-speaking German called out: .Kitchener,'s army com-ing?.-.We want this blankety, blank war oyer, so as to get home.'" Tommy replied: v/'Bbn't p;e f i downhearted, my

dear., .You,'lV -know 'when .■Kitchener's men arrive because they will be travelling faster> .than . you Aya nt Mi em. •' •' The, Tommies are full of admiration for the skill of the " Germans 'but there is a vUiuviuaaLconiid.cuce that the Germans, have shot their bolt. An Irishman' declared that the Germ s.v. s need licking, and when anybody needs licking that's the place for fighting Trl'Sß"men. "" '' • ; .'''. ■ None of the soldiers in «onvt , rsat)o»> gloried jn.fhe \var ; but are determined to stick it till a decisive victory. -, The .correspondent .conclude? by s:;--ing that Neuye Chapelle. lihjs given vj confidence of our strength. It has tested our organisation for the offensive. and demonstrated the powc-r iiinl prf« eision of our artillery.