FIGHTING IN NIGHT-GOWNS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 193, 23 April 1915, Page 4

FIGHTING IN NIGHT-GOWNS.

How night-caps and night-gowns played a prominent part in the capture of a German trench by a detachment of French soldiers is related in a.letter written by a soldier to a friend, in this city. "A good old soul who the other day sent our company, among other things, a package containing twenty white nightgowns and nightcaps, all carefully hand sewn, and who was pro. b:-bly under the impression that soldier: at the front go to bed clad in night garments, would be glad to hear that her gift served a purpose,although it would probably have s urpriseed the donor had she known just to what use ■her. gift was put. At first we did not know what to do with them, until the night before last, one of us had a brilliant idea which was communicated to the company commander. The officer thought the idea a good one, and it was put into execution. The nearest German trench, one which bothered us a great deal, wa 3 not more than fifteen yards away from us, but to cross that snowclad space by moonlight would have meant certain death. Twenty of the men pulled on nightgowns and caps, and, holding their pieces beneath them, carefully and cautiously were raised over our trenches and began to roll slowly towards the enemy. It took almost half an hour to crawl to the brink of the German work. Then at a whistled signal the men hurled themselves into it, seized tbJe rapid-fire guns, and drove the defenders out. The rest of us followed and took possession."