THE CAPTURE OF HILL 60.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 195, 27 April 1915, Page 5

THE CAPTURE OF HILL 60.

“TAKE IT AT ANY GOST.” DUNKIRK, April 2(3. The capture of Hill 60 upset the Germans’ calculations, and they were forced to disclose their hand in a premature attack on the French lines north of the British section. Three German army corps were flung on the Yser front Roulers with orders to gain the Ypres-Furries road at any cost. A north-easterly wind was blowing on Thursday evening, and the sul-phur-chloride product resulted in • a heavy gas of about “the- same consist-’ ency as afterdamp and. acrid smoke singularly painful:to the eyes. As the smoke arose from the front of the German trenches the enemy evacuated-’ their own trenches, giving the French the impression that they were retiring. Many French sprang up and charged.Into the poisonous cloud. Blinded and stifled by the fumes, some regained, their trenches, but bursting shells scattered poisonous gases which formed another wall of smojee behind. Bewildered Frenchmen.

At one point the Germans themselves were caught by the poisonous cloud. They fought until they could distinguish friend from foe. A French sergeant managed to escape, and told the Belgian commander of the gravity of the situation. The Belgians retired in good order. The Germans’ had no time to get their 4.7 guns across the water. The Germans brought up a quantity of ready-made bridges 30ft long. Despite the destruction of the first bridge, they crossed the canal and occupied Lizerne. This left the Canadians in an untenable position, but within four hours they had turned and advanced. . Deadly Effects of Fiimes. The Canadians met men retreating, terribly sick, half blind, and.’with weak limbs from the fumes. Nevertheless, the Canadians faced the shrapnel, rifle fire and machine-guns in country lacking cover. The French assisted in the growing darkness, and retired to post-, tions on ,the canal banks, still disorganised. At dawn a large number of the troops were still; poisoned; indeed, men were being brought to Dunkirk oh Sunday in a state of stupor. French Lose Four Batteries. The main German attack was directed against the Dixmude-Ypres road, at a point where it crosses the canal. Af-. ter the Germans stormed Steenstraato they made a sweeping movement to the left. The French after a valiant defence were driven. back, abandoning four batteries of 75’s. The German engineers on Thursday night enlarged and strengthened a temporary bridge at Steehstraate, enabling reinforcemnts to entrench on the western bank before dawn, supported by heavy artillery. Throughout Friday the German infantry ,tried to capture Zuvdichoote, but were repeatedly . repulsed. Attacks were renewed* oh Friday night, when they beld J half’h'-’mile* of the bridge-head.

Belgians Do Full Share. The Belgians meanwhile 'had done*, their full share of the fighting, holding the line of the Yser, the flooded area and the dunes. The German artillery • everywhere searched their lines, butthey fought with splendid, courage and gallantry, co-operating with the . Germans Thrown Back., f . The combined forces recaptured LizCrne, and threw the Germans across the canal Afterwards the Germans poured over the canal and attacked the Canadians in the rear. The Canadians, facing both ways, fought for their lives with the bayonets. • British supports, with Zouaves, fell upon the Germans and cut a way to the Canadians. The whole mass then eharged the enemy in a glorious onrush. Whole companies of the. Germans were wiped out. The Canadians lost, but they drove the Germans in Pilkera in disorder by means of two bayonet charges delivered with, magnificent dash and spirit, regardless pf the rules of German textbooks. The Germans’ excessive confidence helped the Canadians te establish -the whole Allied line. The Duke of Wurtemburg’s army, with a number of Hungarian regiments, carried out the attack. There are many rumours that Von Hindenburg was in the chief command. After the Battle. Tie Gormans are 'now burying tin dead near the battlefields, owing -the railways being congested with tin troops trains, preventing the cor vcynncp of the bodies to the cremating furnaces at Horiimge,

Great piles of corpses, mostly mangled and unrecognisable, were collected west " of Routers, . Where waggons brought them from the banks of the Yeer. Burial pita' 16ft. deep were dug by German civilians, assisted ' by' Belgians compulsorily drafted from -villages.. - CASUALTIES ON HILL 6t. A FLYING CORPS PROMOTION. (Reed. 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 26. To-day’s casualty list shows 37 officers killed, 61 wounded, mostly on Hill •60. v. Lord Hugli Cecil is appointed a Lieutenant in th e Royal Flying Corps. DROP ALL SENTIMENT. AVENGE ASPHYXIATION. (Reed. 9.50 a.m.) PARIS, April 26. “Debats” calls oh th e military to discard all false sentiment and adopt immediate reprisals for use of ga^es.