WHITE MIST OF DEATH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 31 December 1915, Page 3

WHITE MIST OF DEATH.

VIVID STORY OF BRITISH GAS ATTACK. HOW GERMAN TRENCHES WERE TAKEN. The . battle near Loos isr thus described in the Berliner Tageblatt by its special war correspondent, Herr Kelicrmann: —"As a result of the terrific bombardment our admirably constructed trenches were shot into cavities. Our wire entanglements flew in shreds into the air and disappeared. Everything before and behind the ternches —scrub, trees, grass —disappeared, leaving the scrub furrowed and naked.

"Then whitish fogbanks began to creep slowly nearer. The landscape consists of flat meadows and fields, and in these months a mist hangs ove: it morning and evening. Thus it happened that our men at first thought the approaching whitish bank of vapour was mist, but very soon they knew what was the matter. It was a gas attack, and the order was issued,

‘Put on the gas masks. “The bank of fog passed over our trenches, then came a low bank of smoke creeping towards ns —blackorey. Then again another bank of gas, some ten minutes behind the first. Altogether three or four double waves of whitish gas and smoke gas swept over onr trenches. There was nothing else to be seen.

LIKE DEVILS

"Some men coughed and fell down. The others stoor at the ready as long as possible. The English artillery at the same time fired gas shells on our trenches. ‘ Geohind the fourth gas and smoke '•hum there suddenly emerged Englishmen in thick lines and storming columns. They rose suddenly from the earth, wearing smoke masks over thvir faces and looking not like soldiers, but like devils. The wire was no longer there to hold them back. "Shortly after 7 o’clock no more news reached the divisional fighting headquarters to the rear. The telegraph wires wore shot to pieces. "'These were had and terrible hours. The adjoining division also • reported a gas attack, and that their first line had been stormed by the English. The smell of the gas made itself keenly noticeable. ■ The fog was so oven among the staffs to the ren., that one could not sec ten metres in front of one-.

"Rumours flew fast: reports'circulated like wild fire. Then at last news became more definite. The British between the last gas waves had succeeded in storming the first trenches of cur division. Tims it happened.”