A GREAT ORDEAL OF FIRE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 156, 5 July 1916, Page 5

A GREAT ORDEAL OF FIRE.

STORIES THAT STIR THE BLOOD.

BRITISHERS’ MAGNIFICENT CHARGE. Received 7-20 p.m.. July 4. LONDON, July 3. Mr. Phillip Gibbs writes: —■ The hardest fighting was at Bommecourt. where the Germans’ salient was most difficult to assault owing to the formidable defences. Our progress was small. Our attacks wor* more fortunate at Anthulle, Ovillers and La Bolselle, where we gained ground with great loss to the enemy and many casualties to ourselves. The advance from La Boiselle to Cental Maison was a memorable business. The Britishers engaged were hard, tough dare-devils ,who went forward cheering. Tyneside pipers playing. Tynesiders pressed ,on .with fixed bayonets and with parade step. They took the first, line of trenches, which were; blown , to a dust-heap, and rushed the second line, where some defenders were still alive. These wre bombed out, and. the British troops dashed at the thif-d line, which was still held by' machine-guns. The German bombardment was then intense. High explosives, shrapnel and trench mortars ploughed the ground. The Royal Scots charged with the bayonet a body of Germans, Other battalions capturing batches who had no stomach for fight. ' The Dorsets, Manchesters, Borderers and Highland Light Infantry, after hard fighting in the neighbourhood of Anthuile, easily captured the front line, but engaged m a battle of bombs with a large body of Germans > whose resistance was finally broken by the bayonet. The struggle. at Thiepvat was particularly! fierce. The first Britishers went through the village without clearing- the dug-outs. The enemy came out and poured machinegun fire on the British rear. Other battalions at Thiepval had a terrible ordeal in clearing dug-outs thirty feet below the ground, having trapdcors leading to still lower chambers elaborately furnished and well stocked with wine and beer. Meanwhile big fighting was taking place at Fricourt, where north countrymen underwent a great ordeal of fire. The German garrison maintained the stoutest resistance, and held out until Sunday morning, although practically surrounded. Finally one body of troops fought its way to the north of Fricourt and another to the south side, getting the village up In a pair of tongs. The Germans then came with hand's up. Countless incidents demonstrate that a fever of victorious fighting brought enthusiasm to white heat in ‘ill ranks.