AN AWFUL SUNDAY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 27 July 1916, Page 5

AN AWFUL SUNDAY

The “Daily Chnonicle's ’’ Paris corj respondent says: The fight for the j Poziercs Plateau was so full of horrors 'as any incident of the war. When the jbomoardment on Sunday morning had .broken up the German trench, the Australasians carried a powerful redoubt iat the entrance to the village, and .quickly established themselves in the .first houses. They made progress step step until 11.30 in the morning, when they were stopped near a church ’by a charge by German reinfoneements. A wounded officer said both sides went i at each other with equal fury. The (Germans had evidently been plied with :ether, for they reeked of it. The Australasians met them with heroic tenacity. Rifles were useless, and only bayonets, knives, revolvers and grenades wore used, while some Germans had long spiked clubs. He saw an officer strike a British wounded man with this brutal weapon, but lie had no time to finish the job, for a revolver shot stretched him beside his victim. He saw a thrilling duel. An English

lieutenant, charging at the head of his men, met a Bavarian captain. The Englishman got home a swond stroke, but at the same (moment received a revolver ball in the stomach. Mastering his pain, he gave the Bavarian I His death stroke. The Englishman unjfortunately died. The correspondent jcontiuues: The Australians halted on the ground they had won. They r'e;sumod their advance at 4 o’clock, and by 7 o’clock thr.eequartors of tiie ivillage had been captured. Sunday night passed in relative quietude, both ■ sides strengthening their positions and |pulling themselves together for a new .struggle. The Germans at dawn cu Monday, after one of the heaviest cannonades, made a furious charge, before 'which the Australians fell back to the market place. The latest news is that the tight continues favourable to us in Ith e north-eastern sector of the village.