HUNS SWEAR TO DIE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 30 December 1916, Page 3

HUNS SWEAR TO DIE.

EPISODE OF . COMBLES FIGHTING. SURRENDER TO THE FRENCH. " Yes, I have been obliged to surrender, but you will find in the village another company determined to die rather than sec the French enter Combles." The speakre was a German officer, and the incident was related by a military "eye-witness.''' After the capture on the night of September 25 of the advanced line of Combles, says the writer, the general impression was that the Germans ivero becoming there more and more ill at ease. Success was coming, but a formal prohibition was issued by the command against entering the place before the right moment- had come. We were waiting until the fruit was ripe. At midnight on the 25th information was received by the first line units that a German officer who was a prisoner had declared that Combles would be evacuated during the night by a low-lying road which had remained free. The time to act had arrived. Immediately measures were taken. The colonel of the 110th Regiment received orders to continue to threaten the village which the 73rd Regiment would try to enter from the south-west. Out of regard of the fatigue on the regiment it was not given an active role; but the 110th infantry wished to have the honour. At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 26th the colonel of the 110th addressed a message to his troops. He reminded them that it was costly to approach Combles, but he said; "You will not leave to others your share of glory. We are as near the place as they. We will go." Patrols belonging to the two companies dashed forward from the south-east, while detachments on the left of the 110th Regiment entered from the south-west simultaneously with the 73rd Regiment.

They had to meet the British who were advancing from the north. A London regiment was co-operating with the French, and the password was "London." Patrols entered Combles followed by two companies. They captured the cemetery with a rush and took the station. All the 'Germans left alive, frightened at seeing themselves attacked in the rear, immediately surrendered. Indeed, some detachments on the left wiing of the 110th Regiment encountered a violent resistance from machine-gun fire, which caused losses, but as soon as the situation was known a machine-gun detachment of the 110th was ordered to advance westward with the object of firing from behind into the Germans who resisted. When the company which had sworn to die perceived it was caught isolated in the rear it surrendered, and 60 prisoners were taken by the two battalions. The remainder w T ere killed on the spot in their flight This manoeuvre was so quickly executed that the British had hardly time to debouch in order to enter the village, The French and British met on a plateau north of the village, and the Allies congratulated one another on the common victory. Briefly,, the village which the Franco-British successfully restored to us was occupied by French on the morning of September 26th. A company of the 100th advanced still further and captured a battery protected by a casement east of Rancour road, pursued the flying Germans, and occupied the chapel of Combles, and a communication trench.