SEA SERPENTS ON LAND.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 February 1917, Page 6

SEA SERPENTS ON LAND.

Thrilling, and, at times, amusing, experiences while serving with a Tank in the Somme region arc described by a former Halifax resident now serving with the Canadians. “During my first days with the ‘Tank’ we were working with a Yorkshire battalion. For that reason our ship had its name changed from ‘Biting Billy’ to the ‘Tyke.’ It •was a strange experience at first, but we soon got used to it and found it the most exciting kind of joy-riding imaginable.

“Our first experience of putting the fear of God into the heart of Fritz was the day they tried to cut off the West Yorkshires. They delivered one of their steam hammer surprise attacks just after the West Yorkshires had settled into a new trench that they had captured after very hard fighting. They had tried to smother the defenders under heavy gun fire before making the attack, and the Yorkshire lads were greatly outnumbered all the time. They put up a game fight, and were holding their own when we got there, though they were being hard pressed and obviously needed a rest.

“We cut in in the grey dawn of a misty morning, and, as we appeared suddenly out of the mist behind our own trenches, we must have given the Yorkshire chaps as big a surprise as we were to give the enemy later. We went right over the trench and out into 'No Man’s Land.’ It was so misty that we could see nothing at first, but gradually as it cleared we could detect hurried movements of the enemy all around. They hadn’t the least idea of anything happening, and were moving about to further their plans for rushing the trench held by the Yorkshires. “Eight ahead of us a machine-gun detachment came up and put guns into position to cover the attack. Another sot of jokers brought up a lot of tackle which looked like a fire extinguisher and fire hose. Afterwards I learned that this was th e flame-squirting tackle. Unseen ourselves we were able - to watch all this coming and going with int'’-"h.

“We didn’t make the least move until the enemy had comfortably settled down. Then we got up steam so to speak, and careered right in among the whole outfit. If we had been the latest in sea serpents we could not have caused greater astonishment than we did when we poked our ugly nose in among that select little party of Germans. A few were so terrified that they stood rooted to the ground as though turned to stone, but the rest bolted as though a carload of fiends were after them. We didn’t wait to collect the petrified chaps, but went off express after the runaways. Then we turned to await the attack, which was delivered in ignorance of the fate that had overtaken the machine-gun party. ‘‘ We kept under cover until the attacking column was well up towards its objective. Then we gave a snort, and put ourselves across the line of the advancing enemy. They were frightened out of their wits I think. The leading troops turned tail and fled, discarding their arms in their flight. Wo went full blast, at them, and our guns played great havoc with them all the time. In about twenty minutes their whole plan of attack was knocked in the head, and they were in full retreat. The West Yorkshire lads were relieved, and they gave us a good reception when we got back.”