TERRIBLE BOMBARDMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 19 May 1917, Page 6

TERRIBLE BOMBARDMENT.

GERMAN MORTAR PROJECTILE

In a letter to a friend, a soldier from the Auckland district, now in France, describes a German boni/l hardment. he soldiers says:

“I had v. fortnight lately right away from the front in the peaceful country well back. One never saw anything of the ravages of war there. Guns could only be heard faintly, and 'the eternal gas helmets were thrown aside. A party of us were engaged in "building an internment and barb-wire enclosure for prisoners. Work like this makes you feel a civilian again. The tension of the front line is quite oil your mind and sleep is plentiful. One feels quite recuperated. “On getting back we w r ent immediately to the front line, and the next morning the Germans subjecte - us to a terrible bombardment, qr c the worst I have seen yet. They ' ave a

trench mortar projectile, perh~ s the ugliest of all their missiles. T t was rather a horrible sight to see these things coming along in showe’ s Just before dawn. A shower of sparks followed their flight. Landing, they ex-I-Odcl i-ith a texrific concussion, raak-

ing small craters where they landed. Parapets became heaps of debris. We were sheltered well and the machineguns played incessantly. Our machine guns and artillery replied very effectively and we certainly got the best of the deal. Our New Zealand - .artillery is certainly very good. A small party of Germans came across but were beaten off. We got their captain—a Bavarian who had the Iron Cross. He had his leg blown off, and his face mangled. He only lived for a shert while. It was saddening the total of our own killed and wounded. One does not brood about these things, they are dead instantly. Those left are thankful to be alive, but can realise vividly the horrors of war.”