THE GUNS AND THE HUNS.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 June 1918, Page 3

THE GUNS AND THE HUNS.

Here is a thrilling story extracted from a private letter received in Hawera of an incident in the fight put up by a British artillery company during the German attack on Ihe West front. After describing the suddenness of the attack and onslaught, the writer says: "The Major was wounded, and carried away by one of the men just before the Huns swept down. But two of the. guns were detached from the main position, and these Ellis (a personal friend and fellow-officer of the narrator) > ommanded. He went on firing into the midst of the oncoming Huns until his range was 250 yards, and men had to crouch to avoid the splinters of their own shells. However, he held them up, and then a few infantry were rallied to the sound of the guns, and a great sta'nd was made —Ellis walking up and down behind the two guns, with the Huns sniping from about 400 yards, shouting to his gunners the ranges, telling them this was the day of their lives, that up till to-day they had been useless blots on the earth, and now they were doing a job of work. For hours this went on, till the last shell was fired and the Hun was so thoroughly frightened that he allowed Ellis to take away his sights and destroy the guns."