GALLANT FRENCH TROOPS

Taihape Daily Times, 26 August 1918, Page 2

GALLANT FRENCH TROOPS

INSTANCES OF HEROISM Describing the failure of the Germans in. their drivel towards Paris, the speeiiial ccfrrespondent) foi the Morning Post, writing from the French front, says:— The phase of the battle succeeding the fall of Mount Choisy was an attack delivered directly on Carlopont Forest. This was of the classical type. There was a violent hail of shells of all calibres, including, an abundance of gas and smoke shells. This continued until seven o’clock, the front lines, and roads being deluged with projectiles. The artillery preparation was followed by a continuous bombardment of the rear and by a barrage fire that lasted until eleven. The attack was delivered between Bempigny and y he bond of the Oise to the cast of it I he telephone wires in the sector had long ceased to exist. The whole French right had been crushed by shells, and almost from the outset of the engagement reserves had to be -brought up to the centre. At twenty minutes after seven, 20 minutes after the attack yeas delivered, a battalion commander on the left was wounded and .a. liaison officer was killed. By twenty minutes past seven lire- right was broken through, smoke shells having facilitated enemy infiltration. Reserves wore thrown in to re-establish the position, and the enemy were forced back to their point of origin, leaving nine prisoners in the hands of the French and many dead on the ground. RUNAWAY' GERMAN PRISONERS

After a heavy bombardment of the M-shapcd loop of the Oise, to the west of Pontoise, the Germans crept along the river bank, crossed the water, driving in a French outpost, and established a position in the loop of the river. They were temporarily driven out, but eventually reoccupied it in force, and from that point began in-* filtrating into Carlepont Wood. At this point the position was considered and at a quarter past -twelve orders' were given to retake the wood. Minethrowers were used on both sides, and after desperate fighting the wood wrff cleared, the French, by good fortune and the skilful way in which they were handled, being able to take the enemy both in front and on the flank. In this successful French counterattack there was an incident of intesest. A French detachment had made

some 50 men prisoners, but when these found that they outnumbered their captors by three to one they dashed for the river and tried to swim t?

safety. All who made the attempt wore shot down, either as they were swimming or as they reached the opposite bank. By seven o ’clock the attack had failed. The enemy were back in their old lines and had last a certain number of machine,lguns anjd prisoners.

Many instances are quoted of conspicuous heroism among the men engaged. Thus a machine-gunner succeeded in stopping the advance of an enemy section single-handed, and, though refused to leave his post or to have his wound dressed till three hours after the engagement. A liaison sergeant, who has already been thrice wounded, was hit by shell splinters, but spent his time dressing the wounds of ethers till he fainted from exhaustion. Instances of this sort cduld Jbe multiplied may seem that too much emphasis has been laid on these two engagements, which, after all, were not on the large scale to which wo have become accustomed. They derive importance, however, from the fact that they constituted the prelude and provide the explanation of the Noyon-Montdidier attack.

AMERICANS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. The recent success obtained by Anw erican troops at Belleau Wood pears to be causing uneasiness to fiho Germans, for ffclAs Significant that they do not mention the Americans their communiques. They have done so much propaganda in Germany as to the impossibility of American troops being a serious factor that they refuse, as far as possible, to mention, them as being in the front lino, and, moreover, they take special pains to prevent their securing a success. Thus, recently, in tho region of Chateau Thierry, two resting divisions were hurried up to the front with orders to prevent at any price American troops from advancing. The German Army is fully conscious of the gravity of the American menace and German officers freely admit that it is to avoid it that tho High Command is making such desperate efforts to end the war. Prisoners taken at Belleau have expressed admiration for the courage of the Americans and for their refusal to allow themselves to be made prisoners. These German prisoners have also referred to the heavy losses inflicted by the French artillery.