SAVING THE GUNS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 145, 14 November 1914, Page 7

SAVING THE GUNS.

GENERAL DAVIES' ORDER. ] GUNNERS' HEROIC STRUGGLE. A sergeant of the Ist Royal BcrkBhires, in the 6th Infantry Brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General R. H. Davies, of New Zealand, writing to his •wife at Reading from the Military Hospital at Leeds, tells a thrilling story of the engagement at Soissons. He says:— "After firing had lasted two hours and I a half the order to retire was given. This < we did through a wood. Then General Davies came along and said, 'Turn about, men; you must save the guns at all costs.' There were only about 50 of us, and we made a series of short rushes under a heavy shrapnel fire until we were up to the guns. The Germans were not more than 800 yds away, but we were getting a very few bursts, while we .could see the Germans going down in scores. Every shoi of ours told, it being impossible to miss the enemy, who had formed from six to ten deep. We could see our artillery shells simply mowing the Germans down. Still they came on. Presently the order rang out to us to abandon the guns, but gallant young Lieutenant Hibbert said, 'No, boys; we will never let a German take a British gun.' Then our chaps raised a cheer and resumed rapid firing. The guns hud expended all their ammunition,

but we kept on, and presently were reinforced by the South Statt'ords. The guns' crews stuck to their task most heroically, and amidst much cheering we rescued the whole of them. During this task one of my chums was shot, and I succeeded in dragging him out of the line of fire into safety. At the same moment I found the Germans had advanced while my pals had fallen well back. 1 decided then to have a further pop at the Germans, being then 'on my own,' and no sooner had 1 let fly than I was shot, but fortunately was not too wounded to go out of the enemy's range. Later, from a good position, I saw the Roots Greys and the 12$ h l.ancers make a grand charge. I saw some of the Germans drop on their knees and hold their hands up, but as soon as our cavalry got through the Germans who had thrown their rides on the ground picked them up and began firing again. They quickly paid the penalty, as our cavalry turned about and then rightly showed the Germans no mercy. I don't think there were more than 10 Germans left out of about 2000."