A BAYONET CHARGE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 155, 26 November 1914, Page 5

A BAYONET CHARGE.

AM INCIDENT OF THE WAR. Private Willia 1. McGillicuddy, of th<! lri;'i Guards, writ.ug K mc to liis brother, says:—"The f-minus canint fight like our chaps. '<l tie first piaeo, they euiiii: on in large lodus, while w? refit tin 111 ill cxtendi'd order. The eani.ot • understand how wo ar<j able to !'e.-e eo rapidly. Their rapid fire is about five rounds 11 minute, whereas wo can send oil' fifteen rounds in the same time. A few days ago ivo were entrenched, and they made an attack in order to break our lines. Just as they wero witniu 400 yards of us, our infantry opened rapid fire, and to tell you the lionet: truth, the scene that met my eyes was something teirible. They were falling in quick as oats before the scythe. "They covered about 300 yards, when - we jumped out of our trenches at tho command of '"fix bayonets, charge." There was a terrible slaughter. Only a » few of tlioin stood and faced our bayonet charge, Those that ran away halted when they got to the sky lino and there put up their hands and the wliito Hag. We followed t hem up, and brought back six machine quick-lirers, and 324 ' - prisoners. Those we captured had plenty, of money, but no food of any kind. "I saw many instances of Gorman of' fie'ers shooting their men when they, show signs of fear at our bayonets, it is grand to see how Irishmen act and obey orders on the battlefield. When once they see a comrade shot tlioy put . < their whole heart and soul into their work in order to got, tho scoundrel that' laid low the man they loved." hereon 111 A. I!. Clark, of the Ut Duk'o" of Cornwall's r.erM, Infantry, writing to a friend at Wonstead, says;—" The Germans have sonic very rood snipers, but the Duke's have bettor. We used to take it in turn to do sniping. It is just' like going out rabbit shooting. You see a Gorman .crawl out a'(rendu up goes ' your rillc. and over ho rolls. Then yotf say, 'Thai's a bit of your own back lot the. way you have been treating the French people.' Our fellows are bcliaving splendidly. 1 have seen our men' when they have been only fIOO yards from the enemy shave themselves', andf also make a dron of tea. Last night' we had a concert, the hand .being presented by a mouth-organ." , i .