INDIANS' GOOD WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 179, 7 January 1915, Page 3

INDIANS' GOOD WORK.

DARING NIGHT ATTACK. Our Indian troops are doing splendid .work, and the enemy fear the: i, says the London Times. Often at da..;nes the Gurkhas discard their rifle • and kit, • j and, armed only with their ki'.';ris, stealthily set out from the trend.es, spreading out in open formation and adopting a system of signalling known only to themselves. Often the sentries are disposed of 'without the slightest sound, and without warning a dark mass dashes up in front of the enemy's trenches. It is wifc such night attacks that openings Are made for the British troops. In the earlier days of the fighting between Ypres and Lille it was found necessary to move four French batteries from their position. After a forced 'flight march the advanced guard signalled that they were getting near the enemy. How near they were or in what strength was quite unknown. An officer of our Indian troops met them. He bad been in charge of a reconnoitring expedition by night, and had obtained valuable information. The exact strength and position of the Wurin the neighborhood were known. A whole battalion of Indians were at that moment, he explained, waiting the signal to attack the unsuspecting enemy.

There had been no fighting that sight, and a wonderful calm had settled down on the countryside. There was no moon; but there was a touch of the departed summer in the refreshing breeze which swept across the fields. The French Algerian troops and the Moroccan tirailleurs had heard that things were moving, and had obtained permission to join in this night attack.Silently they marchtowards the enemy's lines, spreading themselves out over the intcivening country, the Algerians in the vanguard. There was a sudden alarm. Shouts increasing in violence and volume came from the German ranks. Then came the crack of rifles. The Indians had accounted for their outposts. There was a general movement in the German camp and maehirfe guns were brought into action, The attacking party became siient. The enemy, assuming that every man i among our forces had bee* accounted | for, withdrew. Actually, however, our I casualties were negligible. Shelter had j been taken in a ditch which ran beside a hedge—a natural and perfect trench. 1 Once again our troops stormed the en- J emy's positions. This time they, had the aid of some French mitrailleuses, and they mowed down tho enemy. A quarter of an hour later the Indian, Moroccan, and Algerian soldier were fighting housc-to-liouse and lunl-to-hand battles in the villages of Holleoekc and Messines. As a result body of were " thrown back in disorder a loss 3 000 dead and wounded. Many prisoners wee Captured during this five hours' flgfct Six guns were taken. A n d t'ie gilies had gained stx miles,