VIVE LA FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 257, 9 April 1915, Page 7

VIVE LA FRANCE.

THRILLING BAYONET CHARGES.

FRENCH SOLDIER'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION.

Paris. February -f. Tile first detailed iu'cninil of an exceptionally heavy engagement recently fought at Vassincourt, on the Height's of the Meuse, is published in the Monitour do la Loire, in tiie form of a letter from a participant. There were a series of bayonet charges of the most desperate character. The soldier describes them vividly: " Sections by fours. Fix bayonets! Charge! - Vivo la France! The bugles sound and the drums beat furiouslv. Tiie Marseillaise bursts forth. We are mad, and we dash forward, heads down. The Prussians fire some terrible volleys and cause many gaps. ' Close the ranks, my sons,' shouts our commander. The trumpeter, immediately in front of me, is killed with a bullet through his forehead, and I trip over his body and fall to the ground. I i pick myself up and resume inv place in 1 the front. We are hand to'hand. I "A Prussian officer with a revolver 1 <is big only weapon throws himself upon me and presses me back. Twice he fires his revolver at me, but as 'he is taller I than I the bullets fio over my neai!. j l make a feint at bayoneting him, and press the trigger nervously. I had lost my head. The bullet hit him in the chin, and he fell, saying: Mein Gott! I iiebe mutter.' ('My God! 0 dear mother.') ,

"' CONQUER OR DIE."

" The bugles are sounding the retreat, for the Germans are coming on in force, uttering wild shouts. Wc reform at the same place. 'Conquer or'die,' cries the general to us. We are called upon to make the sacrifice. It is good. Forward with the bayonet again. Most of my comrades arc wounded, and the bullets -whistle about our ears. At least ten mitrailleuses are vomiting fire upon us.

" Then the Germans try a ruse. They cause their bugles to sound the French retreat,' but they lack the trick of the tongue. It only redoubles our fury. The corporal falls, and groans, 'Avenge me!' We dislodge them, but we have to retreat again. An officer of the Chasseurs Alpins comes out of the village with me. lie lias a brave air, with his cap pulled down over his eyes, revolver in one hand and sword in the other. 'We hide behind- a threshing machine, and the lieutenant talks to mo of his wife and baby, while I talk of you (the writer's 'parents). A random shot is fired, there is a sharp ricochet, I fell a stinging pain in mv neck, and my cap falls oil'. The bullet 'lias struck the' peak antl travelled along my hair, burning me slightly. * "We stay for nine, "hours in this position, watching carefully to see if they are coming to take us. At nightfall we creep out and regain the French lamp, where they believed mo dead.

CRIES OF THE WOUNDED. "The third charge is more terrible still. It takes place at one o'clock in the morning. The flashes of rifles and the shouting are horrible, and the fire is so terrible that we throw ousolves to the ground for a minute. The colors are just in front of me and give me. ponrntre. We rush forward. It is a. terrible fight in the houses where they ai'c fur ever sheltering. We bring them quickly down, and there arc only the cries of the wounded to bfc hoard. 'Come to me-. I am ill. Mother, something to drink!' It is pitiful to hear. We run forward on the fioches. who fly in a recfiilar rout, leaving everything behind thenwbaga of provisions, bottles of stolen champagne. Tt is we who empty them, and that gives them legs 1 to fit away wtth."-<3entral News.