SUFFOCATED FRENCHMEN JEERED AT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 272, 27 April 1915, Page 5

SUFFOCATED FRENCHMEN JEERED AT.

AVENGED BY REINFORCEMENTS. AN INFAMOUS TRICK. CANADIANS AVENGE ABUSE OF 'WHITE FLAG. GERMANS CROSS THE YSER. BUT ARE THROWN BACK. Received April 26, 10.5 pm.. London, April 20. The Daily 'Chronicle states that after the gas had escaped for fifteen minutes masked Germans took possession of the arms of the dead men, :but made no prisoners. When they saw soldiers whom .the fumes had not quite killed they threw their rifles into t)he Yser, and ironically advised the asphyxiated men to lie down ,and t' : ius die better.

When reinforcements arrived, the French opened a terrible fire. Simultaneously the Canadians thrust in a . v>cdge, cutting off many Germans who fluid advanced too far.

riP 11 onlcr to P'ay an infamous trick on ,a party of Frenchmen, a German, column 'that was threatened with decimation owing to the French fire, held their riflebutts and waved in the air a white flag, calling out: 'l\Ve surrender." When near the French trenches they ppened rfire, killing many Frenchmen, whom the were able to avenge. Floods north of the ferryman's house prevented tine use of chlorine, as the trenches were too far apart. Here the Germans, four abreast, preceded by three machine-guns, advanced on the road, crossing the floods regardless of the Allies' Ijig guns. The Germans (lid not use their mac ! iine-guns until they were close to the Belgian trenches, when they poured in a hot-fire and charged with bayonets.' They were able to cross owing to their great number. ' The Belgians fought gallantly until reinforcements'arrived and ena;bkd them ,to throw back the Germans at several points over the Yscr.. Germans north of Dixmude attacked many times in serried ranks, particularly at Chateau Decogne, which is a small country ''louse and garden situated among a number of peasant cottages.