The Western Front

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1915, Page 5

The Western Front

FIGHT IN THE "LABYRINTH." BRILLIANT FRENCH OFFENSIVE. BAVARIAN REGIMENT DECIMATED. GREAT DEEDS OF VALOR. Received June 23, 8.30 p.m. l'aris, Juno, 23. I lie olliciul description of the French conquest of tlio "Labyrinth" says:— Our offensive north unci south was continually exposed to lire from this stronghold of blockhouses, trenches, shelters and saps. llenee our commander ordered the capture of the "labyrinth" foot by foot.

Alter two regiments had secured a footing on May 30, one attacking in the north and the other in the west, our men proceeded along t : ie saps, driving back the enemy step iby step. We fought like demons in these burrows, crushing the Germans with hand grenades and breaking down the 'barricades made of sacks of earth, "which the enemy continually threw up. The French, maddened by the sun striking hotly-into the saps, fought barehein/ed and in tVir shirt sleeves, and everyone was bloody. Monotonous days witnessed deeds of incomparable valor. On June Ist a lieutenant and a soldier reconnoitred about the centre ot the enemy's resistance, scaling a higher barrier obstructing sunken road works. They seemed to be weakly held, so the lieutenant sprang down, calling the company to follow, and in ten minutes 23(1 Germans were made prisoner by 05 Frenchmen. We pushed trench-guns ahead at each advance, throwing enormous projectiles at short range, which terrified the enemy. When the final assault commenced on the 10th, the French ran across a field of poppies and jumped the stronghold, which was captured in ten minutes. The Germans in the "labyrinth" lost the whole of the lfitii Regiment. We took a thousand prisoners aiul left the rest dead, and we decimated a Bavarian regiment. The French lost two thousand, many of whom were slightly; wounded.