RAIN OF 50,000 SHELLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1916, Page 5

RAIN OF 50,000 SHELLS.

a iwuAirc.vrs fightixg day A well-merited tribute, to the splendid courage of a London regiment is contained in ii communication received by the Central Xews from a correspondent at the front. "A gallant exploit of this regiment," he says, "should stir the pride of the City of London, for it is almost wholly composed of City meiiMhefore they responded to Lord Kitchener's call nearly all of them were stockbrokers, some of ■ them making thousands u year, or bankers, or newspaper men. in Fleet Street. "About an hour before dawn the Germans begun to bombard their section of the line. In the short space of fifty minutes un avalanche of 5!),li0(l shells' were rained upon them. Trenches wers wrecked and wire entanglements and other obstacles wtrc swept away like '.•halt. Dozens of men were killed or ' wounded, but the ever-thinning line determined to hold on. "Then came a lull, and the Germans, , calculating that no living being could remain to defend the position, prepar- ', ed to launch an attack. An they ap- ,_,, proached, however, they were suddenly"y'' ! amazed to see the men of the London, regiment, fearless of death, appear on \ the parapet of their trendies. Standing with bayonets fixed they shouted to the Germans, who were not many yards away, 'Come on, Fitz.' But the Germans, instead of accepting the invitation, scuttled back to their own trenches, suf- ''■'.■ feriug many casualties en route. When gratulations."