WESTERN ATTACK

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1916, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK

CAPTURE OF A MONASTERY. A GRIM STORY. bomb fighting in vaults. GERMAN'S CRUSHED BY TANKS. Received Oct. S, 3.5 p.rn London, Oct. 7. Mr. Philip Gibbs relate? a "rim story concerning the capture of a monastery at Kaucourt L'Abbaye. Kni* three days and nights there were terrifying doings in the deep vaulted' crypts and cellars, which the heaviest British explosives were unable to reach. The Britishers 1 followed the Germans into the vaults and fought with bombs, which tilled the caverns with strange lights, loosened massive stones and smashed ancient pillars. Scores of bodies still lie in pools of blood in the depths of the vaults. An even stranger sight was that of two tanks, which crawled over the trenches, crushing the Germans. Ail early British attack was checked at the double line of trenches in front of the monastery. The tanks enalbled the infantry to pass the trenches and thiough the monastery ruins, and to dig a new ditch on the northern side. The storm and rain swamped the ditch around and behind, forming a quagmire of a mile. Food and ammunition carriers mere bogged, and it was impossible to get supplies to the little body of men in the Abbey. They were dangerously isolated, and their position would have been desperate, but the Germans themselves had lost heart, being as wet and hungry ai our men were, so they decided to retreat. Only (i fe'w snipers and machinegunners stayed. A party of surrenderee, under an officer, came to the Abbey and told the story. A DOGGED FIGHT, Later, German reserves arrived with new supplies, and they made a bomb attack on the Britisliers in the Abbey. We had the disadvantage, owing to the accidental explosion of a dump of bombs, leaving the Britishers with only what they carried on their bodies. The dogged fight continued for two days amid heavy rainstorms. The Britishers desperately clung.to their waterlogged holes, the fighters being wet to the skin, covered with mud, and utterly nveary, while the wounded were in a tragic plight, but the fighting spirit was unquenched throughout/, and the hottest fighting conti»ued undergroulfd. GERMAN DEAD IS ABBEY VAULTS. Finally, we cleared up Kaucourt L'Abbaye. This is a technical phrase, and has an u'glv significance, It means that there is not a single German in the abbey vaults except the bodies of the dead. If the ghosts of ojd monks walk, wiio once came blinking down with horn lanthorns to fetcli the abbot's wine, they would see the British soldiers, covered with mud and cleaning rifles, binding up the wounded and cheerfully chating of tight that was over. BRITISH LINE EXTENDED. LE SARS CAPTURED. Received Oct. 8, 11.45 p.m. Londor, Oct, 8. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: C'o-operating with i£'e French, we attacked from the Albert-Bapaumo road to Les Boeufs. Our line betwpen (luedeeourt and Les Boeufs has advanced from 1100 to 1000 yards. 'W; captured Le Sars and progressed eastward and westward thereof. The combined aircraft greatly assisted. MINIMISING THE CASUALTIES VALUE OF ALLIED RESEARCH. ANGLO-FRENCH INTERCHANGE DISCOVERIES. .Received Oct. 8, ».5 p.m. London, Oct. 7. The Press Bureau, from an authoritative source, explains the comparatively small casualties in the recent Somme fighting. Experience, lias taught Britishers to advance under the fire of their artillery without rushing so fast as to dasli into their own barrage, or so cautiously as to lose their momentum either in attack or advance. This knowledge is due to the constant and generous exchange of ideas and discoveries between the British and French armies, all experiences being immediately pooled. After Martinpich was taken, the unluiried Germans far outnumbered the British, belying everything that experience had told about the relative expen--1 siveness of attack and defence, while ior every three British casualties at Thiepval of all kinds we took two German prisoners. The simultaneous rcduci tion of the casualty rate in both the British and French armies -prove? the 1 value of the Allied research M'ork, S HEAVY SHELLING. f -i';' Received Oct. 8, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 7. General Sir Douglas Haig states that heavy shelling continues in most parts from southwards of the Anere. Our ar- ' tillery successfully dealt with- enemy working parties. Paris, Oct. 7. A communique reports: A strenuous artillery struggle continues on both banks of the Somme. • There has been no infantry action except' a slight advance eastward of Bouehavcsnes. Our heavy artillery at Woevre effectively shelled the military roads and railway stations. CHINESE LABOR FOR FRANCE, Received Oct. S, 5.3 p.ir. Tientsin, Oct. 7. Tt has been decided to ship further i Chinese laborers to France at the end ; of the month. Recruiting for this purt pose continues excellent. 3 MINOR OPERATIONS. t Received Oct. if, 5.5 p.m. i London, Oct. 7. General Sir Douglas Haig reports: We l completely repulsed a bomb attack on 1 our new positions north-east of Eaucourt s L'Abbaye. Our patrols were successful l in'night raids on trenches in the Ameniisr&a.Loos sector.