HIGHLANDERS' STAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1918, Page 7

HIGHLANDERS' STAND.

—-"■■ i ■ ; ** . i : HEAVY TOLL OE ENEMY, A MURDEROUS EIRE. LONDON, AprU 13, Mr Hamilton Fyfe says that after 24 hours'.fighting on Messines Hidge, the enemy gained a footing in the village. , A machine gunner says; " The Germans were so thick we could shoot them down with our eyes shut. We fired straight .into them, and they went down in heaus, but, they were so thick we could not stop them." The Highlanders fought splendidly. I saw numerous; wounded in bonnets' and kilts, waiting, for attention. 1 said ."You Highlanders are- everywhere, you' i get into, all battles."- WitJi ■ a ' broad grin 'arid. Bmqke-blackened features, one replied, '/We're never far awa'." The Highlanders . said that the German efforts to cross the Lys was pro-' , dig'ious.' They got it hot and strong. "We-were told to hold " our'fire,'and 'when-.tie crowds were crossing to let fly. 'li was •murderous." A little Yorkshireman remarked, , '"We had just as good alongside the ! -hedge. The Tows of grey uniforms were , not expecting us. We pumped LewisI gun, bullets into them till our arms ! ached.". , Illustrating the coolness of , the Highlanders, an officer said that a . number found food in the trenches . where, ithe troops had just retreated. . .They prepared bacon and eggs and ate ; . with fine appetite amidst the terrific , l battle din, and remarking with his I mouth full.- "Never miss a chance is our motto." I In the fighting about White Chateau ( 'the Royal Scots were splendid, Both , Highlanders and Lowlanders fought \ 'with stubbornness and 'valour;' "■ A. story ids told of two machine-gun-ners who were compelled 'jto fall bade, ' leaving their.guns in the possession of the enemy. They brooded over the loss I until night-fall.- "Then they went out, ' crept 800 yards into the German posi- ' tions, Areturired with their ' own guns, ' and German one. 3 The ■ German claims in regard to ' prisoners is untrue and are apparently " based on the size aud character of the * front of attacks hnd the probable '" number of the defenders. They claimed ISOOO prisoners at Armentieres, though * the fact is that the town is evacuated without pressure and quite deliberate--1 ly. If there were any prisoners they must have been odd stragglers and out- : jlying posts ' " Tlie claim that they captured a Brit- ■■• ish General is probably correct, for' a 0 brigadier gallantly rallied a handful of £ men and. ton liter-attacked, advancing I) on -masses of Germans. The enemy continued his ruthless shelling, and tlirew gas shells into the innocent villi lage, ; poisoning 50 civilians,' mostly : " women and children, i, ; ■ i ■