THE BRITISH FORCES.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2701, 21 April 1915, Page 2

THE BRITISH FORCES.

CAPTURE AX IMPORTANT HILL. MORE ABOUT NEUVE CHAPELLE London, April 19. The Press Bureau reports: A sue- - cessful action, commencing on the evening of the 17th, culminated on Sunday in the capture of an inipor- . taut liill—lS T o. GO —two miles south of . Zjiiebeke. The Jαlll dominates the . country to the north and north-west. ' London, April 19. The Press Bureau reports: Thesuccessful explosion of a mine under .. Hill 60 commenced the operations at Zillcbeke. Many Germans were K-ll-ed a-nd 15 captured. The Germans, at daybreak on iho 18I'll, made ;i, heavy counter-attack, but weie _ repulsed with heavy loss. They "advanced in close l'ormsitioii, tvhen a machine-gun battery got well into them. Desporate efforts were made on Sunday to recover the hill, h;t were everywhere repulsed with great, loss. Hundreds of dead are vow in I rout of the captured position, whete tlie British havo consolidated in strength. Two Taubes were hrou.-r.nt down on Sunday, making five brought down in this area since the loth. Later. The capture, of Hill 60 is an important step. The task of swinging round the German right aud blowing up tho hill resembled a volcanic eruption and was the signal for a vast? battle- coy- , ering (several miles of front. The , lighting was as fierce as that* at Neuve Chapelle. Tlie artillery following up the sappers' work played . i havoc with the German trenches, and i the infantry fell upon the foe, who were utterly demoralised, and drove, them back for three -miles with terrible losses, 80- being taken prisoner by Sunday afternoon. The Germans jon Saturday suddenly prepared to evacuate Menin, and reserves were sent towards Courtrai, but later a counter movement was made and the 1 troops rushed back on Menin. ! The Press Bureau reports: At 1 Neuve Chapelle, in a quiet room where Nelson's Prayer stands on a mantelshelf General French unfolded • his plan. To the surprise of the ■ Army Corps commanders, it was the 3 essence of the onslaught. The Germans were to be battered by artillery ' and rushed before they recovered, .It was calculated that 86 hours would elapse before the Germans would be able to reinforce. Neuve Chapelle was the first objective, and afterwards the troops were to press on to Boisdebiez. The attack was entrusted to the Indians on the right and the Fourth Army Corps in the centre and , j on the left. After the first line of k trenches were captured the Indians were to sweep on to Boisdebiez, while 5 the French were to occupy the village. The Germans kept watch. A 3 captain in the German trenches noj ticed an unusual movement in the British lines, and urgently requested '■' the artillery to open fire. The latter replied politely that their instructions were not to fire without the expressed order of the corps commander. Hell then broke loose. The night became hideous with the screeching noise as hundreds of guns spoke. The troops 5 were ready to advance on the village.' ' before the artillery had finished their i work, and they stood in the open 5 laughing and joking amid the terrific • din. The capture of the village at i the bayonet point was bloody work, i Tlirough the thick veil of shell smoke - tho Germans were seen on all sides pinergitu/ half dazed from cellars and i dug-outs with their hands above their i heads, others firing from windows, ' from behind carts, and even from bel hind tombstones, machine guns and - houses. A portly German was found dancing in an agony of fear and • screaming in. English, "Mercy! I'm ' married." A Britisher took him prisoner, saying. "Your missus won't thank us for sending you home."