AN OLD-TIME BRITISH CHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 63, 15 March 1915, Page 5

AN OLD-TIME BRITISH CHARGE.

GERMANS BREAK BEFORE IMPETUOUS ONSLAUGHT. SURPRISED AMD OUT-MANOEUVRED. LONDON, March It. The British success at Neuve Chapelle has aroused enthusiasm. After several attempts to dislodge the enemy from the village a turning movement was resorted to. French artillery on .Tuesday night prepared the way for the advance, compelling the enemy to evacuate the first line of trenches. The German artillery was helpless. The Germans, fearing the division of their forces, dared uot diminish their immediate defence of the village. This lost them the battle. The British, on Wednesday morning, impatiently awaited the word to advance. Then a spontaneous yell arose from thousands of throats as the command was given. Overwhelming the surprised Germans, the British passed rapidly from trench to trench, sometimes rolling over each other in the mud. GERMAHB SURRENDER WITHOUT A STRUGGLE. The Germans detected the manoeuvre too late. They hurled forward every available man in a futile attempt to force a passage, but the British firing paralysed the onrush, and most of the enemy surrendered without a struggle. The British then completely surrounded the village, and profiting by tlie enemy's disarray advanced in the afternoon to the Pietrc, cross-roads, I,6ooyds from the village. The Germans, who, by this time, had been reinforced, vigorously counterattacked, but did not gain in inch, and sustained heavy losses. After their defeat by the British at Ncuve Chapelle, the Germans entrenched themselves in a strong position in front of Auber, from where many machine-guns opened a terrible fire, inflicting severe losses. Nevertheless the British held a firm grip on the new position. An artillery combat is now raging. An official communique states that after repulsing two strong counterattacks the British captured part of the German lines in the Pietre region, taking 400 prisoners. FIRM GRIP OP THE NEW POSITION. Thereafter the British continued to progress. They crossed a rivulet at Leyes parallel to the road from Xeuve Chapelle to Fleurtaix, capturing several groups of bouses organised for defence. During tbe day a 'thousand prisoners were taken. The Germans also lost several machine-guns. The official Press Bureau states that Sir John French reports as follows: "Slight further progress was made on Saturday, by the Seventh Division, towards Auber. The fighting was very severe. '"The enemy was reinforced opposite to my right by at least two divisions. We captured 612 prisoners, and more arc coming in. "Our aircraft has been active, destroying the junction at Dol and Douvai." Two thousand German prisoners from Xeuvc Chapelle have arrived at Havre, on their way to England.