THE HEROES OF LOOS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 278, 22 November 1915, Page 6

THE HEROES OF LOOS.

FLOWER OF SCOTLAND'S MANHOOD. MAKING HISTORY. WHY ATTACK ON HILL 70 FAILED. LONDON, November 21. Mr. Philip' Giibbe, the war correspondent, describing the battle of Loos, i says that because the people do not ] know what men fought there, one of I the bloodiest struggles in history is etill ' to them vague and impersonal. Only | the Guards'were seen and given recogni- • tion. J The story is now told of the Fifteenth unci Forty-Seventh Divisions, who preceded the" Guards. The Fifteenth contained the flower of Scotland's manhood, and such regiments as the Black Watch, CamcroiiD, Gordons, Argylle, Sutherlands, Seaforths, Royal Scots, King's Own Borderers, and Highland Light Infantry. These are now good veterans. The 47th comprised territorials, drawn from the Civil Service, city officers, warehouses, and playhouses of London. As the French troope watched these Londoners advance, they saw one kicking a football, and thought he was mad. But he was a London Irishman, who was determined not to lose his football, and he kept it during the whole of the 14Q0 yards advance. This "was the finest football sprint in history. After describing the cemetery fight, and the hand-to-hand fighting at Loos, Mr. Gibbe says: 'The scene on Saturday night and Sunday morning at Loos will make one of the most astounding stories of history. .Tjicspldicra crowded among the shattered, nouses and corpsc-choke'd' cellars, wounded men staggered altout the streets, doctors rendered first aid in the roadways, while shells were bursting overhead, and the roar of the great battle on every side filled the air with its infernal tumult. Subsequently the Fifteenth and a brigade of the Twenty-first attacked the redoubt on Hill 70, but failed. The Highlanders flung themselves against the stronghold again and again, but owing to the lack of adequate support and heavy casualties no progress was made. Both the Fifteenth and Forty -seventh were finally relieved after three days of incessant fighting. They hod proved to be soldiers worthy of the best traditions of Scotland and London.