A REMARKABLE FEAT BY SAPPERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2501, 30 June 1915, Page 9

A REMARKABLE FEAT BY SAPPERS

• HOW THE FRENCH TOOK VERMELLES. The French paid heavily for the capture of Vermelles, but eventually they got their place back by a remarkable operation. Moutlis ago their progress to the town seemed barred by an insuperable obstacle. The opposing forces were separated by an open space several hundred yards broad. The Germans were lu great force behind the long outer walls of an old castle. From the loopholes in the walls they subjected the French, entrenched "in the houses opposite, to a violent fusillade. It was impossible to advance into this open space to attack «nd to storm the walls, and the position seemed desperate. An officer confronted this new difficulty by the use of an old weapon. He ordered the excavation of two parallel tunnels distant ten yards one from the otlier. and which were directed from the French side towards the wall of the castle, and at a deptli of six yards. The proceeding was long, tiring, and exhausting. While in the light of day French and Gorman soldiers were falling killed and wounded, six yards below the surface through the hard earth the sappers slowly excavated two galleries which gradually advanced towards the unsuspecting enemy. These two galleries were the longest underground twinels which have been accomplished by mining and sapping in this war. One gallery measured 105 yards and the other 95 yards. When these two tunnels wore completed 2501b. of dynamite was placed in one and 2201b. in the other. Everything was ready for the attack. On December 6, at 11 in tile morning, the mines were exploded. Two volcanoes seemed to spout from the earth. The leiiEtii of the tunnels was not well calculated; the mine, instead of exploding under the enomy's trenches, exploded a few yards in front, but the force of it was ko great that the walls of the castle crumbled up and buried many of the defenders in tlie ruins, while tiie others, terrified at the, unexpected cataclysm, fled. The French pressed homo the attack, and from that moment Vermelles was delivered from the enemy for ever.

So koen to get to the front, arn the men of the new armies that experts declare the recruits are learning more in a wpek than the average m/n does ! n a mouth. They are putting' in from twel'" fo fourteen hours a rja.v hy rav of <f~*?l. musketry instruction, physical '.raining, nnrl \roitt« iHiirrhinc. and tIiAT M'B EMVWK Mtom&fcißslv fit,