DISASTER TO PRUSSIAN GUARDS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 83, 5 October 1914, Page 7

DISASTER TO PRUSSIAN GUARDS

BRIGADE DECEIVED. THE DEATH'S HEAD HUSSARS. PARIS, 3rd October. Details of the disaster to the Prussian Guards on 26th September show that the bridgade included the regiment formerly commanded by the Crown Prince., The brigade, taking advantage of fog, advanced unperceived against the French lines, but had not reckoned on the strength of the French entrenchments. When tho sun broke the mist the French commander ordered silence until the word of command had been given. The Guards were deceived, and advanced until a bugle-call was followed by a volley, which decimated the first line. Despite their officers' encouragement, the second line wavered. The Crown Prince's regiment, officered by the flower of the German aristocracy, charged one flank, but found themselves opposed by the men of the battalions d'Afrique. The Guards made a heroic resistance, but were unable to live under the withering fire from the French, and dwindled to a handful. The Africans completed the task. A Bordeaux message states that the Guards' attack, which aimed at cutting the railway between Reims and Verdun, encountered the French batteries neav Souain. The French saw the Death's Head Hussars a thousand metres away, and quickly took out the horses. Wheiwthe enemy were six hundred metres away the batteries- had loaded. The Hussars continued at a furious gallop, and when the gunners fired the plain was dotted with black masses of struggling horses. The Prussian officers tried in vain to rally their men. Thp batteries fired again, and the Hussars fled. BRITISH VESSEL LOST SUNK BY A MINE. LONDON, 3rd October. The British steamer Da.wdon, bound from Hull to Antwerp, was sunk by a mine. F.ight of the crew were brought to Ostencl, nine are missing. [The Dawdon, built in 1878, was an iron screw steamer of 1310 tons gross. She was owned by R. Thornman, and her gorb q£ registry was Suaderland.J