CONQUEST OF T.HE LABYRINTH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 148, 24 June 1915, Page 7

CONQUEST OF T.HE LABYRINTH

STRANGE COMBAT IN DEEP TRENCHES. A WHOLE REGIMENT LOST. \ PARIS, 22nd June. The official description bf the conquest of the "Labyrinth" says: — "Our offensive north and south was continually exposed to the fire of this stronghold, consisting of blockhouses, trenchps. s-bol-ters, and saps. Hence, our comimuukr ordered the capture of tho ' Labyrinth ' loot by foot, , ■- " Ai'ter two reaiiuout* ha 4 actorcd a

footing on the 13th May, one attacking from the north and the* other from the west, our men proceeded along the saps, driving back the enemy step by st#p. They fought like demons in these burrows, crushing the Germans with handgrenades, and breaking down barricades made of sacks of earth, which the enemy continually threw up. " The French were maddened by the sun striking hotly into the saps. They fought bare-headed and in their shirt sleeves. Every one of those bloody, monotonous days witnessed deeds of incomparable valour. " On Ist June a lieutenant and a soldier reconnoitred the centre of the iMieiny's resistance, scaling a high barrier obstructing the sunken road. The Avorks -s oeaiecl. -iW£ajsi&Jield^ =; so r ..Ui^ Jic.uteuiiut

sprang down, calling his company to follow. Ten minutes later 250 Germans were made prisoners by 65 Frenchmen. They pushed the trench-guns ahead of each advance, throwing enormous piojectiles at short range, which terrified the enemy. " When the final assault commenced on the 16th. the French ran across a field of poppies, and jumped into the stronghold, which was captured in ten minutes.. The Germans in tho ' Labyrinth ' lost the whole of the 161 st Regiment. We took 1000 prisoners, and Uie rest were dead. We decimated a Bavarian regiment. The French lost '■ 2000 men. many of whom were slightly wounded." ■