IN FRANCE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1916, Page 5

IN FRANCE.

"THE RECKLESS IRISH."

CROAT FEATS ON WEST FRONT, CAPTURE OF GINCHT AND . GUILLEMOIs'T. A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION. [N.Z. TRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYHICJIT.] LONDON, September 11. . Mr. Philip Cibl.s,. the Daily Chronicle correspondent, 'describing the Irish Brigade's; capture of Gi'nchy, says : - The i'Ottack began at five In the afternoon. The Irish charged, cheering and shouting, and rushed forward in four waves in open order at fifty yards: intervals. Their left, flank reached the first hailing place in the village, six hundred yards distant, in eight minutes, which is almost a. record.

1 Their right Hank was. checked by three machine-guns and many fell, whilo German marksmen sniped the officers. It was a serious situation unless the machine gunners could be killed.

Our troops inside the right flank executed a, brilliant piece of military tactics; and swung round and attacked the machine guns by an encircling movement.

The German gun teams were obliged to bolt for three hundred yards with their weapons to other trenches, where they resumed firing until knocked out by the Irish trench mortars.

The right, whip; then joined up with the -left and both advanced throughout the village, in the centre of which amidst the dugouts: and tunnel;: stood an old farm, in which, were again more, inaoh ine-guns. The Irish then brought up their mortars and a. brief storm of high explosives silenced the machine-guns. In all kinds of place;.;, in the northera half of the village, snipers and riflemen were- hidden in especially tunnelled and concrete chambers,!, equipped with loopholes at the ground level. The reckless, Irish swept over the pla.ee, searching out the enemy. There was the grimmest, liand-to-hund lighting in shell craters, and dug-outs. The Bavarian defenders, who had newlv arrived in the firing line, were brave and determined and fought savagely with bombs, rifles, and even bayonets.

The whole thing was over quickly. The Dublinsi leading the charge, our men were soon through the village. There was one menace which mighthave I'd to disaster but for quick wit ami lighting genius. The Irish Brigade's astounding success in capturing the enemy's position on a, front, of nine hundred yards lor a depth of nearly a mile- left them with an exposed (lankA young sapper officer quickly realised Ihe situation and took command of a body of men, who dug defensive works on the Hunk and organised, strong posts against counter-attacks. The Brigade's achievement was splein. did remembering that Hey had no supporting troops' on either flank. Men who were ordered to remain in the village almost wept with rage. As a practical instance of the Irish fighting spirit, three servants, of the Brigade Staff temporarily desertedOne left a note to his masters on the table : "As 1 could 'not be at Guillemont, 1 am going to Ginchy, so please excuse me." OPERATIONS REVIEWED. OFFICIAL REPORTS. (Hioil Commissioner's Cable..) . LONDON, September 12, British OiHoial— Yesterday we paused two large conflagrations in the enemy's ammunition depots at (jrttuldfoiu't. Theie was hostile ariiUerv lire nl night time between TJelville Wood and Moquet Wood. Fjtmkli Ofli< ial ---South of the Somme we repulsed an enemy attack east of Belloy-cn-santerre. We occupied a German trench south of Borny cemetery. There is the usual cannonade elsewhere. West of A'ardar a Bulgarian trench .south of Ma.jadag was captured on a front of three kilometres to a deptli of 800 metres. Prisoners were taken.

AN INFERNO, ALLIES' TERRIBLE BOMBARDMENT. pREUTER'S TELEGRAM.] NEW YORK, September 12. The Associated Press correspondent with the German nrmicH cables that the Allies' artillery preceding' the latest attacks on the Somme shook windows at Gambia i. A realisation of what this inferno means may be gathered from tho fact that troops ar<» going for the first time prepared to hold out for a week without communication, while pigeoncarriers have replaced telephones to, the front and rearward owing to the lines being regularly smashed.

ON TO THE THIRD LINE. FRENCH EXPERT'S VIEWS. LONDON, August 21. The well-known French military expert. General Chorfils, ,'ih an article specially written for the Franco-British people, says:— "We are well on the way-to the, conquest of the German third line, against which the advance north-west of Pozieres began operations .'of 'the importance of which frequent mention has been made. Stubborn counter-attacks show the desire of the enemy to prevent our progress. He was unable to launch great counterattacks, but lie succeeded in his object of glowing down our advance.. It is siege warfare as regards speed, but the rolling mound in the direction of Bapatiffie facilitates our advance." Referring to the Carso campaign, the writer says that the .Austrian* have been apparently reinforced outside, Trentino. It "is also stated that, the Germans will contribute to the ; defence of Trieste, which, interests those in high command. Meanwhile the we left' tq take MM'Qi •'. ' . • ,

DELUGE OF STEEL.

; HOW LONG CAN THE GERMANS STAND IT J . . PARIS, September 12. Correspondents at the British front speak,of the swelling sea, of reseryeg who, owing to our air mastery, move openly. They hint that the Germans, who are everywhere-outfought, cannot much longer resist- the deluge of steel. LLOYD 'GEORGE AT VERDUN AN HISTORIC EVENT. PARIS, September 12. Mr. Lloyd George was a guest at an historic dinner at the invitation of General Dubois and the officers of the Verdun garrison in a subterranean chamber in Ihe centre of I lie citadel. Mr. Lloyd George said that Verdun would ever, evoke imperishable memory. It not only saved France, but, the cause of the whole qi' humanity. BATTLE 0i- THE MAP.NE. HOW.VICTORY WAS ACHIEVED. PARIS, September 12. A correspondent was conducted l»y a stall' officer over ihe battlefield of the Msirne and learned interesting facts 1 , clearing up many mysteries regarding Von Kluek's famous retreat. The officer detailed all the move,-,, sinewing that the retirement wau not an accident but in consequence of JoiTre's carefully planned tactic;-;. The battle front extended from Paris; to Verdun, 1,250,000 men being engaged on both side;'. Wtiile the Ihrca struggle swayed the fortunes were &u delicately balanced that Gallieni'a S,OOO men pent from Paris in taxicabs assured the success of Joffie's plans, wrecking German strategy. NO MAN'S LAND. GRIM STRUGGLES IN DARK. LURKERS AND PROWLERS. LONDON, August. 22. Mr. Beach Thomas, Daily Mail correspondent on the Western front, describes: a new kind of fighting practised by the Germany Singly and in Humbert; they lie hidden in shell-hole:;, like trapdoor spiders: or hermit craba. They remain "doggo" during the daytime. At night, however, they become busy with machine-guns: or auto-

malic riihs. 'they are mostly volunteers, and have sworn never to surrender. They make no bones about shooting any of their comrades who do. Our snipera are continually stalking them. Both sides make use of makeshift trenches of shell-holes linked together, and a bewildering diversity of mushroom spring up everywhere during the night, making No- Man's Land Every Man's Hand. The strange, grim warfare going on here resembles the continuous struggle for existence amongst the beasts of the. jungle. Some lie in. lairs, some prowl to spring. Ti is, the Germans who lurkWe who hunt. KING'S VISIT TO TKE FRONT. "TROOPS NOT PAMPERED." TALK WITH BELGIAN EOT. LONDON, August 17. Numerous iueiden*; are related by Renter's representative at British headquarters on the western front of the King's visit to the battle line. The monarch snhited the grave of "an unknown soldier." He also commented on the luxurious bedsteads seen in an old German, trench, and said : "I am afraid that my soldiers cannot complain that they are pampered." The .soldiers were delighted at the King's presence, and spoko admiringly of the Prince of Wales. A pretty incident occurred when His Majesty espied the mascot of the Northamptonshire Regiment, a 'l2-year-old Belgian boy, who was dressed in the khaki uniform of a lance-corporal. The King conversed in French with the lad, and said that he hoped he would soon become a. general. The King also decorated several French officen. KIMO SEES AMZACS, PROUD OF "THEIR DOINGS. A PANTOMIME '"MASSACRE." LONDON, August 21. The Times correspondent at British Headquarters on the Western front writes: "His Majesty went everywhere without any warning being" given of his coming. He saw the- everyday life ot the troops. While they were waiting for luncheon tho King, President Poincare, General Joffiv, and General Sir Douglas Haig pored over a, large map. They formed a striking group. Then they went to the line, including tho Ypres aulieni- the Armentieresi region, visited the Australian' Divisional School, and witnessed a dashing charge by lusty Anzacs on the enemy's, trenches, where they 'massacred' dummy Germans. "The King complimented the commander on the appearance of the men, their fitness and their physique, and remarked that they had already shown that they could effectively do in earnest what they had just done in pantomime. The New Zealanders ■were drawn up in review order, and enthusia.stica.llv welcomed his Majesty, waving their hands. There were wild cheers from the Maoris."