CANADIANS BUSY

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1917, Page 3

CANADIANS BUSY

• I . — ' . ' ■<» ' — "GOING THROUGH" ENEMY TRENCHES. The following- communique, dated December 23rd, and issued recently by the Canadian War Records Office, gives a rather more detailed account than usual of one of the trench raids which have again become a feature of the warfare on, the British - front:— One of. : the most successful raids - ever carried but on the Western front was executed this week by. the Canadians. The raid was made in the early afternoon, while the low winter sun was still shinig-. From several points of observation it was possible to witness the whole progress of the operation, and successful cinematograph films for historical purposes were even obtained within a short distance of the attack. .;-.:■ 1 ■ Preliminary bombardments had 'skilfully destroyed the heavy • enemy entanglements, and ffenerallv weakened the German defences.' Shortly before j the hpur of .assault the attackers, con-.-sisting- of picked- men carefully trained, for. this special occasion, filed 'into the trenches, and took ud a "position along- the lip of an advanced crater. Possibly .the enen>vt remarked the Un- | usual movement, because a few moments -beroix- . . 'rifle fire broke out a^M loured rockets •>.. were fired from ihe German trenches. None the less, at the appointed moment our artillery, bar rage 'opened , with a sudden crash of sound. ■ Dense clouds of smoke were also liberated, isolating- : the area of attack. A covering -fire from our machine suns added a deafening rattle to the stupendous medley or noise, „ j In -the midst of it all. at the given signal, the lines •of our men advanced slowly, deliberately, in perfect order. Little resistance 7 was met with ,in crossing- No Man's Land. The German . ffarrison were seekinff safety from our avalanche ofr- shells in their deep dujr-outs. A: number.,; of bombers at one point, however, attempted a resistance. These were auickly disposed of . : and the ; survivors sent bacK as prisoners. Swiftly, ourrmen werit then about their alloted tasks,, following' communication trenches back to, the German 1 supports and establishingprotective blocks. 1 Special attention was paid to the dug-outs, from- \vhich many Germans came out to surrender. Bombs and igniting explosives were then thrown mside, destroying; and setting on fife •< the wooden supports. This was done so thoroughly, and methodically that the progress of the attack could befollowed by the fires as they broke out bne after the other. Machine gun emplacements .were also destroyed, and the total damage done:- to ithe Qerman trenches was Very cohsideFable,- Many of the enemy killed, and -38 prisoners, t- includihg,: two ! dfficers, were' captured andt taken back toioiir. lines. °- v r t own casualties .were. -remarkably slight,, and all were promptly evacuated. ;-,.'•*■■:'■•' ■ Considering the number of men era. nloved in the attack, the extent of the frontag-e^captured, the depth to which the parties-penetrated, and "the fact thatHve remained in possession of the I (merman trenches for over two hours .before withdrawinq-. this so-called raid .really assumed the character of a very [successful local offensive. ,