VICTIM OF GERMAN GAS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 22 February 1916, Page 2

VICTIM OF GERMAN GAS.

AN AUSTRALIAN'S EXPERIENCE

An Australian who has been serving in the west, in a letter to his father, says he has been a victim of German kultur. In the course of his letter he writes: "My first position was at Ypres. Nothing unusual occurred there —just ordinary trench work, until' the great battle of Hill GO. The 13th Brigade was the brigade allotted to take Hill 60, after successful mining and blowing up of the German parapets. The different regiments taking part were the Royal West Kent, the King's Own Scottish Borderers, the Yorkshire Light Infantry, and the Duke of Wellington's.^ The Royal West Kents made the "attack, suffering heavy losses. They were supported by the King's Own Scottish Borderers, who also lost heavily, and were relieved in turn by the 2nd Duke of Wellington's. The latter made a successful charge, supported by the Yorkshire Light Infantry, and took the German trenches. The artillery fire from, the Germans was extremely heavy when we came to close quarters, but rather than face ■ our cold steel the Germans evacuated [ their trenches. We held the position till the Germans attempted to recover it by foully gasing our boys. They succeeded in getting into a great portion of our trench, because many of our men were rendered helpless by the gas, but the others manfully held on till support came. "We suffered dreadfully from <this poison—the chloride gas which the Germans pumped into our trenches''—contin aed the writer. "The scenes of agony were horrible to behold, and if only the young manhood of the Empire could have looked on, it would hays made their blood boil, and make them come and take revenge for such dastardly, acts. The gas that we use against the Germans simply stupefies for the time being, and has no permanent damaging effect on the constitution, but the German gas is totally dfferent. Previous to beino; gased myself I was strong physically, but now I am a physical wreck, although I escaped the German shot and shell."