FRENCH BATTLE IN CEMETERY

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1917, Page 4

FRENCH BATTLE IN CEMETERY

Bavarians Wiped Out (From W, If. McAlpin.) Paris, Nov 16

The Germans put up a stiff fight to retain Ablaincorut and Pressoir yesterday bet failed. Secure in their cellars and subterranean rbelters 60ft below the ground they waited till the French artillery coated tire. When the Assaulting waves of infantry appeared the enemy came to the surface and met them with raking blasts from numerous inaobina guna. The Bavarians, as usual, fought dourly. In the southern pare of Ablaincourt one cluster of ruined houses changed hands three times. The parish church proved to be the sepulchre of its defenders, the company of Bavarians who refused to surrender it being exterminated. Among the assailants acts of heroism were many. A sergeant major gravely wounded in the chest, kept on at the head of his men saying nothing of his wound. Only when the position had been taken did he tell the captain that he was done for. A few moments later he died.

North of Pressoir a French company came to grips with a Prussian battaHod, and although the odds were four to one against them the poilus inflicted heavy lobsbs, put the Germans to flight and made 80 prisoners. VICTORT IN TWO HOURS. In less than an hour and a half after the attack began the whole of Ablaincourt was iu Frenoh hands, aud a quarter of an hour later the same fate overtook Pressoir. The greater part of the serpentine communication fcrenoh running north-east from Ablaiaoc.urt in the §directiou of Varmanfovillers was taken by the French on October 10 Yesterday morning they captured the remainder, aud thus obtained posgd&Bion of an tlaborale system of powerful trenches flunked by machine-gun positions and redoubts. Three handled yards east of Ablaincourt, on the road to the bamlet of Gomieeourt, the enemy had organised outside aud inside a cemetery communicating with the serpentina trench a series of defences. Among tbs tombs the Germans end French fought with ferocity, and when the struggle was over 500 prisoners had been taken by our Allies. The cemetery with its shattered gravestones and monuments was a sad and pitiable sight. The result of the day’s operations was almost to complete the investment of Chaulu6S, an important railway junction between Amiens, Peroune, and Roye, and place it iu a precarious position.