DRIVEN TO DEATH.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1915, Page 2

DRIVEN TO DEATH.

FEROCIOUS DISCIPLINE OF: GERMANS.

, LONDON ,Aug. 28 An Exchange correspondent in * ranoe says that cfi tJic morning of 1 August 7tli, after an extremely violent, bombardment, three German regiments made a fierce assault on the French position between. Vienne-le-Ohateiui and La Harases' Over 20,000 shells of n]\ sizes were fired* in j a jow -hours. Under the murderous hail the French, troops did not yield a foot of ground, receiving the shock of the enemy's advance with .adihir- ! able stoicism. The struggle was | sharp, and for a long time the result j | was doubtful. After being repulsed I tlie first time the Germans received i heavy reinforcements a^d renewed then- furious attacks. At certain points they got as inr is the French barbed-wire entanglements, but, tho foremost ranks were cut down by a I very effective fire. For a moment j the Germans wore thrown into great confusion, but after a brief hesitation | they suddenly resumed the assault, ! although it mount rushing to cortaia death. Later an explanation of what took place war, forthcoming- Prisoners assert that the Germnn commander, on seeing his men ready to abandon the struggle, had given an order to cut d<>wn any wno ming back, with shot from their own marhuie-gmis. In ono company forty soldiers wore, xillrd in this manner by their own comrades. Tlie third and last attack, whicli was executed by troops driven forward by ferocious* discipline and rendered mad with terror, "met with a still more disastrous fate tha,n tho others. Hardly any of the attackers returned to their own linos, whither they were pursued t.y showovs of shells :\m\ w>!if 1 shot, f-mn Mu1 Fronoh batteries, which wore brought to bear on the one my at the most oflVe'ive jn/>n:eiit. Their rout - vas completed

by a .brilliant charge made by two companies of French infantry near La Harazec. The Germans lost 4000 killed—more than hatlf of the forcte employed. The prisoners seemed surprised' at having survived the dreadful ordeal, and were absolutely stupefied with terror.