FIGHTING NEAR YPRES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10109, 17 October 1917, Page 5

FIGHTING NEAR YPRES.

(Delayed Cable) LONDON. Sept, 28. The heaviest, counter-attack in the lighting before, \ pres at the end of September came against ihe Londoners. It was seen descending the I’asschendaele slope jii omnibuses and on bicycles. Some were inarching in column, the sun sliming on their steel hats and illuminating their grey-blue uniform. At the moment of the middle column’s debouching our guns, heavy _aud light, to ,the front, left, and right, opened with a territic burst. Such a target; is seldom offered. The gunners took full advantage of it, and a terrible slaughter ensued It is significant that the majority of our wounds arc from shellfire, not from bullets. This is fair evidence of the collapse of the pillbox system. The prisoners are utterly depressed. They regard tho pillboxes as deathtraps. The British dropped bombs through the slits, the doors, and down the periscopes. All prisoners lay stress ott the fewness of the men left in Germany. Tho 1918 class is used up and the 1919 class is not ready. New drafts are mere combings of garrlnon troops.