WESTERN CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, 5 July 1916, Page 5

WESTERN CAMPAIGN

OPERATIONS AT Ifl BOISELLE

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TV attack at Montaubarr was our Ibest" success on Saturday. The troops, mainlv "Lancashire lads, supported bv xneh from the Home Counties, advanced in splendid order straight for their objective. They swept over the German trenches an-d ~ took many prisoners without great loss. ■ Their officers were anxious atout the brick field; which the Germans had filled -with machine guns. The original intention was to pass it without an attempt to capture it, but it was found to have been utterly destroyed bv the •bombardment. and was seized comparative ease. The men swer>t on to the ruined village of Montanban, despite a spasmodic machine gun fire from the broken houses. Manv Germans who' were hiding: -n dug-outs and' cellars came into the onen and surrendered. Others were so cowed: that they fell on their knees and piteouslv begged for mercy. The connter-attack came in close order. • rank after rank advancing over their dead and wounded comrades. Only a few entered our trenches, and these •were kiHed. _ Some of the Gordon Highlanders suffered heavily in the takinsr of Mamet,:. They were advancing in the open witn sloped arms, becanise there was not a rifle shot from the broken trenches, when suddenly a machine gun fired point blank and caught the Gordons in the face. ;■ •' The men, at- the. double, dashed forward amid a hail of bullets. Manv <3ropoed. but Mametz was taken with the bayonet and held. Despite the enormous --bombardment, some of. the machine sun entrenchments ■were so strongly built. with steel girder and .concrete covers, that they defied the hi <?h exolosiye*. Inside were Germans still defiant, who worked ma-chine-guns nntiV they were bombed, to death, refusing to surrender or escape. The -hardest finhtimr ivas at Gommecourt, where the German salient was most difficult to assault owing t oits formidable defences. Our progress here was small. Our attacks were more Fortunate at Anthiule. Ovillers, and La Boiselle. where we : gained ground at great loss to the enemy and many casualties \o ourselves. The advance from La Boiselle to Oontalmaison was a memorable business. The Britishers engaged were hard, tough daTe-devils. Thev went forward chp»ring, Tyneside pipers playing. The Tvnesiders passed on with fixed bavomets at the parade steo. and took th ■» "first line of trenches, which were jilown into a. dust heap. They rushed to the second line, where . some ,of the defenders were still alive and were bombed out. Then they dashed to the third line, which was still held bv machine guns. The German bombardment then became intense, and high explosives, shrapnel and trench mortars ploughed the around. The Royal Scots charged with the "Bayonet at a body of Germans, other •battalions capturing batches who bad no stomach cfor the fight. - The Dorsets. Manchesters, Borderers and the Highland Light Infantry had hard fighting in the neighbourhood of Anthiule. Thev easily caotured the front line, but were engaged in battle ■with bombs by a large bodv of Germans, whose resistance was finally broken with the bayonet. The struggle at Thieoval was -particularly fierce. The first-of the British "went , through the village without clearing the dug-outs, and the enemy came «nit and machine gnnned the British rear. . . Other battalions at Thiepyal had a terrible ordeal in clearing the dug-outs,

which were 30 feet below the ground, and having trap doors leading to still lower chambers. They were elaborately furnished, and well stocked with wine and beer. Meanwhile big fighting was proceeding at Fricoprt, where the North Countryman had a great ordeal of fire. The German garrison maintained the stoutest resistance, and held out until Sunday morning, although practically surrounded. Finally one : body of troops fdught its way to the north of Fricourfc ! and another to the south side, getting the village as in a pair of tongs. The Germans came up with their hands up. Countless incidents demonstrate that the fever of victorious fighting has brought enthusiasm to white heat in all ranks.