DELVILE WOOD DESCRIBED

Nelson Evening Mail, 1 August 1916, Page 5

DELVILE WOOD DESCRIBED

"A PLACE OF HORROR." 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 30. Mr Philip Gibbs states that the British "bombardment at Delville Wood began on Thursday morning. It was arranged in a progressive series of barrages with every kind of gun and howitzer. The infantry advanced stage hy stage -under shell fire, depending for their lives upon the scientific accuracy of the gunners a. long way behind. In the event - of shells ~dropping short they would -get them in the neck. The risk had to" be taken, because there would have been greater Tisks if the troons flinched from the chance of being killed bv their own shell fire. They advanced in scattered groups. * in extended order, but keeping in touch, and scrambling and crawling forward. There was not two yards of ground -without a shell hole, and fallen trees and brushwood made a tangled maze of obstacles and pitfalls everywhere. The troops were heavily loaded wifci fhrhting kit,, and bombs were slung from their.belts. Thev progressed slowiy throngh the infernal wood which had been taken four times bv waves r i British, and retaken by four German -waves, and had been the dumping place ,of the furious bombardments. The English therefore advanced through a great graveyard of unburied dead... The ghostliness of the plaoe left its mark on the minds of the men, who are not troubled much by the sights of battle, but many wince at the mention of Delville Wood. Tho?e slashed trees, naked trenches, smokinsr shell holes, and charred timber, intermingled with blood-stained bundles which cues held life, make a nightmare. It was extraordinary that after the tornadoj of flying steel several hundred Germans remained alive. Our men. advancing, were surprised to see them running away, and bits of white ra>< fluttering: ire" shell holes indicating groups crouching at the bottoms, anxio.is to surrender.

The British shouted '•'Come out," ac.d the Germans emerged with their hands up, . crying "Pity," a word they have newly learnt. When the British poko 1 their bayonets towards them, big men fell on their knees and cried for mev*-. ■which -was.given, although the soldier were angry because of the Hermans i;i"ins many gas shells. In, the meantime, the troons upon t.h« right, pushing to the top of the wood, encountered deep dugouts and stepped cautiously. In the dark thev stepped on huddled forms, which groaned at th«» touch, of boots. Many men were in pools- of blood, -which with the dajnp earth and fumes of oil lamps, mingled in a sickening odour.