TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER

Nelson Evening Mail, 19 May 1917, Page 5

TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER

GERMANS IN CIRCLE OF FIRE. (Australian and N.Z. Gable Association.) (Rec. Mav 19. 12.35 p.m.) ; " PAiRIS, May' 18. Tn -attempting to retake Roeux on . Tuesday - German batteries showered' j shells at .the rate of ! 60 a minute for 16 hours." ' ' A -British officer, describing it, says;, , "What -butchery it was at the chemical works. Although the bombardment was lengthy the actual fighting was short and fierce. The Germans poured shells on • our lines -as if they had concentrated every gnn they possessed on this small- sector. The number of "gas shells was' greater than ever. Our men lived in their gas for 12 hours, while a German division, mostly Bavarians, came against us marching shoulder to shoulder. Our machine guns mowed them down. The first rank was accounted for, and the seconcL .and third, but the remainder swept over like an avalanch, leaving many of us safe.and unwounded in the rear. We counter-attacked with a -characteristic and irresistible series of charges. Our field guns swept the German columns in the open ground, while . our men in the enemy's rear attacked and the .Germans were surrounded- with a circle of fire until it became a veritable butchery. A GERMAN COMMUNIQUE. (Australian and N.Z. Cab]p AiwociAtiOtu, and Renter.". (Admiralty per .Wireless Press.) LONDON, May 17. A German official message' says: — - "Owing •to strong. English, counter-at-tacks we gave up the ground captnred at Rouex: ' We repulsed ' English attacks northward of the Scarpe and ~ south-west of Rein court. During May we captuted 2300 English prisoners on this front:"