CAUGHT IN THE MIST.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13205, 29 January 1915, Page 7

CAUGHT IN THE MIST.

v FATE,OF A BATTERY. STORY 01* THE DAUNTLESS TtfBEB The surviving members of L Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, who havo returned, from the front to enjoy a brief rest while their guns are being repaired and refitted in tho Arsenal, and their sadly depleted strength is being mado up, tell'a story which, despite tho unassuming manner of the men who tell it, is a record of heroism of the finest kind, ■' It is related-that L Battery was instructed, with the support of a brigade of cavalry, to cover the retreat of that part of the allied forces which fell lmrk on Compicgne. For several tlnyß, contesting every stop, thoy carried on with distinction a trying rearguard action. Surprised in the Mist. When they were uear Compiegnc the battery was situated on a ridge about GOO yards away from the French cavalry,' while the general retirement was going on in their rear, li Battery had I been instructed to be ready to move by ;4,-a.m., and to await further orders. ; Through the cutting of the, telegraph | wires, or some other cause, the expected j order did not reach them, And n thick mist, prevented them from seeing the retirement of the French cavalry. Shortly after five o'clock the mist cleared,'and- they were suddenly subjected to a terrific, fire from the ridge which they had supposed to be still occupied 'by'the French, A strong German force, with ten field guns ami two I Maxims, had advanced unseen ami occupied the position. As soon as the imist lifted sulliciently all twelve-guns iwcre brought to bear on the unsuspecting and unprepared battery 000 yards ■away, the first volley killing nearly all the horses of the gun teams. This loss (made retirement with the guns impossible, and with all speed the men of 1/ .Battery, inspired by their commanding [officer, Captain Bradbury, unlimbcrcd |ainl began to reply to the German lire. , In the position they occupied they Iwcre able to bring only three of their rgiins to bear on the enemy, but theso [were promptly manned by such of tho ,: men as had not been killed during the 11 first few moments, They replied to tho i! German fire with such good effect that ,' many of the enemy's guns were put out j: of action.- The British gunners were, i I however, so badly outnumbered, and rjthe firing of the Germans was so ofI fective, that in a short time two of ' 'the three British guns had been silenced, •!and only ono remained to defend the i; position. ■ II The Last Three.

By this time very few men of tho battery wcro left, but Ihe gallant little band continued to work their gun, and gun after gun of the German battery was silenced. Officers and men'aliko •were serving the one remaining British gun, but one by one they were killed or wounded, and at last only three men, all non-commissioned officers, wcro left. Although all wcro wounded, these three men," crouching behind the shield, kept up such an effective' fire that eventually all but one of the German guns were put out of action. TMs equal .duel went on for a time, until, as one of the survivors remarked, "we'd both had enough of it," and Ihe enemy and the three British gunners ceased fire, at almost the same moment. The three heroes, still crouching behind their gun, were found by the, strong force of cavalry and infantry who shortly afterwards came to their rescue, All three have been recommended for the Victoria Cross. Of the | four officers with jho battery, three— Captain Bradbury,' Lieutenant, Mundy, and Lieutenant Campbell-were, killed, whilst Lieutenant Jofford was wounded. The three who were killed were specially mentioned in dispatches, and the decoration of the Legion of Honour has been conferred on Lieutenant Jefford.

The relieving force advanced to the German position, and found that all who had survived the British lire had retired, leaving their guns in the hands of the Allies.