"LIKE CAGED BEASTS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15948, 19 June 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

"LIKE CAGED BEASTS."

ENEMY . RUN FROM SHELLS.

TEUTON OFFICER'S BARBARITY. A Fjiexch soldier who was promoted sergeant for bravery on the battlefield of the Bois d'Ailly has written home, giving the -following glimpses of the fighting as lie saw it:—

" The Bodies," - he said, " were like caged beasts, running ragingly about in wild efforts to shelter themselves from the terriblo shells hurled by our' 75' guns. . . "Soon afterwards wo were ordered to advance from the first line $£ trenches to make an assault. What a terrible moment! Each mfln begged the one next to him to write to his relatives should he be killed in action, and to mention that lie died bravely, if not boldly.

"A whistle gave the signal to mount from the trenches, by means of ladders which had boen placed in readiness. Some men fell before climbing the ladders, for the machine-guns were in full activity and the bullets came along like torrential rain. " I was one of the first to start, and, with my comrades, aid not take long to cover the ISO yards that separated us from the Boches. ' My dearest chum, who had been close to me throughout the whole campaign, fell with a bullet in his forehead, and several other comrades near us shared his sad fate.

" I am not a bloodthirsty fellow, but when, a little farther on, we came across the countless German corpses, with skulls shattered, I must admit that my heart swelled with joy. I smashed the brainboxes of two Boches who came (juito too inquisitely near to me with the intention of leaving me a corpse. . . . "We maintained our position for three hours, when a counter-attack drove us back. During the retreat I became entangled in some nasty wire contraptions, and a curious cold shiver seized me, for I thought that ' my number was up,' and I imagined I could feel bayonets being driven '.through me. I shall never forget that sensation. . . .

" However, I managed to extricate myself, and, to my further horror, saw a Teuton officer exterminate about 50 wounded men who had not been able'to get away. The sight mado mc almost crazy. . . . " A little later another whistle notified us that wo were to advance anew. I picked up a dead man's rifle and went ahead. This time we chased the Boches and masteied the position, which, I can assure you, we shall not let them retake. " We avenged the merciless slaughter of our wounded comrades thoroughly, but it is best not to give too manv details. ." At one stage of the battle I was ordered to guard a narrow communication tunnel termed a 'bovau.' I suppose I must have done my duty all right, for I was promoted sergeant afterwards. But it was an agonising task, and of the 15 men of my squad only four survived."