EXPLOIT OF THE LANCASHIRES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11580, 22 May 1916, Page 5

EXPLOIT OF THE LANCASHIRES.

TALE OF A GRIM STRUGGLE. AN ALL-NIGHT CONFLICT. SUCCESS AT DAYBREAK. |r.„ 1.. 1,1 111 London Mav 20, Mr Phillip Gibbs, writing in the Daily Chronicle, gives a vivid account of the storming of the Vimy craters, the scene of desperate assaults on Lafolie farm in 1915 when the French jnst fail led to capture the Hossback, 1 dominating the plain. The loss of every yard here is important because it gives a wider field for German observation and new field for machine gun fire. The Lancashire’s assault was so successful that it gained even more than the 250 yards claimed in the official dispatch. It was really 360 yards. The Lancashire’s prime objective was a series of craters, forming a formidable outpost, manned by machine guns. For a fortnight we drove elaborate mine galleries and put in huge charges of explosives One group of mines was exploded under the craters with a terrific roar, burying the machine

i guns. Then came a second wild | upheaval. Immediately two lieuI tenants sprang out of the trenches, i The Lancashire followed with

! working parties carrying sand bags | and entrenching tools. The Ger- | mans were thrown into utter coni fusion by the explosions, many bei ing killed or mangled. With many ! cheers the attackers went on in the | face of a flood of scarlet light from j flares flung skywards, mingled witn ! green rockets, which the Germans | sent up as signals of distress. , These added to the horror, but i were too late to stop the a'ttackers. | The lieutenants were killed, but j non-coms took over command, i Two horns later the whole chain

lof craters was held. The screams ; | of the buried and mutilated Ger- | i mans was so terrible that they | I affected the British to such an ! , extent that in the heat of the fight j I the British cried; “We will cease !

i fire on you in order to let yon re- j i cover your wounded.” The cry was j ! repeated, the British waiting in | I silence. The Germans answered ! ; with a shower of bombs. ; ; Most bitter fighting continued : I all night, the imprisoned Germans ; continuing to scream for help. By i j daybreak the Laucashires had pro- ; perly dug in, and communication i trenches were established.

: Since the capture there have been I most serious counter attacks. The ' Germans re-captured at least one ! crater, but we secured the important : apex, which we are determined to : hold. I MYSTERIOUS GERMAN ! BATTLE PLANE. i 1 Paris, May 19. | A mysterious large German battle- ' plane appeared at Riga. It is entirely black and has remarkable stabil- ■■ iiy. It flies in all winds at a great I latitude and is believed to have a ■ speed of about 150 miles per hour.