TWENTY TO ONE

Southland Times, Issue 17495, 26 April 1915, Page 7

TWENTY TO ONE

BRITISH FACE THE ODDS. GERMANS HURLED BACK The story of the groat haitle of Vpres has already been told. One of its most thrilling incidents is narrated by a British officer who took part in a desperate tussle in October, when 2)00 Britishers held the village of Gheluvclt, on the mad in Vpres. against 24,000 Germans. Hastily-constructed trenches in front of the village were manned by thinned battalions of the Hcots Guards, the t-outh ■Wales Borderers, and thq Welsh and Queen’s Regiments. There had been no time tn perfect these poor defences against the artillery and rifle-fire of the enemy, but every British soldier knew that the position had to be held at all costs, for once the line was broken there was nothing to stop the Huns’ march on Calais. Reinforcements had been promised; the Worcesters wero on their way. hut even then the odds would be nine to one. From long before dawn the battle rage,!. The German artillery searched the Britisli trench from end to end, and shelled the Chateau of Gheluvelt, where the battalion commanders were quartered. causing their hasty removal to a dug-out in the chateau grounds. Men fell, not by ones and twos, but by dozens and half-dozens, but those who survived were as steady as if on parade. There was no random firing. The officers, careless as usual.of their own safety., ceaselessly patrolled the positions from end to end, cheering and encouraging their men. Many fell, and those who could scrambled lo their feet again, making light of their injuries, but many had fallen for all time, and had, perforce, to lie where they fell. At last the sliding ceased, and there was a stir in the German ranks. They were about to ebarga. New the British

know that the time of their inactivity was passed. Now tiny could take 101 lot the enemy— avenfeo their comrades who lay stark and stiff around them. The machine gunners looked to their weapons; there must be no hitch, no jamb when the moment came. An so the Hermans charged. On they came, without fuss and without flurry, only to be mown down in thousands by rifle and gun. One moment there was a solid advancing mass of Germans, and the next there was still a mass of Germans. Inn they were farther away, while between them and the British was a carpet of grey heaps. Again the Germans came on. climbing ami stumbling oyer those grev heaps—those heaps which but a few moments before were the leaders of the advancing host. The carpet became thicker, bui no living enemy reached that lead-spurting trench, and at last the Kaiser’s soldiers 101 l back to cover. The British held their line, but at terrilic cost, scores lay dead, and there was scarcely an unwounded man in the whole long line of trench. The Welsh Regiment in the centre had suffered houvilv. Reinforcements from the scant reserve behind the chateau were hurried into the trench, and then the German shelling commenced all over again. The day wore on. men fell left and right, and as yet there was no sign of the Worcester Regiment. Towards dusk the Germans could be seen massing for another attack, and the British troops prepared for a final stand: there were no more reserves, and if the Germans but persisted in their attack nothing could stop them. The shelling redoubled in fury, and then came the second attack. The full fury was directed at the centre of the lino, held by the Welsh Regiment. Horde upon horde of Gormans pressed forward. Hundreds fell -as they advanced, but where one fell two tilled his place. Right up to the trench they came; right up and in. Xo quarter was given to the British. Savagely the Prussians stabbed about them. Bayonets were thrust into dead and living, ami many an KngUsh soldier, but wounded by a Prussian bullet, was murdered by a Prussian bayonet. Oil the left the Scots Guards still held their line, and on the right the Queen's were at bay, and before tho enemy could advance they hail first to deal with these gallant remnants of gallant regiments. But now tho Worcesters had arrived. The Englishmen were only throe companies strong, but these scarce 500 men charged right through tho shot-swept streets of Gheulvelt. right up to the lost trenches, almost into the heart of tho German host: and the Germans turned and Hod —fled when the odds at this moment were more than 20 to 1 in their favour, and fleeing lost for ever their chance of breaking through to Calais. Had they withstood that desperate charge, had they in turn borne down upon-the Englishmen, sheer weight of numbers would have carried tlmm through to the Calais Road. But they felt hark —hack behind their original position, and were never again able to break the British line. Of the 500 Worcesters who went to the charge, but 200 unwounded men answered to the roll when the field was won, and of the 2100 British soldiers hale and whole when morning broke, but son lived to tell of that great fight.