SAVING THE GUNS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 217, 17 October 1914, Page 2

SAVING THE GUNS.

WITH THE "TOMMIES'" IN FRANCE MOUNDS OF DEAD. A graphic story of the carnage around Mons was told to a "Daily Express" representative at Salisbury yesterday by an infantry corporal who was Wounded in the battle, says that paper of September 1. "Early in the morning," he said, "we were informed of the approach of the enemy, and were ordered to deploy and take cover over a wide front, which included woods and open country with villages in the valleys. "Towards 10 o'clock we could hear the • booming of guns—a sound we became used to on Salisbury Plain—and then the rattle of maxims and rifles. "A party of Uhlans dashed along the road through our firing line, and we emptied more than one saddle, but more came, and then we were suddenly enfiladed by machine guns, which were mounted on'motor care. '.'There was no help for us but to leave the trenches and rush to the woods. J Then as we ran for shelter a terrible roar of guns broke on our ears, and shell after shell struck the ground in front of us and- others burst over our heads. Men fell and groaned with terrible wounds. "Our field batteries went into action and answered the German guns, but the enemy had somehow got to know that we were in the wood, for they fired incessantly on ns. The Enemy. "We left the firs at the other side and opened out, supported by the South Lancashires, for our colonel had been "warned that the-infantry were advancing. We had hardly extended and lay prone when patches of blue green were seen on the sky line—battalions of the enemy following each other at regular intervals. "The batteries of a Bulford brigade let rip and gouged holes through them. "Bravo!" shouted my platoon commander as lie watched tlie carnage through his field glasses. "Now the order was given to fix bayonets. 'Mind, meri, you look to your.magazines,' shouted the colonel. "Before'the enemy arrived, however, the artillery fire had increased until it was a perfect inferno. German aviators were directing the guns. At times we were told to fire on the aeroplanes, and did so, but as they were armoured the shots did not tell. "Our poor gunners had a terrible mauling, and What was worse, a strong iforee- of cavalry'got round behind, us jahd charged right up to the guns. Very few' of them escaped, however, for |whole platoons rushed to the rescue and emptied their magazines into them, and not a few were bayoneted. ' 'lt was here that I saw a whole gun | detachment laid out. The breech of | the gun' was open and a shell was lying jon the ground. Nobly they fought and ! fell. " "The Uhlans had the audacity ,to think that they could take the guns away, and were actually preparing to limber up when our rijies were turned oh them. "As our guns retired—all that could, for some had no teams and others no men—the German infantry were on us. Fortunately a fold in the ground hid us for a time, but we let them eome on until their breasts rose above the neighbouring mounds, and then we decimated them. The Same Way. "They fell back in confusion, and dropped to the ground. On came another batch a few minutes later, and we treated them in the same way. "The artillery fire slackened, but scores of machine guns "were turned on us, and it was not safe to move. We kept on firing until the dead were piled several feet high. '' Two companies of another battalion came up to help us in the firing line, and after a short wait we were told to prepare to charge. The South Lancashires were at work with the bayonet on our right front, and it was now our turn. On --the word of command we sprang from the ground as one man, and with yell on yell charged the advancing Prussians. "As we. neared their ranks we fired independently at them, and dropped many a man before the bayonet reached them. Only a few tried to cross

bayonets with us. The remainder pushed off, and were shot in the back as they "went. Those who stood tlieir ground were either wounded or taken prisoners. Not one of that long and massive line seemed to want the cold steel. '' Our pack animals had in the meantime arrived with ammunition. We were served with another sixty rounds each, and none too soon, for a Uhlan regiment had spotted us and were seen to be getting into a gallop to charge us down. "We formed groups and fired into them at 300 yards, throwing them into confusion. We also turned our machineguns on them, and our best shots put their guns out of action. Riderless horses came on and passed between us, but not a lance. They had such a gruelling in a few minutes that they scattered without any formation, leaving more than half of the regiment behind, in killed and wounded. We gave a lusty cheer as they rode off. . '' Soon our orders came to retire, but we picked up our dead, and consigned them to their last resting place with tears streaming down our faces—officers in one grave and men in another. They were buried in glory. "Next day I was added to the list of wounded. I was shot in the shoulder.'' FIGHT FOR THE FLAG. DESPERATE HAND-TO-HAND STRUGGLE. ["Daily Mail's" Special Correspondent.] PARIS, August 29. A thrilling story of. a-fight for a flag that sounds like an incident of the Napoleonic wars is told by a Wounded man who has arrived at Rennes. It was' midday, and two French battalions were halted, for a meal'and a rest. Their rifles were piled, and across them, between two sheaves of bayonets, hung colours of the regiment fully unfurled. The men were lying around, having fallen out, some eating rations, others sleeping soundly until the bugle should call them to march again. Suddenly, without any warning, a shell burst, close to the supply waggon from which food had been dealt out; then another, and another. • French soldiers fell wounded, dead, and almost at once rifle bullets began to come singing among them. It- w r as a surprise attack, and already a line of Germans could be seen coming on. •Quickly the Frenchmen sprang to their rifles, formed up, and moved off at the double tP meet enemy. But they were greatly outnumbered ,and the attack was pressed vigorously. Soon they were at hand-grips with the Germans, and furious bayonet fighting took place round the standard bearer, who,'surrounded by a strong guard, actI ed as a rallying point for his comrades. Cut and Thrust. Shoulder to shoulder, the Frenchmen stabbed and thrust with the bayonet, but gradually the Germans fought their | way to the midst of the determined groups, killed the standard bearer with many thrusts, and seized the colours. The sight of the flag tossing in the_grip |of the Prussians infuriated the French to a frenzy. Irresistibly they hurled themselves; again at the enemy, and once more snatched, the colours from their grasp. The Germans, strong in their greater- numbers, made another charge. Once more they regained the flag. The French were weary to exhaus- ; tion, when suddenly at the double, and j with a fierce shout, another French battalion rushed up and threw itself into the bayonet fight. The French flag was regained almost instantly, and, continui irtg their charge, the newcomers fought their way to the German colours, which they seized. The German standard bearer," though wPunded, would riot let go, and was supported by a solid wedge of his comrades..-. They were too crowded to use their bayonets. Both sides dropped their rifles and fought with their hands and feet and teeth in a diabolical scrimmage. The French seized the flag itself and with their pulling one way and the Germans the other it w r as torn from the staff. A Frenchman was making off with half a trophy, when in a final desperate rush the Germans tore it from his grasp. And ;now the Germans, despite the advantage of numbers, fell back in disorder and each side preserved its colours which each 1 so gallantly defended.