EXPLOIT OF FORT CARRY HORSE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16050, 7 February 1918, Page 4

EXPLOIT OF FORT CARRY HORSE.

FIELD GUNS CHARGED AND CAPTURED. MAJOR’S STORY OF A GREAT * ADVENTURE. The following dispatch from _ Mr. Roland Hill tells the exploit of the squadron of Fort Garry Horse on the opening day of tho Battle of Cambrai. To Canadian cavalry belongs tho honour, I believe, of having, with tho exception of one or two tanks, been nearest to Cambrai in the great surprise which General Byng launched at tho Germans on November 20. They were responsible for the capture of several villages, including Masnieres, one battery of German guns ,and scores of prisoners—among thorn a complete Engineers’ staff, with valuable plans of the district. The Fort Garry Hors© had the honour of leading the van. The fust part was easy. The loading tanks had done their work gloriously well, flattening out tens of wire and caving in the wide trenches, so that mounted pioneers could easily fill in the remainder.

“it was a joy ride all 1 the way to Masnicros,” said a Major who commanded the loading squadron. “At only one place, evidently an unfinished German strong point, was there any real fighting. Some Boche officer had rallied about 20 men, and -with two machine-guns they were causing us the first casualties. About eight of the Fort Gariys galloped ahead and swung round to take the Bodies in the rear, while our mounted machine-guns fired on i'them from straight ahead. The whole garrison was killed or wounded in five minutes, and tho rest of the cavalry passed safely along over tho top of the hill. We found one more series of wire, all again beautifully flattened out- or dragged away by tho two tanks that were ahead of us. Then came open country, downhill and along a well-kept macadamised road where the Huns’ light railway system ended. \Ve were going so fast that -what few Germans we met swerved round and fled towards their own front line, where the other lino of tanks and infantry got them. “It was in Mnsniercs that the Germans made their first organised stand against tho British tanks and cavalry. Down this valley runs the, little river Kscant. and alongside it is the St. Quentin Canal. The only crossings are in Masniorcs itself, where there is a double lock fiom the canal. One squadron of the' Fort--Garry l - Horse dashed over these little bridges, following a tank that was waddling through the village street, which slopes upward on the other side. -This tank waited for tho Canadian horsemen at the top of the hill, half halting in its fight with scattered 1 odies of German infantry to speed tho cavalry on. Tho trap door in the side next to the squadron commander opened, and out crawled a young British lieutenant. He waved and cheered ‘An Rovoir’ to the Canadian Major, and called out ‘Good hunting, old sports.’ A BRAVE GERMAN SERGEANT. “The squadron picked up the road to the right which it was planned that they should travel and. sailed away ‘into tho* blue.’ It was intended 1 that they should if possible avoid tho little village of Rumilly and press on. A. few hundred yards to the left of the village they caught sight of a battery of German field guns that had hastily been unlirnbered, and were firing at sight range on three or four tanks. Clambering up tho hill from tho river the cavalry wore in four formation, and there was no lime for any manoeuvre if tho attack was to be a surprise. The Canadians, charged with drawn sabres, two rows swerving to the right and two to the- left. Tho outside columns went on and surrounded and killed every man and horse where the limbers were; the inner lines were among tho gunners before they could reload—with one exception. The German sergeant on one of the end guns managed to load and fire, with the breech only partly closed; tho gun destroyed, he stood to attention and- saluted death.; One of tho Canadians tried to rescue him, hut in the melee he was trampled under foot. There were only throe slight casualties among the horsemen, and those were used as messengers to send back word of progress. All got to the regimental headquarters, although two lost their horses. One of these men with a now mount fought his way back to tho squadron later.” 7 The next adventure of the raiders was in a sunken road to the right of Rumilly. There seemed to be a considerable body of enemy troops marching down this narrow country lane to reinforce those .'in the town. Tho squadron was making across grass meadows with good going, but the Major decided that the discomfiture of these Huns was “worth while.” Half the squadron veered to tho right, whore they could ride smoothly down a slope into the road; the remainder got the signal to charge and tho signal that there was a sunken road ahead at the same time. The half-hundred horsemen clung to their horses over the miniature precipice right on top of a German machine,-guu party, and by sheer luck not a man was unhorsed. It was a massacre. Over 50 Huns were killed, but the rest got away into Rumilly and gave tho alarm. Tho two halves of the sqjiadrbn joined agajn, and it was decided to await news or reinforcements. From two sides the machine-guas opened on the party, and although the men were comparatively safe in the banks of the road, there were severe casualties among the horses. It was decided, as dusk was coming on, that they should make thoir way back and meet what British troops were following up. The remaining horses were stampeded in tho direction of Oambrai, and immediately the Germans fell to the ruse, .thinking that the squadron had galloped on. . With a captain from Montreal who speaks perfect German in the lead, and with the order to use sabres in preference to rifles—less alarming and as good results—the little band started. The first difficulty encountered was a party of infantry-halted on tin* Masnieres side of Rumilly. The Canadians

were not challenged and easily cut their way through to the-mam rood, where, in a few minutes, they sighted a tank, which they signalled and which (M splendid work protecting their rear. Then the horseless troopers found a German officer and nine men, who called on them to halt. The Alontreal captain joked with him and told him tho German equivalent that he must have the “wind up” badly. The German hesitated a second at the taunt, and that second was fatal. He and his men were surrounded 1 by the Canadians, and they all surrendered but one, and he was cut down in attempting to escape. It was now dark and the Canadian major made the German officer act as guide to Maaniercs. which was reached without further serious fighting. There the little band found regimental headquarters. Tho major celebrated' his return to comparative safety by falling into the lock. He cannot swim a stroke, but he climbed back coolly to safety just as he had brought his men through probably one of the most stirring cavalry adventures of the war.