BRAVERY OF ZOUAVES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15131, 27 January 1917, Page 7

BRAVERY OF ZOUAVES.

MANY PRISONERS TAKEN. ENEMY OFFICER’S TRIBUTE. After tHe capture of Douaumont Fort a German officer who was takou prisoner said to au officer commanding the Zouaves:—‘‘Your men arc the finest soldiers I have seen in my life. It is some consolation to have been beaten by them.” Those who know the German officer will admit that this is a compliment of no ordinary kind- From the moment that they left their trenches until they took possession of the fort the Zouaves, always noted for their bustling ardour in the fray, went forward with the same dash that they displayed on the Yser, at Hill 304, and at Vaux-Chapitre. A major of one of their battalions said:—“l could not get over my astonishment. In Artois and Champagne one day of assault cost some hundreds of men per regiment. This time we had 15 wounded. It is hardly credible. But we made up for it in prisoners. Less than two mmues after our men'had disappeared over the crest the whole hillside was covered with greycoated prisoners. They came from everywhere like a flock of sheep running . from a thunderstorm. The Zouaves, laughing, pushed them before them, shouting; “Hurry up, you Roches, and get to the rear.’"” One regiment alone that day took 1545 men and 45 officers. In fact, so numerous were the prisoners that a lieutenant-colonel of a neighbouring regiment jokingly said to a colonel of Zouaves: —“I say, Richaud, leave some for the others.” me a hand, rather, to count mine,” replied the colonel, si owed under by innumerable Huns who bad surrenderee! As soon, as they were captured the prisoners began to give away their belongings to their captors, their helmets, cigarettes, and purses, and the Zouaves, like a band of children coming out of a lottery, ran backwards and forwards displaying their trophies (o one another and inviting their officers to take a cigar from the boxes they had found iu the trenches, saying, “Un oigare boche, mon capitaine.” ) REMARKABLE ADVENTURE. That same night Sergeant Julien, of the 13th Company, met with a remarkable adventure. He lost himself in the darkness among the shell craters and wandered rbout until ho fell in with what he 'ook for a patrol of Colonials. But he was mistaken. It was a group of Germans who had missed their way and were rambling about behind the French lines. They fired on the sergeant, tied his .hands, and. pushed him before them along the sap into a dugout where a number of German officers were seated at dinner. He was pressed with questions, but as he hesitated to’reply he was told that if he did not. explain how he got there they would make it hot for him and give him the treatment they usually applied to prisoners. „ \ AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE. “Prisoner.” exclaimed the sergeant. “What do you men mean ? Where’are we?" In the Diane gully of the Ravin de la Dame. Don’t vou know that we took Thiaumont and Douaumont this afternoon. You’re the only ones who don’t know, and it is you who are the prisoners.” The Germans could not believe thenears, but eventually they were obliged to admit that the sergeant spoke the truth. So the senior officer, rising, divested himself of his equipment and Ordered his men to lay down their arms. There were about 200 of them who had been forgotten in their subterranean quarters, and wjien the sergeant returned fo his regiment he was accompanied by a full ’ German company and six machine-gun*. This amazuic incident is vouched for by an artillery officer to whom the captured machine-guns were handed over*