CAPTURE OF COURCELETTE

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13294, 25 September 1916, Page 5

CAPTURE OF COURCELETTE

-t — THE CANADIANS' FINE FEAT. MOST ASTOUNDING THING IN THE BATTLE. GERMANS WILLINGLY SURRENDER. SEVEN COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) ReceivedSeptenibcr 24, 9.15 a.fci. LONDON, September 24. Mr Gibbs says the capture of Courcoleite by-the Cnadians was one of the most astounding things in the battle. After tlie sugar refinery had been taken the unbounded officers bald a conference :> s to the possibility ,of taking Couicelette. All seemed quiet in the ruins, but no one knew the size of the garrison though an occasional burst of machine-guns showed that defenders remained. Manifestly it was a big adventure for 'the fag end of a day, but the conference decided to try. The honour of leading the attack was given to the "Mopup" hattalio% hugely comprised of French Canadians. It was afterwards discovered that there, were 15,500 Germans in the village, greatly outnumbering the stormers. • Tiny parties of Canadians dashed into dugouts full of Germans. One boy brought up 20 prisoners, including two colonels, who were chagrined to find they had surrendered to such a small force of attackers. The enemy made seven counter attacks in the night, and things often looked black, but the Canadian boys came through. /