The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-30
MADE CHARGE AT YPRES
IN DENSE CLOUD OF GAS
Germans Rushed With Faces Swathed in Pads-British
Gave Way, but Reformed at Command,
STAND to Your Arms!"
SpeciaL Gable Despatch to TIE SIS

Special cable Despatch to The suS.
LONDON, April 29.-An official EYE
witness" account describing the opera
lions during the frst four days OF the
Ypres fighting was issued to-day 1t
says:
well was conveyed to our troops who
were holding the left wing of the British
line by the withdrawal OF some French
colonials and the appearance OF wall
of vapor. Our flank being thus exposed
by the withdrawal of some of the men.
Julien.
Meanwhile. apparently waiting till
their infantry had penetrated well be-
hind the Allies line, the Germans opened
hot artillery fire upon various tactical
points north of Ypres. The lombard
ment was carried out with the ordinary
high explosive shell; and shrapnel of
various calibres. Irojectiles containing
asphyxiiting gases also were hurled for
ward.
our men in reserve near Ypres. see
ing the shells bursting, gathered in
groups discussing the situation and
questioning scattered bodies of Turcos
who had come up Suddenly stan
officer rode up shouting Stand to your
arms
''In a few minutes the troops had
fallen in and were marching nofthward
toward the scene of the htht. Nothing
more impressive can be Imagined than
the sight of our men quietly taking their
places in perfect order amid the scene
OF wild confusion caused by the panic
stricken refugees who swarmed along
the roads.
Germans' Faces Protected.
Meantime, north and northeast of
the town there was a confused fight
taking place behind a wall of vapor
which swept across fields and through
woods Across these fields. through these
woods and over hedgerows came the Ger
man firing line. the men with their
mouths and noses protected by pads
soaked in solution of hicarbonate.
Closely following them came the sup
porting troops hurryng forward with
their formation somewhat broken up by
obstacles encountered so that they
looked like huge mob bearing down
upon the town.
~ battery of ~ inch guns a little
beyond the left OF our line was surprised
and overwhelmed in "A moment. Further
IL the rear and IN more easterly di-
iection were several field batteries. Be-
fore they came into action the Germans
were within few hundred yards. Not
one OF these guns was lost, though the
first battery was taken. our flank
swung around and fired on the enemy
point blank At short range and checked
the rush. Then another battery opened
fire with the guns pointing in, almost
opposite directions, the enemy being
on three sides.
opened at about this time by the Ger
threatened by the advance of vastly
superior force, slowly retired on ST.
Julien, fighting at every step
Help was not long in arriving. Some
of our reserves near Ypres stood at
arms. Soon they were aware of the
fact that the French line had been
forced and the officers. on their own
initiative, without waiting for orders.
led them forward to meet the advancing
enemy. who by this time was barely two
miles from the town. These battalons
attacked the Germans with the bay
onet
When night fell the fighting continued
IN the moonlight our troops driving
back the enemy with repeated bayonet
heavy guns were recaptured.
by then the situation had been some
what restored in the area situated i'm
medlately north OF Ypres Further west
the enemy had forced his way over the
canal. occupying Steenstraete, and
crossing TO Het Sas he had established
himself at various points on the west
bank. During the night the Smelling
continued and about 30 O'Clock in
the morning two heavy attacks were de-
livered against our line in the neigh
borhood OF Broodseinde, east of Ionne-
b,SSe These attacks were both repulsed.
THE bomhardment was resumed with
increased intensity and a part of the
town was in flames early in the morn
ing OF Friday. We delivered strong
counter attack TO the north in coopera-
ton with the French and our advance
progressed some distance. reaching the
edge OF H.. wood about half mile
west OF St Julien and penetrating II
AT that point our men at this place
got into contact with the Germans with
their bayonets. the enemy suffering
heavily The losses on our side also
were severe, for our advance had car
ried US out across the open fields