New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-26
British Surprise on Hill 80
Found Some Unframed,
Says "Eye-Witness."
TRENCHES WIPED OUT
BY MINE EXPLOSIONS
Despite Fire from Three Sides
English Held Ground
Against Assaults.

London, April 25.-"Trenches. para
pets and sand bags disappeared" says
I the British official eyewitness" in
describing the effect OF the explosions
of the British mines which preceded
the recent attack and capture by the
British Of Hill No. 60. to the southeast
Of Ypres.
"The whole surface Of the ground"
the narrative continues. assumed
strange shapes. Here it was torn into
huge craters, there large mounds OF
FALLEN debris were TO be seen.
1.-THE reports Of the explosions died
away, and while dense columns OF
smoke and dust still hung in the air
our men, led by their officers, spranG
from the trenches and rushed across
the space Of some forty 70 sixty yards
lying between our line and the gaping
craters before them, the front covered
by the attack being only some $50
yards in length.
where the mines had actually ex-
ploded nothing was left Of the occu-
pants of the hostile line. but in the
neighboring trenches our assaulting
infantry witnessed an extraordinary
scene. Many German soldiers, possibly
owing TO the fact that they were work
ing, were surprised in their shirt
sleeves and without equipment
Stunned by the violence Of the explo-
sions. bewildered and suddenly sub
iected to q rain of hand grenades
thrown by our bombing parties, they
gave way to panic.
Turn on Own Comrades.
"Cursing and shouting they were
falling over one another and fighting
in thoir hurry to gain the exits lead
ing into the communication trenches:
Some of those in the rear. maddened
by terror, were driving their bayonets
into the bodies Of their comrades IN
front Of them.
"Of all this our infantry had but
momentary glimpse before they fell
upon the enemy with the bayonet, burst
through the maze of trenches, poured
into the craters and pressed on down
the communication trenches until they
were stopped by barbados defended
by bomb throwers.
"The first line Of trenches was cap
tured in few minutes with little dlt-
fculty. But then the real struggle
began, for the Germans recovered
quickly from their surprise.
From our line the hill is a salient
point, exposed 70 fire from three sides,
and il was only a minutes before the
German gunners took advantage Of this
/ and opened fire. Soon the whole posi-
| ton became obscured in the smoke Of
/ bursting shells. Meanwhile. our bat
/ teries had begun to support the attack.
and a terrific artillery fire was main
/ tanned far into the night.
From many points along our line,
/ to the north and south Of Hill No. so,
could be seen the flashes, from the
| shells. while the flashes from the guns
were so nearly continuous that they
resembled the effect Of musketry fire.
/ Under this fire our men had TO work,
throwing ~ parapets toward the
enemy, blocking their communications
and generally rendering the position
defensibe.
"Nor was the enemy's infantry idle.
Advancing up the communication
trenches. they threw hand gTenades
over the barricades and into the mine
craters, on the crumbling sides Of
which our men were clinging in an
endeavor to obtain a foothold.
Massed Attacks Fail.
Throughout the night the fighting
continued, eliminating early in the
morning Of the 18th in two massed at
tacks by the enemy. These were beaten
off. principally by the fire Of our ma
chine guns.
Nevertheless, in spite Of the heavy
l. l. l.. l.. II