Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-26
GERMAN SOLDIERS MAD
WITH TERROR IN BATTLE
Many OF Them Seen Driving Bay
Onets Into Bodies of Their
Comrades.
SURPRISED BY THE BRITISH
Eyewitness" Tells of Veritable In
ferno Which Existed ut Hill go.
Hillsides Piled With Dead rs Re-
suit of Struggle.

LONDON. April 25.--The official press
bureau tonight issued the following
eyewitness" account of the lighting at
Hill No. 60. in Flanders:
AT : r NJ. on April II seven mines
were fred simultaneously under the
German trenches. The trenches and
parapets Of sandbags disappeared, and
the whole surface OF the ground as
sumed strange shapes. here torn into
huge cratcrs and there forming mounds
OF fallen debris.
las the reports of the explosions died
away, and while dense columns OF
smoke still hung in the air. our men,
ed by their officers, srrans from their
renches and rushed across the inter
ming space OF some forty to sixty
ards. lying between our lines and The
=apinE cratcrs before them.
The front covered by the attack
was only $50 yards long Many Ger
nan soldiers were surprised in their
hrtsleeves. without their equipment.
\ ,unned by the violence Of the cx
Alosions and hewildercd by being sud
Anlv subjected 10 n rain OF hand
eNnades, thrown by our bombsrdinE
parties. they gave way 20 panic, ours
ins. shouting and falling over one
another, fighting like madmon In their
hurry 20 gain tho exits 10 the commun-
cation trenches.
Some of those in the rear, mad
dened by terror. were seen driving their
bayonets into the bodies Of their com
aides in front
Our men fell upon the enemy with
the bayonct. burst through the maze
OF trenches, poured into the cratcrs
and pressed on down the communca-
tion trenches until they were stopped
by barbados defended by bomb
throwcrs.
The first lire of trenches over tho
front assaulted was captured In 4 few
minutes with little difficulty and fifteen
prisoners taken.
Then the real fighting began for
the Germans quickly recovered from
their surprise. and soon the whole posi-
ton became obscured in the smoke of
bursting shells. Our batteries maiu-
tanned a terrific artillery fire. and AS
darkness fell the scene was ma rniiicent
The cnemy's infantry threw hand
grenades over the barrcadcs and also
sides Of which our men were cliueing
in an endeavor To obtain foothold
FIGHTING CONTINUES
TIIROuGHTOUT THE NIGHT
"Throuch out the night the lighting
continued. eliminating early on the
morning Of the 18th in two massed
attacks by the enemy. These were
beaten off. principally by the fire OF
,I,I,,
been rushed forward on side cars
nevertheless. in spite of the heavy
losses which left the hills!dcs piled
with dead, the enemy continued bring
Ing great pressure during the whole
OF Sunday, until wc were gradually
driven from the southern edge Of tn,
hill.
AT +. NJ. re-cnforcemcnts arrived
and swep; the Germans from the foot
hold they had gained
on Mond4y. the 18th. q severe can
nonade was maintained by both sides.
but no further infantry attacks were
attempted. In the course OF The dav
we captured thirty-five NOR, prisoners
The enemy did not conhnc his at
'cntion TO hill No 60. Tho whole OF
tho area around Yprcs was heavily
sheiled, rs well as the town itself
ION the Goth thei hall WAS broken
'''''''"nS no" 'lhHHsNed - formida-
.'' '"n'e,,'f"''oh OF hi'illerY Hour
I'"" h'aVier' and
WIRES Itself was homhardcd ny pieces
vi ioi ''hetcr ana 'hirtN-hve-
-e'' '''''e'"' S"h'cr IN spite OF this.
not many cas""'lieS were sustained. eX
- W ,'''""S' among whom were
""o were Ni4'cd while
,'"e ~ Wv street
-, en- '"'"t '"e n'e AGAINST hill
"o''e'' ana at $50 =. NJ.
-. "'S''i' "''h'rE once more ad-
~ assam. inc attack
'''' W. ana "n"'her assault at
y" S"'''t' iHr same rare
, 'o"S "f'es OF Germans,
IN "'"" E'"h""eS' made re-
80 "".'' vs. OH Inc MI,
,,o,,s rr '"'."E YIN "oMnard-
ana ,-.nC, ~ al xmas
''''' u 'i'A' ~ N'''' "a!