The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-31
BRITISH WITHSTAND
GERMAN GAS FUMES
Hold Ground Despite Violent
Attack Made From Three
Directions.
REVIEW BY EYEWITNESS
Spec,oJ Cob,s Dsspotch to Tar srN

NVf'fVf ' " beSt"''" W "
I.oNpoN. May 3o.-An account OF the
recent fighting in Flanders written by
the official eyewitness" with the British
General stan under date OF May rs
was issued by the press bureau today.
II may be summarized az follows:
monday, May "a. witnessed II fresh
development of the situation on our
front. A violent bomba rdment with gas
shells was started against the section
Of our line in this quarter extending
from "A point north of Wieltje. M
Germans released gas from large num-
bers Of cylinders along the whole line
and the gas continued to pour to the
southwest for some hours In great
volume.
This attempt to asphyxiate our men
was OF course preliminary to an assault
against the salient. for which infantry
had been massing TO the east. The as
sault was carried out from three direc-
lions. being pushed forward under cover
OF "A heavy bombardment. on the
greater part of the front our troops
were able to stand their ground and
maintain. their positions in spite OF the
poisonous fumes, but in certain sections
they were forced 20 evacuate the
trenches. German infantry succeeded
in getting = footing In the front line
OF our trenches near the farm north OF
Wieltie and for some distance on both
sides OF the Roulers railway n south
OF the Menin road. The enemy lost
considerably both from artillery and
rifle fire.
Counter attacks were organized that
same morning and by midday our in
fantry had succeeded in ~reoccupying
its former line north OF the railway.
by evening here were no west
Of the original position south OF the
Menin road. though We were Unable TO
reoccupy our line in that quarter. as
was the case also near Wieltje. The
advance of the enemy was stopped IN
the nelghborhood Of Hin 60.
"a party of infantry during the night
worked It's way by The use OF bombs
forty yards up a trench which the Ger
mans had taken. destroyed the enenys
barbados and reconstructed and held
the trench.
I'm the trenches near the Bois Grenier
a slight success was gained by our
lrooi~. who seized soine ground.
"On Tuesday matters wer" more quIe.
along the centre. German guns were
active against certain points throughout
the day. Near Festuber; infantry car
ried a short length Of trench by the
use OF bombs hut was forced by ma
chine gun fire TO give up part or H.
Later we gained three points south 81
F'estubert and captured 'hirty-five rr!s'
oners.
ION Wednesday. May &c. there was no
! fresh development ON the night OF
MAY aj-26 We carried another small
portion " the German trenches and
captured a machine u aud one officer
and twenty-one men. Progress was
made during The day. TIL night OF May
J 81. n4sscl uupNpuffuly
"on parts OF the front conrnunica-
tion. chiefly OF a kind likely to he un-
pleasing to the other side. Is maintained
with the enemy by means Of signs.
As an instance of this. the Ger ans
recently announced the success Of the
Austro-ierman armies In the Carpathi-
ans on a notice board, and the same
means was adopted by us Of inform.nC
them OF tho intervention Of Italy. Al
this piece OF rews they showed consid-
cradle ammo, IrCe"