Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-11-05
TAKING OF CARENCY
Soldier Describes Horrible Fight
Ing in Storming Ruined City.
Town Regular Fortress, All the
Houses Communicated by Cellars
and Underground Passages
XIII With Hand Grenades.

Paris.-The horrible fighting which
resulted In the taking of ruined Car
ency by the French is described thus
by soldier in letter received here:
"At 10 a. m, with knapsacks and
with our pouch bags well stored with
grenades and melinite petards, we left
our trenches, and along front of one
and fourth miles rushed the first Ger
man trench. We were allowed ten
minutes; it took us exactly IL seconds.
All the Boches in the trench were
killed or captured We at once cut
the electric wires, for everything was
mined.
Away to the second trench, which
is carried in the same manner. We
took many prisoners and heap OF
spoil The machine guns we at once
swung round and so peppered the en-
envy with their own projectiles. We
exploded mines. which made holes 40
yards in diameter and ten yards deep
Numbers of Boches were buried. 9th
ers lay on the parapets or in the
trenches, horribly cut up-some decap-
itated, others bayoneted. They had
been taken by surprise, and could net
make use of their asphyxiating bombs.
I'm the evening we seized ceme-
terry Hot fighting. We lost pretty
heavily, for the enemy fought bravely,
and made good use of his machine
guns. In the night they bombarded us
plentifully, but we lay low in their
holes, and our losses were very slight.
Monday passed in the attack of 9th
err points and the consolidation of our
positions and investment of Carency
which is a regular fortress. All the
houses communicate by the cellars and
underground passages. Everywhere
deep, well-defended trenches. Mitrail
leuses in the houses and II millimeter
and one los millimeter guns in the big
farm.
"On Tuesday morning, with rush
we enter Carency. 1t has to be taker
house by house. No sooner was one
taken than the enemy fed into the
next. They shot at us through the
cellar gratings. We crawled up under
the walls and threw down grenades
Heaps of them were killed in the eel
lars.
"At noon the whole of Carency was
ours. A lieutenant whom we tool
prisoner blew out his brains
II entered lieutenant's cabin. Firs
of all, on top was ten-foot layer o
earth, covered with green sods
Twelve steps led down to the LIVING
room, which was 10 feet by 16 feet
with a glass paneled door and cur
tains. Enormous tree trunks proppe'
up the whole.
"The walls were lined with morocco
probably lifted from some cafe, AM
the ceiling was linoleum. Gilt lath
held everything fast. On the RICH
was comfortable walnut bed; on tn
left a square table with new oilclot
Z covering; in the middle, fine lamp o
a stand, and in the recess a Prussia
stove. Knickknacks, books, valuabl
odds and ends lay about on shelves
Boxes of cigars, hams, butter, sausage
beer.
"The Germans, fighting inch by incl
fell back on Ablain. We were now bt
yond Carency and across the waite
= All the Boches hiding there we're kille
or thrown in. Six prisoners had bee
taken, and left under the care of
theatrical gentleman. We went Of
and the prisoners fell upon him an
killed him and then 'skedaddled.'