Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-18
SCOTS FIGHT FIERCELY,
WRITES GERMAN SOLDIER
Describes Attack That Continues for
Hourn-Aftcrwnrdn Dend Piled in
TvoN md Thrccs on Ench Other.
ny A. BEAUMONT.

BASLE. SWITZERLAND. April H.
have Just seen a letter from n former
German inhabitnnt OF Basic. an engi-
neer by profession, who. when mo-
bilized. Joined tho German army, and
has been with an engineering corps
opposite the British lines in Northern
France since last November. He de-
scr!bes nm attack OF the scots Guards.
Their equipment" he says. was
very good, and they were all splendid.
lysdeveloped fellows. They fought
like demons. and tho proof OF II was
F that between both sides. some 1000
dead Were left on tho field. 1t was
really only Il battle for positions. but
a hot one. which we fought on January
26. Tho Scots Guards were holding
trenches which It was almost impos-
s!ble TO take by storm.
we got orders to lay mines, and
the day before the attack I myself.
with my section, under the command
OF n first lieutenant was intrusted
with the work OF laying tho charges
in the mine which was to blow them
up On the morning OF January %
we were all Mt our posts waiting for
: tho command. At $40 the order came,
: and we set fro 10 the fuse. AT the
same moment our mine throwers were
busy. Z Suddenly there was m explo-
sion which shook the earth for miles
around. Our attacking columns in
stantiy rushed forward to take the
Boots yby s,Gifise. whilst they were
still under tho effect of the explosion
and stunned. could not take part
In tho attack myself. 40 I had to SEQ
to removing our Instruments to n place
of safety
Immediately after there WAS a pan
demonium of rifle fire and OF machine
gun discharges, that bordered on the
liner edible. The hand-to- hand combat
had begun almost instantly. The Scots
Fought like demons. Many OF their
: comrades had been blown into tho air
20 yith the earth Of their trenches. Tho
BRITISH artillery Joined In. and fired
,iih remarkable precision and a rapid
- " that gave us the shivers. Whilst I
was busy withdrawing our mine in
,tallntion., n British she'll burst inside
he trench In which our reserves were
waiting. 1t killed every man within
radius OF; twenty feet. and I escaped
s by "a miracle I Immediately helped
o attend tho wounded.
"Ourftroops continued the attack for
wo hours. and succeeded in pushing
bn to tho second limo OF the British en-
renchments. Our operations were con-
iderably hampered by number of
.r,ckyerds and sheds which the Brit
sh had turned into Notifications. AT
o'clock IN the afternoon we were
tn hshting. and I had to make an
nspection OF one of the trenches I
had to- do so crawling, as the enemy
niped US mercilessly. I have already
cen many horrors OF the war, but I
ever saw any horror like this. The
oad fay sometimes In twos and threes
n each other, and had to crawl over
hem. At 4:30 tho British brought up
eserves. Thoy rushed to the attack
!, columns along n road whore they
,ere exposed to a murderous fire from
ur machine guns.
"As soon as we opened fre on them
ncy dropped down and took to shell
.r so that in an instant the whole
olumn seemed to have disappeared.
he troops that faced us were entirely
cesn and had mover before heen In
ction. and they behaved wonderfully
ell. During the night whilst I was
usy with my section erecting n
orbed wire defense, they returned to
No attack. We let them come up
ose to us before we opened fire. 1t
as ono of the most stubborn engage
ients have ever seen. Later on in
40 course Of the might had to ac-
ompany our lieutenant on an inspeo-
on across h field. We met some pa
oils OF the Guards and we had an
ther little fight Of our own. We got
way without losing n man, and do
ot know how the enemy Jared. have
rem able to come out OF those engage
ents with safe skin, but I would
OF like ito see. many more like them
waa too much for my nerves."