The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-22
.'EYE-W|INI E IfI! .OF ENGL|s ON F0RE|G
 Anu HAnrUA
Troops In Trenches Stand Ground to Very Last Against OverWhelm-
 ing Odds

London, March 21-(6:45 D. m.)-Fight- ing qualities of the British soldier again were demonstrated in the battle at St Floi, although the battle was of compara- tive unimportance, according to an ac count of the operations in this district given by British eye witness and made public today by the press bureau.
 "On the evening of the 14th," says the eye witness. after an extremely heavy artillery fire directed againat our trenches. the Germans endeavored to rush our lines The attempt succeeded as far as the southwestern sector was concerned, fo.. the trenches had been blown in and were untenable. East Of the village, however our infantry made a determined stand Their fire was so steady and well directed that the losses among the assailants were terrible. our men sticking to their posts until the last-in fact, until they were overwhelmed by sheer wight of num- bers.
 "The Germans then -ushed supports to the trenches and also to mound which they had blown up by mine Following up their success they penetrated into the village itself. They were not allowed to re- main long in undisputed possession of it. however. Our first counter-attack took place at 2:30 a. nl, on the 10th and was partly successful only, tie enemy retain ing possession of St. -,loi and some breast works and trenches.
 By another effort two hours later we drove the enemy out of the village and recaptured all the trenches which Lad not been destroyed The mound, however remained in the hands Of the Germar.s
 The fighting in St. F'loi itself was of the flercest description. Upon gaining the place the Germans erected barricades across the streets, defended by machine guns.
 When morning dawned a search was carried on among the houses for wounaed and this occasion the Germans dis played humanity they do not always show, for they refrained rom firing on our bearer parties carrying away the in- jured within quite close r..nge.
 During the day of the 10th the Ger mans made last effort to recover t,Ieir ground by assault Presumably 1t waas a forlorn hope. for not more than 200 men took part in the attack. Most of the att tackers were killed. Prisoners captured said the German losses were heavy.
 Tt is unnecessary to speak of the gall 1antry of regimental officers throughour the fighting. The casualty lists tell .neir own tale.''
 Dealing with the advantage or disadvan. tage of infinitesimal gains and losses ot ground reported during the winter, the eye witness says success. even . s,rall one, e1evates the morale oe the : tackers and depresses the defenders. The posses sion of even a yard of ground counts, be- cause it may enable the possessor to act against some other point with greater effect. It also compels antagonists to counter attack under adverse conditions which cause far greater losses than those suffered by the original attackers
 Urging that it is the duty of the Bri1ish army to kill or knock out as many Ger many as possible with the least loss .o itself. the eye witness h;Ks the workinen of England to supply the necessary guns and ammunition, for it can be said now adays that providence lies on the side Of big batteries more than on that or biz battalions.''