The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-05-17
YPRES BATTLE
is DESCRIBED
GERMAN ATTEMPT TO BREAK
BRITISH LINES ENDS IN
FAILURE.
British Troops Provide Measures
to COunteract Gas and Attempt
Is Repulsed.

IONDON. May l6. (5:45 y. m)-
The renewed attempts OF the Ger
mans TO break through the British
lines near Npres on Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday last-there being only
artillery engagements on the last
named day. are described by the Of
ncial observer attached to the British
headquarters in the field In the fol-
lowing narrative:
"On Monday. the 1Oth. the nghting
on our front was confined 20 the
Nj ores salient. where II continued TO
raee with the same intensity as on
the day before. especially along the
eastern ftre. on. both sides OF the
Menin Road. Sheiling was maintained
in the morning but no Infantry at
TACK was delivered until afternoon
when the cannonade increased, Il ap-
parently being the enemys purpose
TO wear us out and so batter our
trenches by high explosives that an
easy passage would be secured for MS
infantry.
After their artillery had done it's
worst-the bombardment being the
most violent up till now experienced
on that portion OF the front-the Ger
mans brought their gas cylinders into
pinf Half an hour later having al
lowto time for the gas to produce its
exPe0fed result. their infantry ad-
vaheed TO the assault OF our trenches,
dead men Unluckily for them, how
ever, on this OCCASION their methods
e iTighttulness Went astray some
DAzfs n0r our Hen were provided with
measures for eOunteracting the gas
and were still very much alive.
A Strange Scene.
y strange scene was then wit
messed. Through the scattered woods
and across the clearings streamed a
loose and disordered mob of attack
crs. some OF those in front. ACCORDING z
10 report, being dressed in the British
uniform in order to put us OF our
guard and give time for the rest OF
their own men To come up. Suddenly
our infantry lined their parapets and
poured in rapid fire from rifles and
machine guns on the advancing crowd
who threw themselves fat on their
faces. That. however. was the chance
Tor our guns. They poured in a heavy
shrapnel fire. and in n few moments
the ground was strewn with dead and
dying Germans all along in front OF
our parapets.
At one point the Germans succeed
cd in gaining a portion Of our posi-
ton, but apparently were forced to re-
tire by the gas.
Another effort To drive us from our
trenches by means of gas was made
north OF the Npres- Confines canal
The Germans here had two batteries
cf cylinders. placed so that their noz-
zles projected over the parapet, and
for the space Of half an hour q cloud
Of white gas spurted out. II was so
dense that man standing In IL could
not see his hand when held I'm front Of
HE face. and its fumes bleached the
grass and turned the sand bags OF
the parapets to a bright yellow color.
No infantry attack was attempted.
and although our trenches had 10 be
evacuated Tor a time. they were soon
re-OcCupied Our troops on the hankg
kept up rapid fire and prevented any
advance on the enemys part. had surn
been his intention.
Suffered Equally.
But from the movements that could
be observed In their lines IL is pro
bable the Germans suffered equally
from the effects Of the gas. and had
20 leave their own trenches
About this time a third attack
took place north Of the Menin Road.
In this case. the enemy did for time
obtain Judgement In our trenches on
the outskirts Of Bellewarde Woods but
was driven out by n counter attack
"On the morning of the nth hostile
heavy infantry again opened all
around the salient the fire being e.
pecially severe against the portion OF
our line which lay astride the ST.
Julien road The assault was not.
however. delivered in this quarter.
but as on the previous dav. hurled
against our trenches south ~ the
Menin Road. whore three separate -.
forts were made
At p m. the bomba rdm ent ceased
and tho enemy's infantry once more
Fwarmed forward. many of them
dressed in kills on this occasion
they succeeded in occuTg Ing tempo
rarily a short length of our trenches.
But 10 was not plain fha' they were.
for the time being a. any rate. utterly
exhausted and when counter attacked
they made 20 most feeble resistance
and we're easily driven back
For some hours previously to this
the Germans had been throwing incon-
diary shells into Iurea. and hv fhie
time the town war blazing nerreiv in
different ula o. while q dense nafi az
smoke hung over ~
Besides opening FIRE with accurary
and speed on the advancing German
masses our guns homhardcd their de-
fense works with good effect"