The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-30
EYEWITNESS TELLS
 0F GERMAN ATTACK Asphyxiating Gases Gave Them Advantage
 ALLIES SURPRISED
Fell Back at First, But Counter Attacks Regained Ground Lost. Both Sides Lose
 Heavily

London, April 29.-d115 p. mD-The British official eyewitness says the Germans had prepared 10 attack the al- lied line at Ypres on the 20th but as the wind was not favorable flor the use of asphyxiatins gases they postponed it un- til the 22d.
 The gas the narrative says was dis tributed along the German front line in front of the French position, and the wind blew it directly on the French The Rsserman plan, according to the eye 1, witness was to make sudden onslaught soutllwestward, which, if successful, would enable them to gain crossings of the canal south of Bixschoote and place them well behind the British line and in a position to threaten Ypres.
 Allowing time for the vapors to take full effect on the troops facing them .'' says the eyewitness the Germans charged forward over the practically un- resisting enemy in the immediate front and penetrating through the gap thus created, pressed on silently and swiftly to the south and west. By their sudden Eruption they overran and surprised a large proportion of the French troops billeted behind the front line in this area and brought some of the French guns as well as our own under a hot rifle fire at close range
 Ordered to Retire
 "Our flank thus being exposed, the troops were ordered to retire on St. Ju- lien. with their left flank parallel to, but 10 the west of, the high road. The splen- did resistance of those troops who saved the situation already has been mentioned by the commander in chief
 Meanwhile, apparently waiting until their infantry penetrated well behind the allies line, the Germans opened a hot artillery fire upon various tactical points to the north of Ypres. the bombardment being carried out with the ordinary high explosive shells and shrapnel of various calibres and also with projecties contain ing asphyxiating gas.
 The eyewitness then tells how a battery of field artillery fired on the Germans at point blank range check ed their rush and did not lose a gun. The infantry meantime had withdrawn to St Julien. Achievements finally were drought up to meet the Germans, who by this time were barely two mics from Ypres
 Both Sides Lose Heavily
 These battalions,' the narrative continues, attacked the Germans with the bayonet and then ensued a melee in which our men more than held their own. both sides losing heavily.
 "Other endorsements were thrown in. The fighting was continued by moonlight our troops driving back ihc enemy by repeated bayonet charges. in the course of which our heavy guns were recaptured. By then the sitra- .on was somewhat restored in the area immediately north of Ypres Far ther to the west, however, the enemy had forced their way over the canal. occupying Steenstraete, and, crossing at 1fet Sas, had established themselves at various points on the west bank.
 Tn the early morning of Friday v'e delivered a strong counter attack HorthWard in cooperation with the French In the wood about half mile west of St. Julien our men got into the Germans with the bayonet and the latter suffered heavily. The losses also were severe on our side. About a1 Q. m., not being able to progress farther, our troops dug themselves in
 Broadly speaking on the section of the front then occupied by us, the re- suit of the operations had been to re- move to some extent the wedge the Germans had driven into the allied line and immediate danger was over. Dur ing the afternoon our counter attack nlade further progress south of Pil kern thus strengthening the line still more"
 The writer then tells how the Ger mans bringing up strong reinforce ments and again using gas, captui ed St Julien and threw several brigades across the canal. The British made a strong counter attack Sunday and, while theiy gained some ground, it stopped in front of the village of St .,ullen. The Germans, the narrative adds, made repeated attacks against the British near Broodseinde, backed by a tremendous artillery bombardment and gas, but they Were all driven off with great slaughter to the enemy"