Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-26
MAKE
SUCCESSFUL RAID
SUDDEN ATTACK SURPRISES THE
GERMANS WHO SUFFER LOSS
OF BATTALION.


Dec. "a, via London, Dec. 25.-(From
a staff correspondent of the Associat-
ed Press)-North of Arras certain
Canadian troops have just accomplish
ed what the British officers declare
marks new phase in modern trench
warfare. In raid, which, however.
was much more than raid. they sue
ceeded in putting out of action, tenn
porarily at least, an entire battalion Of
German infantry. They took fifty-nine
prisoners, including one commanding
officer, and estimated that they killed
$50 German in dugouts which were
blown to atoms after their occupants
refused to surrender. The Canadian
losses were extremely light. The
raid" took place at o'clock in the
afternoon on front Of 400 yards. The
German prisoners admit that :, they
were taken completely by surprise.
The officer captured said he was con-
WINGED that something was about to
happen but believed that the attack
was coming on Christmas eve. He re.
ported to the higher command but re-
ceived no support.
Make Sudden Dash.
The Canadians, mostly stalwart men
from the plains of Manitoba, Saskatch-
evan and Alberta, had skillfully estab.
lished themselves well forward so
that when the artillery had ceased the
preparatory fire they were in the Ger.
man front line trenches in less than
two minutes. The officer in command,
who was reporting the raid to head.
quarters by telephone, said that he had
hardly uttered the words They're
or before he had to say They're in"
CONSERVATION reigned among the Ger
mans who scrambled for the dugouts
leading to the rear trenches while. the
Canadians pelted them with hand
grenades. Caught absolutely unpre-.
pared, many Germans in the front line
offered no resistance but threw up
their hands with cries of "Kamerad.'
Others were taken as they fled for
the second and third lines for the Can
adams pushed on quickly to the Sec
ond trenches.
Attack Well Planned.
About twenty dugouts were destroy
ed by Canadians. several with bombs
captured from the Germans. One of
the officers engaged said:
"As we entered the trenches manv
Germans broke for the dugouts. All
who did were subsequently we'll cared
for. Each of our men was given def
mite Instructions for his precise task
and map of the enemy trenches
which proved absolutely correct.
Each man knew every detail of the
proposed operation They were de-
lighted at this and entered the fight
with great cheers. When they came
out two hours later they were SINGING
and as happy as school boys on holi.
day. The neatness and despatch with
which the raid was carried out were
unique. The artillery cooperation Of
the British guns was perfection. Beau
tifully placed curtains of fire prepared
our advance, and, creeping forward,
protected us as they proceeded to abb
solutely demolish the enemy trenches
and dugouts. The program had given
the men an hour but in ten minutes
the raiders signalled they were ready
to, return to their own trenches
No attempt was made at counter
attack until the following night when
the Germans bombarded and raided
their own first line, or what was left OF
it, thinking that the raiders were still
there. AS a matter Of fact the Can
adams who carried out the operation
were miles away. They were not part
of the fighting line but on rest and had
gone forward for this particular piece
of work which was planned weeks ago.