The sun., 1916-09-12
GUILLEMONT TAKEN
AS IF A MANGUYRE
British Went at Their Work
With Goodness and Pre-
cisiOn Of Rehearsal.
CAPTIvES EASILY MADE
Germans Begged for Mercy
and Offered Money and
Trinkets to Obtain 1t.
Special Cable DessatcA to THs srN.


LONDON, Sept. ll.-A correspondent Mt
the British front in France describing
the capture Of Guillemont by British in
fantry says the own was cleared Of Ger
mans n fortified by the British with
such celebrity and precision hat the oper-
alton might have been the smooth per-
formance Of long rehearsed.
THE attacking ~battalions." the corre-
%spondent y 'swarmed over the rub
bish heap which once was the village Of
ward in dire confusion. Between noon
and midafternoon 1000 Prussians who
had been ordered TO hold this ground at
all costs were dispersed, captured or
killed.
THE attacking battaiions were Irish.
men on the left and English on the right.
They went through The business with
characteristic GOODNESS: indeed. they
were almost stolid. The hapless fugi-
tives hugging the insecure shelter OF
some shallow hole suddenly would find
themselves confronted by imperturbable
men In khaki. hung about with bombs
and smoking leisurely as they lobbed
their Internal gifts into these stray hid
ing places. The very composure Of their
foe disconcerted the Prussians.
Men Joke a. They Fight.
ut was no headlong bayonet charge of
men rushing from n lire apo another,
but deliberate. stcp-by-step progress.
The mrn had time to laugh n Joke
among themselves as they borrowed
cigarettes or loaned matches at intervals
between bags Ct prisoners.
1T was no %walkover. however. In the
frst phase Of the assault The sunken road
leading southwest from Guillemont be-
hind the German front line and the
quarry Immediately north OF II gave con-
siderable trouble to the British troops.
At least $50 dead Germans were found
in the sunken road when II finally passed
into the possession OF the British and a
number Of prisoners fell INTO British
hands in the quarry and from sheltered
and isolated parties OF Germans who
tried the familiar ruse Of lying quiet un.
III the first invading infantry had passed
and then frins upon their backs.
"A detachment was speedily diverted
for their benefit. however. n in twenty
i've minutes the quarry was cleared
One dugout contained nearly thirty Ger
mans. There. as we'll as In the sunker
'Ohus ~ tOee'k
with rifles and grenades until the Brit
'sh were practically at arms length
then their empty hands would be LIFTED
with the inevitable whine OF 'kamerad !
and usually an additional cry for mercy
Village Entirely EnvelopeA.
while n body Of troops pressed
through the ruins OF Guillemont other
attachments north and south were sys.
tematicaily sweeping around II until thu
village and its environs were completed!
enveloped. The general attack was moi
held up indeed II was hardly delayed
by the heavy machine gun fre directed
against the advancing troops from the
direction of GuillemOnt Falfemon'
farm.
when the first counter attack was
tempted II was three hours after the
'.'.ish were we'll established in Guile
mont and the whole position was wei
consolidated. II simply w!thered before
the concentrated fire Of the British ma
chine guns hat had been rushed for
ward. nor did the successive counter at
lacks that followed the next day make
he slightest impression.
'"rhc headlong fight Of som Han.
overians who helped garrison Guillemon'
was the subject OF bitter comment from
u captured ITuSSidu oiI'eI u rd
hem boiling. They run WELL he said
IN English. They will be in Berlin be
fore I am in England
approximately 500 prisoners were
sent back to the British lines from the
Guillemont area. Their utter collapse
was manifested In a variety Of ways
Some were weeping helplessly wher
they stumbled out of their dugouts. hav'
| ing been persuaded into daylight by tn,
! smoke Of sulphur bombs Six OF forty
roe occupants Of a subterranean cham
her sobbed as they crawled into tn
presence Of the bombing party ant
begged quarter.
IAN officer n his specialized orderl!
went on their knees before ar embar
raised British sergeant. and another
German, according to n nOn-commis
stoned officer who told his experiences
hung to him and asked not to be killed
They pronounce the word mercy yer!
we'll. fancy they practice saying It II
the German front line trenches.
They came running toward their cap
tors from shell craters and hollow hid
Ing places In the earth holding GU
watches. money and personal trinkets
Arm In tho belief that they could bu!
their lives.
Even Money IL offered.
Zone bearded HanOverian offered
Sheffield rifieman a two mark note. Al