Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-08
Terror Caused By "Tanks.n

A story OF how the famous British
tanks go into action was issued re-
Gently by the Official Press Bureau in
London. The story was written by a
Yorkshire enlisted man ard is as fol-
lows:
During my first day with the tank
we were working with a. Yorkshire
battalion. For that reason our ship
had it's name changed from Biting
Billy to The Tyka' 1t was 4 strange
experience DIT first. but We got used to
it, and soon found It the most excit-
ing kind Of joyriding ina ginai'le. Our
first experience of putting the fear of
God into the heart of Fritz was the
day they tried to cut off the West
Yo:kshire5. They delivered one of
their steam hammer surprise attacks
just after the West Yorkshires had
settled into a new trench that had
been captured after very hard fight
ing. They had tried to smother the
defenders under heavy Suufire before
making the attack. and the Yorkshire
lads were greatly outnumbered all the
time. They pot UP q game fight and
were holding their own WHEN we got
there, though they ware being hard
pressed and obviously needed a rest.
I'VE cut in at the gray dawn of a
misty morning, ana as we appeared
suddenly out of the mist behind our
own trenches we must nave given the
Yorkshire chaps rs big surprise as
we, were. to give the enemy later. We
went right over the trench and cat in
to NO Mans Land 1t was so misty
that we could see nothing at first but
gradually, as it cleared, we could de-
tect hurried movements of the enemy
all around. They hadn't the least idea
of anything happening, and We're NOV
ing about TO further their plans for
rushing the trench held by the York
Shi"es. Right ahead OF us a machine
6nfn ab IL
guns into position to cover The attack
Another set of iollars brought up 4 lot
of tackle looking like fire hose and
eXtinguisherS. AfterWaTd I learned
that this was namesGuirting tackle
Unseen ourselves, we we're able to
watch all this coming and going with
interest. We didn't make tie least
move until the enemy had comfortably
settled down. Then we got up
steam, so TO speak, and careened
right ii. among the whole outfit If we
had been the --latest in sea serpents We
couldn't have caused greater astonish-
meat than we dis; WREN we pohed our
ugly nose u amoI.s that select little
family partY of Germans Horror of
the most astonishing Kind was paint
ed on the face OF every n9njacl. of
the Fritzes' A few were so terrified
that they stood rooted to the ground
as though turned TO stone. bEt the
rest boiled as though 4 car!cad OF
fiends were after them.
We didn't want to collect the pet
rified chaps, but went off cxIrcss aft
er the runaways. We got at them
with our guns and brought them down
before they had run FAR. Then we
returned to await the attacl; which
was delivered in ignorance Of the fate
that had overtaken the machine gun
party. We kept u.tier cover Until the
attacking column was we'll up toward
its objective Then we gave a snort
and put ourselves across the line OF
the advancing enemy Trey were
frightened out of their wits. The
leading troops turned tail and lied
| discarding their arms in their flight
We went full blast ut them ard our
guns played great havoc with them
all the time. In about twenty min
utes their whole Plan of attack was
| knocked in the head, ard they were
in full retreat. TIE West York shire
lads were relieved and they gave uE
GOOD reception U.laD ha clS "