Evening star., 1916-12-25
MARKS NEW PHASE
IN TRENCH WARE ARE

lV tNIIvUIi VHu nNI
Canadian Troops Employ Tac-
tics Which Dispossess En-
tire German Battalion.
AVIATORS DISPLAY SKILL
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, December "a. via London, De-
cember 25-North of Arras certain
Canadian troops have just accomplished
what the British officers declare marks
a new phase in modern trench warfare.
In raid which. however. was much
more than a raid. they succeeded in put
ting out Of action. temporarily. at least,
an entire battalion of German infantry.
They took fifty-nine prisoners, including
one commissioned officer, and estimated
that they killed $50 Germans in dug
outs 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 a front of 400 yards.
The German prisoners admit that they
were taken completely by surprise. The
officer captured said he was convinced
that something was about to happen. but
believed that the attack was coming on
Christmas eve. He reported to the high
command, but received no support.
Canadians Well Forward.
The Canadians, mostly stalwart men
from the plains of Manitoba, Sas-
katchewan, Alberta, had skillfulIy es-
tablished 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 brigade head
quarters by telephone. said that he had
hardly uttered the words they're off"
before he had to say they're in Con-
sternation reigned among the Germans,
who scrambled for the saps and dugouts
leading to the rear trenches, while the
Canadians pelted them with hand gren-
ades Caught absolutely unprepared
many Germans in the front line offered
no resistance. but threw up their hands
with cries Of "Kamerad. Others were
taken as they fed for the second and
third lines, for the Canadians pushed on
quickly to the second trenches.
About twenty dugouts were destroyed
by Canadians several with bombs cap
tured from the Germans. One of the
officers engaged, said: las we entered
the trenches many Germans broke for
the dugouts All who did were subse-
f1xy 90
men was given definite instructions for
his precise task and map of the
enemy's trenches which proved abso-
lutely correct.
Enter Fight With Cheers.
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 schoolboys on a holi-
day. The neatness and dispatch 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 alb
solutely demolish the enemy trenches
and dugouts. The program had given
work. but the cleanup was accom-.
plished in an hour and ten minutes and
the raiders signaled 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
1t, thinking that the raiders were still
there. AS a matter of fact the Cana
dians. 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.
Work of Aviators Resumed.
A day of sunshine rarity in De-
cember on the British front-recently
caused a temporary revival of activity
among the aviators. presenting a spec
tacie which a few years ago could have
lived only in the imagination
Out of the distance there came early
in the day series of black specks.
which gradually grew until they took
the form of German afrplanes From
points of telescope observation their
approach had been signaled long be-
fore even the first tiny dots were
visible to the naked eye. British guns
were ready and British airplanes were
already climbing above the ruins of
lenge the invaders.
While the German machines were
sttll over their own lines the British
snti-aireraft cannon. known as
sharp angry crack. moment later |
shrapnel shell burst into a white puff |
ball just In the path of the oncoming |
At first the white fieck Of |
powder smoke seemed no longer than |
a pinhead. but 1t soon spread until it |
apeared as an exaggerated TOW ba lloon
and foated as lazily against the sky. !
Then there was another puff, and |
then another, until it seemed that half |
a hundred ARCHES" must be going, |
and the sky became fretwork of |
white smoke balls, each one marking
a spot where breaking shell had |
showered its leaden bullets upon the |
Germans. Plunging in |
and out among the exploded shrapnel, |
the approa ching airplanes left a trail |
their wake.
British Fliers Keep Climbing.
Up and up. through the danger zone |
of their own guns, the British aviators
climbed eagerly to the fight. The dis
tant hum of the hostile motors now
could be heard. mingled with the
louder. beelike drone of the English |
machines, and between the scarcely |
intervals of the Arches "
fire came the Staccato notes of the
a hSpn Tha prif Sh ojr ha6