New Britain herald., 1917-11-28
Fresh German Troops Hurry to FOntaine NOtre Dame to Re-
 lieYe Tired Comrades
A RAIN OF BULLETS
 GREETS THE TOMMIES
Conditions Favorable to the Germans Because They were Fighting on the Defensive, and Each of Their Ma chine Guns Was Worth Hundreds >f Rifcs-British Fight Valiantly.

>f RihCS-BritiSh Fight Valiantly. Tuesday. Nov. 27,-(By the Associat- cd Press. )-Desperate and sanguinary fighting has been raging in and about Fontainc Notre Dame since dawn to- day, when tho British again attacked tho strongly-held village.
 Shortly after nine o'clock 1t ap- pearcd that the assaulting infantry had stormod it's way through the vil- 1age in the face of tremendous ma chine gun fire both from the houses of the hamlet and from La Folio wood 10 the southeast. Five hun dred German prisoners were taken i'll the early hours of the fighting.
 Late this afternoon the Germans hurried up two new divisions. The fighting which followed in Fontaine was even more bitter, if possible than that which occurred in the first rush through the ruined hamlet. At latest reports superior numbers of enemy infantry had pushed the British back through the village again to the west ern and northwestern outskirts, but the battle still continued with un- abated fury.
 In the meantime the British line running around Bourbon wood to the northwest was sustaining a heavy as- snult. The enemy appeared to be de- termined to regain this important po- sition if 1t were humanly possible. Tho whole front from Fontaine to Bourbon village was the scene of fierce fighting, which at many places was at close quarters.
 British Line Intact.
 The British line about Bourbon i wood IS still intact. The attack on Fontaine Notre Dame was begun with the assistance of Q very heavy artil- lery barrage and--444rea1gh hout the morning the British gunners main tained an intense fire against the German positions there. The onrush- Ing infantry drove on entering wedge Into the northwestern part of the village in 8 short time, but they were held up here by a terrific rife md machine gun fire to which they were subjected from every point of vantage.
 Conditions were favorable to the Germans for they were fighting on the defensive in well prepared posi- lions which could only be taken by storm Every machine gun was equivalent to several hundred rifles.
 Despite the disadvantages the Brit lsh continued the onslaught. It was a glorious exhibition of bulldog cour- nge. In less than three hours they had pushed the hard-hitting Germans back to the eastern side of the vil- lage leaving enemy dead strewing the streets.
 As the British fought forward and surrounded the various buildings con- taining enemy machine gunners, many Germans were compelled to surrender or lose their lives. By the time the onstern side of the village was reached 500 captives had been collected and sent back to swell the great total of prisoners taken since General Byng struck his telling blow last Tuesday.
 Achievements.
 The arrival of a large body of Ger ! man endorsements put a different complexion on the situation. These fresh troops immediately counter attacked and the fighting through the streets of Fontaine took on renewed vigor. The weary British retired some- what in the face of this onslaught, selling each foot of ground to the en- emy at cruel price. The western \ outskirts of the village were reached and here, according to latest reports the battle continued.
 Some interesting facts were made known today concerning the famous tunnel trench which the British now hold entirely northwest of Bullecourt. |, Part of this underground fortiflcation was captured in the fighting previous to this Canbrai push. but large DOT ton was taken last week. The tunnel, which was built by Russian prisoners, was most amazing piece of work.
 It was 13 miles long and 40 feet deep. Entrances were driven into 1t every 35 yards and the Germans lighted the entire place with electric ty, Tho tunnel was mined at inter vals throughout its length, but the British quickly discovered the cleo tric wires leading to the mines and they were rendered useless.