The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-21

IIldJ WHICH Deltll ult Ill Ill y ldoG
We made an early start, and went
in closely followed by the infantry.
was on observation duty most of the
time, and had the finest panoramic
view of modern war that l have yet
struck. With US were some West
Yorkshire men. Their orders were to
follow in our wake and keep the Huns
as busy as possible without mourning
unnecessary losses.
It having occurred to me that we
might give Fritz a bit of surprise, and
at the same time put in good stroke
for our own side, we sent the "old
girI'' forward as fast as she would go,
and got nicely between the enemy
and the village, from which support
ing troops were coming out in great
numbers.
How Fritz Fights Tanks
Too late, the enemy saw what we
were up to-. and they made frantic
/ efforts to avoid disaster. They
brought upsguns and liquid fire outfit.
+, With the latter they tried their old
trick of spraying the tank in the
! hope of making it too hot for us. They
had just settled down to this work
when the West Yorkshires decided to
take hand in the game.
liberalization advanced with a fine
dash and captured the enemy's fire
I outfit Quickly they turned it on the
battalion of Huns who had occupied
the low ridge with the object of de-
+! laying the advance of other battalions
of ours. The effect was astonishing.
Then enemy came rushing out of their
shelters, like bees from an upturned
hive, and made to get back into the
village.
Tanks Part of the "Show'
That was where our part of the
show began. We got astride the road
by which they had to retire, and we
poured in a whitening fire that must
have made the Huns squirm. To pull
= themselves together the Huns now at
tackled the West Yorkshire men in
force, and a. hand-to-hand struggle of
unusual fierceness was then waged.
The enemy put in all their available
reserves and tried to. work round the
flank of the Yorkshire men. The
Tykes just held their ground and
waited until the Huns were at close
quarters. Then they let fly with
bombs and bullets, afterwards taking
to the 'bayonet.
The enemy fought with unusual
courage, flinging themselves again
and again against our line, but they
found the TylSes more than match
for them. Just when they were har-
rying them most we went forward full
tilt. The Huns held on until we were
close on them. Then they began t.
waver.
Tanks Fine Tactic
We shot forward. and headed then
off before they could get clear.
The road by which they had to re
tire was narrow, and there was nj
escape. 1 saw the crowd of horro,
stricken enemy fleeing in front of u
as fast as their heavy packs would
permit them to go. I saw them grad
ually Stakeholder pace.
Fast Yorkshires to the Rescue
We were overtaking them whel
suddenly there was a sinking sensa
ton, as though we were descending
the bowels of the earth. Then w
stopped altogether.
At first we could not make GU
what was the matter. but later we sol
we'd the mystery. We had run int
mud patch, and were stuck fast
The enemy were greatly pleased wit,
our misfortune. They came worry
ingralongeand opened fire with a spe
cial type of light gun to deal wit
, tanks. They threw forward fresh de
tachments of" troops and soon had u
surrounded.
1t was rather hot.
We thought we were booke
through, and simply lay there wait
ing for the end. The enemy presse
closer and closer.