The sun., 1918-04-27

snecial cable nespateh to TIE srS from me
London Times.
Copyright. 1915; oil ,ichn rsse~ed.
BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, April 26.--The Germans are
now in possession OF Mont KENNEL. A
report yesterday stated that they had
taken 1t. but later it was stated that
the French still held the hill. This
came from a British airman and was In
fact only melancholy testimony to the
gallantry Of the French defence. for
undoubtedly what the aviator saw was
only the last stage OF that heroic stand.
when the French held the hill against
the rising tide of Germans surrounding
arman saw the clustered blue uniforms
on the crest. but could not see the gray
waves tapping the slopes.
II appears that Mont KENNEL was
surrounded and lost at o'clock in the
morning. There had been heavy she'll
ing throughout the nigh: with great
quantity OF gas ehells and much use OF
long range guns against the back areas.
An intense bombardment began between
midnight and o'clock. and continued
to between 3 and 4 O'Clock. when the at
tack was delivered on a wide front near
Schaete. where the British troops were
along the front OF KENNEL. to the west
Of Dranoutre. which was the line held
by the French.
How Hil Was Surrounded.
| Penetration seems TO have been ef-
fectsd at two points about simultaneous
ly. namely. At the Juncture OF the French
and British forces east Of KENNEL and
through the French line on the west
Pouring through on both sides, the
| enemy had i<emmsl surrounded and the
garrison cut OF.
Some day. perhaps. we shall have n
detailed account Of the heroic resistance
/ * the garrison after that Certainly
the fghtinR continued on the hill for
seven or eight hours. or until mid-after-
noon. 1t is understood that the French
troops had sworn that they would never
leave Mont KENNEL TO the Germans
| while they lived and they did not. but
We can only picture roughly the scene
OF which the aviator got glimpse as
the Germans on all sides swarmed the
hill and the Frenchmen. taken on both
! tanks and In the rear. fought in lessen
| ing numbers and in a gradually re.
ducing area until only the hill top was
crowned with blue. as the defenders
| facing all ways. made their last stand
| When all is known. J believe this las
f'gh, OF the French troops on Kemme
! Hill Will stand as one Of the most stir
ring episodes OF the war.
Where Line Vow Runs.
Eut the Germans have Mont KENNEL
/ lts importance has already been ex
planned az the first OF a chain OF hill
which run westward 10 Mont Descat
and after wider interval 10 Cassel
| Each OF these hills dominates and give
observation over a wide area of coun
try The possession OF the first hill
however. does not by any means in
vo!ve the possession of the others.
Mont KENNEL 10Y observation pur
poses must be useful TO the enemy. as /
| has been useful TO us. except in so IA
as our guns can make him unable TO us
il. Meanwhile our line has fallen bacl
between Mont KENNEL and the mex
height, Scherepenhers, running theme
northeastward 70 the region of Nier
straat and then east again to the wood
| near Wytschaete .,~
The troops here had hard fighting
| After the tremendous bomba rdment al
ready mentioned an attack was deliv
cred under shelter of the mist. and sool
after 4 o'clock in the morning some Ger
mans already had penetrated Loo
yards in one place near Nedialstaed
farm, southwest of Wytschaete, hefor
the Royal Scots. in the front line, knew
that the battle had commenced.
Further north the 'amerons wer
heavily attacked about the famous Dam
strasse and White Chateau. but hel
their Inc gallantly through nine hour
OF savage fighting until ordered to ia
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