The Capture of Messines Ridge

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Kent Men In Bayonet Charge

In the course of a graphic description of the great British victory at Messines Ridge, Mr Philip Gibbs, War Correspondent for the Daily Chronical says:

Fresh waves of men came up and went forward into Ravine Wood, with its tattered trunks and litter of broken branches. Here, there was another fight, very fierce and bloody, between some south country troops and German soldiers of the 35th Division, who attempted a strong counter attack. The Englishmen had their bayonets fixed and at a word from their officers, they made a quick grim dash at the advancing Germans, advancing apon them through the dead wood, also with bayonets ready, so that the morning sunshine gleamed upon all the steel.

The bayonets crossed, the Men of Kent went through the enemy thrusting and stabbing, but though they saw red in that hour they gave quarter to men who dropped their rifles and shouted "Kamerad!"
Twenty five prisoners were taken and over eight hundred more, between The Mound and Ravine Wood before the day was out.