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SEPTEMBER 155
The Japanese had brought their saps to about
fifty yards from the two northern lunettes, and
against these the attacks were directed, the first
taking place in the afternoon and two more during
the night. There was a small moat in front of
the “B” lunette, and the slopes of the breast-
works were very steep. The attacking force, as
they made their rush from their siege parallel up
to the moat, were met with a heavy fire, which
struck down many. In the moat a standing fight
ensued, mostly with hand grenades, which were
freely used by both sides ;
but the attackers were,
of course, in a difficult position for this kind of
game and suffered greatly. The few men who
reached the parapet were instantly shot down,
and the Japanese had to retire each time with
considerable losses. For an hour before the first
attack and later, during the night attacks, the
Japanese poured a tremendous shrapnel fire into
the four lunettes and the connecting trenches,
and for the rest of the time kept them under a
constant shell fire. From early morning on the
20th shrapnel fire commenced again ;
the whole
attacking force, five battalions, was concentrated
on the strong “ B ” lunette, and a last powerful
rush made. Carrying scaling ladders with them,
they swarmed up over the breastworks and into
the fort, where a short, sharp hand-to-hand fight
ensued. The Russians were overpowered, and
retired through the trenches leading back to the
“A” lunette ;
but the Japanese followed on their
heels and entered the lunette simultaneously with
the Russians. The garrison here, demoralized
by the long, heavy bombardment, by the loss of
their strongest lunette, and overwhelmed with
confusion and consternation as friends and foes
came tumbling pell-mell into their defence works.
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