ENEMY RAIDS ON AUSTRALIANS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16159, 13 March 1918, Page 7

ENEMY RAIDS ON AUSTRALIANS.

PIERCE FIGHTING IN THE DARK. (From Lieut. F. M. Cutlack. Assistant War Correspondent with the Australian Forces.) LONDON, March 3. Under a heavy bombardment from both • sides several stirring minor engagements occurred last night on the Australian front. Tho enemy was doubtless stung by the repeated successes of our men in their raids and patrol encounters (prisoners recently captured informed us that attacks by them would probably be made very soon). Last night, about half-past 8, a fighting patrol of Queenslanders met an enemy party of 50 in No Man's Land, near Lys. The advanced section of the Australians was temporarily ambushed in a minenwerfcr barrage. Tho men escaped by swimming across the icy water of a large ditch. They passed through the enemy barrage, two of the "men being slightly wounded, and rejoined the remainder, who, though outnumbered, beat off the enemy. At half-past 9 a heavy enemy bombardment was opened east of Wytschaete, and Messines. No infantry action followed in the latter locality, where our answering artillery fire must havo checked any contemplated attack. Further north, near Hollebeke. South Australian outposts were heavily attacked by 200 Germans. The night was pitch dark. The patrols south of the canal came in firing signals, and reported that large parties of the enemy were advancing. The Germans were preceded by pioneers, who fired explosive charges into our wire, and attacked two advance posts on two sides at once. The garrisons made the most gallant fight, and prevented the enemy entry to the posts, though greatly outnumbered. Meanwhile, with the weight of numbers, the enemy penetrated an opening in the wire between the posts to a dugout immediately in the rear, where a hand-to-hand fight ensued. The wind, the darkness, and the bombardment made the location of the fight difficult, but a platoon officer led a courageous counter-attack with a Lewis gun, practically annihilating the German party. The German officer who was leading attempted to thwart our efforts by calling out, "Don't shoot, come and help us." The Australians took no notice, | and the German leader was shot. Over 20 enemy dead were left about our wire. Four prisoners were taken, including another officer, who was wounded, and lias since died. Our total casualties did not cxcecd the known enemy dead.

As the bombardment diminished another enemy party attacked an Australian post further south under a minenwerfer barrage. In the darkness German scouts had cut the wire with hand-cutters, and the enemy swarmed about the post calling out, "Put your hands up." The Australians answered with rifle fire and bombs, and drove off the enemy, capturing one prisoner and one light machine-gun. The prisoners state that these attacks were rehearsed at the rear of their lines for a week.