FURTHER TRIBUTES TO OUR TROOPS' BRAVE DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 162, 28 March 1918, Page 5

FURTHER TRIBUTES TO OUR TROOPS' BRAVE DEFENCE

MARVELLOUS DISCIPLINE DISPLAYED BY THE ARTILLERY INFANTRY CALM, RESOLUTE, AND DETERMINED London, March 2G. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "The enemy on Sunday continued his efforts to advance, seeking to cross the Somme south of Peronne and to break his way through the defences at Bapaume. He flung pontoon bridges and rafts ncross the Somme, and our field artillery, firing at short range, smashed many of the bridges and killed tho engineers. Our infantry, in a gallant counterattack, Hung the Germans back at several points, but elsewhere the enemy held the crossings long enough to put over some forces. Two fresh German divisions attacked on Monday morning south of Peronne. Wo were heavily engaged holding them back with tho most resoluto spirit. Tho fighting here since March 21 has been continuous. The battle divisions holding tho battleline from Gouzeaucourt to Maisaemy have shown magnificent powers of endurance. The defence at- Gouzeaucourt only yielded ground under pressure of overwhelming numbers and great gunfire. Special Praiso from Sir Douglas Haig. "Sir Douglas Haig specially praises the Twenty-fourth Division for its defence of Leverguier. Here a small body of Queen's Rifles fought to tho > last man, refusing to retreat when surrounded, nnd working the machine-guns until they were put out.of action. Tho Lancashire troops were nearly equally brave. The Twenty-fourth Division withstood the assault of seven German divisions. These continued to press tho lVonty-fourth until it fell back from the front-lino systems, fighting every inch of the way with little battles in tho woods and ruined chateaux, such as Grandpriel Wood, Cauvrieres Chateau, and Ferceque Farm. West of Hargicourt the enemy directed a thrust against Templeux-le-Guerard, and secured the high ground with observation, and fought forward through the village of Ervillers. There was a bloody struggle in some old chalk quarries, where many German dead are now lying. When the enem.T had come some distance ten of our tanks dashed in and shattered his battalions with machine-guns. The tanks manoeuvred about, firing continually on each flank, causing terror among tho enemy's foremost assault troops. Our men fell back to the Somme only when new masses of Germans passed through the battalion which we had beaten, Magnificent Handling of the Cuns. "The British field artillery and heavy guns were handled with marvellous discipline throughout trying hours,'and often in untenable positions. • Our gunners, hour after hour, fired into the ranks of the grey wen who came forward ceaselessly, like a living tide, regardless of loss "of life. Soma of our guns were necessarily abandoned, but many woro withdrawn across tho Somrae, the gunners showing wonderful skill and courage in making the passage. They went into action again like batteries manoeuvring at a military tournament. The Germans were so exhausted on Saturday morning that they mado no further efforts on some parts of tho line, but halted to get sleep and await fresh rations. Our men were reinforced on Saturday and Sunday, nnd given some reliof, though many, despite their weariness, put up a most gallant fight against the enemy, who cajno on again in an unending onslaught. Some enemy cavalry were seen on Sunday running, small bodies, acting as scouts. Our own cavalry patrols met them and turned them back. In the neighbourhood of Ham and on the edge of tho old Somme battlefields the French infantry are also fighting, shoulder to shoulder with our men, giving the most gallant help. Impossible to Over-praise tho British Troops. "It is impossible to over-praiso the British troops, tried as they are to the uttermost limits of human endurance. Our army is now one of dirty and. unshaven heroes, who snatch half-hours of sleep in any pause of tho fighting, and then get their rifles and machine-nuns ready for another bout. It is thrilling to know we are fighting on the old-time battlefields. Nature has filled the deserted trenches with grass, and wild flowers are growing in the old shell craters. We came upon little cemeteries where sleep the dead—the remembered dead. Now the tide of battle has flowed back. The new scenes are of the old-fashioned kind, recalling the open fighting of the early days of the war. Batteries gallop_ into action, patrols move out to establish contact with the enemy, and the infantry take up their positions, chattering and smoking among tho old ruins. The greatst novelty is the line of • tanks, crawling over the hill like enormous slugs—nn excellent target for the enemy's guns, though not a shot was {ired, as the enemy is not strong in guns in the front lines. Nevertheless, tho dominating impression is that our infantry is calm, resolute, and undismayed, and marching forward. One's heart beats to see this pageant of heroic youths. Their bodies and spirit stand between us and German victory. Their courage will break the enemy's onslaught in the Second Battle, of the Somme." Counter-Attacks Dammed the Cerman Tidal Wave. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: "The Second Battle of the Sommo is being fought in the open, across dead country, converted into hills and valleys by . three years' trench warfare. The struggle which may decido tho fate of nations has raged five days and nights. By sheer weight of numbers the Germans are trying to overwhelm us. Nowhere have they Thoy have gone forward slowly, but the aim of their Emperor is still unachieved. The situation is exacting and serious, but not so critical that the fate of the British armies hangs in the balance. The stand made by our troops is everywhere splendid. They are resisting the attacks of fresh corps and divisions, and they only give ground when they are outnumbered by three, or even six, to one. The lines which were momentarily broken havo been re-established. Counter-attacks by handfuls of Britons,have dammed tho flood and pushed it back—for it is nothing , but a tidal wavo which tho Germans have loosed in a desperate gamble. The Germans on Sunday night attacked north of Bapaurae. There is constant fighting on the Arras Road. Tho eueniy disclosed a fresh shock formation at dawn, and renewed his blows on both sides of Bapauine. "In order to understand what took place on Monday east of Nesle, it is necessary to recall the four clays' fighting. When the Gorninns attacked between Gouzeaiicourfc and Villere on Thursday they utilised fivo divisions in the first assault and three in two others. Later they managed to get up in the fog without being seen. By Thursday night we were behind Vilieret and Hargicourt. There was intense fighting on Friday about Leverguier, the enemy winning the high ground beforo the end of the day, and we again fell back. When the Germans broke our new lino at Lervilly wo counter-attacked with tanks, but finally retired to tha Somme, blowing up all the bridges except that at Saint Christ, also destroying the causeways across the marshes and the derelict canal. . . Cermans Cross the Somme. "The Germans brought up rafts, and small detachment? tried to pole themselves across the Somme. They were scuppered by the machine-guns almost before they embarked. A similar fate befell tho bridging expedition at Saint Christ. Meanwhile, ten German divisions camo into action between Nesle and Clery, and the two best German divisions, including tho crack Brandenburg corps, were ordered to cross the Sommo. On Monday they managed to get a footing on the west bank by means of rafts and pontoons, supported by the heavies*, bombardment. They mado a dent in our lino at Morchaic. Counter-attacks partially restored the_ situation. The Germans, however, kept steadily flowing across tho Somme in great numbers, and by 11 in the morning they got a footing in our lino, between Marchelpot andLicourt. There hand-to-hand fighting occurred in somo places. Tho Brandenburgers fought with great determination, and appeared quite fresh. The result of tho Nesle fighting was still in doubt when tho dispatch loft. Tho German casualties are much heavier than ours. In tlw last two .lays the majority of the British wounded are walking-cases. All say that the Germans are trying to smother us hjr weight. They come or. in greater numbers than we can kill. Rapid Movement of the Enemy's Heavy Cuns. "A remarkable feature of tho German advance is the rapid movement of the heavy guns. This phase of open warfare has been carefully rehearsed for months. ■ Our airmen seo howitzers lumbering along the roads in endless columns, motor lorries bring shells to tho new battory positions, and tho guns como into action anywhere in the open field. Tho batteries aro seen galloping boldly across rising ground within a mile of our_tro>ps. Behind the advancing armies is another arnf of workmen, repairing railway bridges, erecting hospitals ?nd aerodromes." The Kaiser Not Saving Lives. The United Press'correspondent writes: "Von Hindonburg is playing a gamo of leapfrog with his hordes. Hβ drives forward perhaps thirty divisions or more in thick masses, until they are exhausted, and then thrusts another similar fcrco through the first, until these are spent, whereupon tho first troops, somewhat refreshed, pass through the second divisions. These, too, badly mauled, continue the fighting. Fresh reservt , divisions arc then substituted. The methods are little changed from the tactics of tho Marnu. Tlie Tommies stick to positions frequently to tho last man ; then the Jines fall back in good order, fighting every step. Tho German prisoners include reserved from Flanders, Laon, Reims, and Verdun. The Kaiser is not sparing lives, end is putting, , all into the melting pot. Cermans Recccupying Land They had Devastated. "A sad feature of the battle is that tho civilians aro again forced to abandon , their homes in the Peroune legion., where many villages had been repaired and farms leoultivated. The refugees are full of praise of the assistance the British Army rendered in moving their effects. Not an animal, a drop of wine, or a shred of linen has been left for tho Gonnano. The grim irony is tho fact that tho Germans aro now forced- to reoccupy Iho land they wantonly devastated a year ago, which will mako their battle plans for tho immediate future much more difficult. H' is believed that Amiens is Hindenburg's immediate objective, but General Petain's report that the French are fighting foot by foot before Noyon is significant, aa this place is only 56 miles from Paris.'* Enemy Will Attempt to Open the Road to Paris. The "Daily Telegraph's" war expert is of opinion that the enemy will soon concentrate for an intense effort in an attempt to open the road towards Paris from St. Quentin. The attacks upon the British will then seek to protect tho principal attack against Paris. • Colonel Eepington points out that the French help greatly lightens the task of the British Fifth Army, which had a hard time. Seeing that 73 out of 96 German divisions on pur front have already been identified, it is clear wo have thus far been greatly'outnumbered. The enemy's preponderance was often four to one. The loss of guns is growing heavy, but there aro large reserves in England and France. The losses can bo replaced. The War Cabinet ought immediately to announce tho measures they propose in order to mako good all.losses. All tho newspapers insist that tho Government must be supported. Every sacrifice will be necessary to enable u? to keep our sorely tried units up to fighting strength. . . French Higher Command Optimistic, The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent with tho French armies says that the French Higher Command ie satisfied, and even optimistic, as regards the position. He adds: "It may be taken that we now know tho worst, and that the enemy's utmost possible strength has been put into his first blow. The French are holding strongly in tho Oiso Valley, in safe communication with the British on tho Somme. It is in tho nature of the case that I cannot state the grounds for tho optimism of tho French Higher Command. One-third of tho Gorman forces on the Western front aro engaged upon one-eighth of its extent. Possibly a secondary offensive may be declared, but judging from tho result of tho first blowj there• will be nothing resembling a break, through." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SITUATION CONSIDERABLY IMPROYED. Washington, March 2(5. General M'Lachlan, of tho British Military Mission, states that the first phase of the battle is over, and the situation has improved considerably. General M'Lachlan states that Germany's immediate objeotive _is Amiens. After reaching it, open warfare is hoped for. So long as tho British line is unbroken the Germans must fail.—Aus.-N.Z, Cable Assn.