DESCRIPTION OF THE FLANDERS BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 176, 15 April 1918, Page 5

DESCRIPTION OF THE FLANDERS BATTLE

FLANKS HOLDING FIRM MAGNIFICENT DEFENCE BY THE BRITISH (Kec. April 11, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 12, evening. Mr. W. Perry Robinson writes; "Prisoners' documents teveal that the attacking forces are in three groups, the northern being Ihe weakest. Six divisions were to strike through Bailleul in tho direction of Hazobrouck, protecting tho centre operations, where twelve divisions were instructed to penetrato Jfervillo to Aire, and the southernmost push was ordered to reach Bctlnine on tho first day, thence fillers, spreading southwards over tho coal area west of Lens and Briiay. Only the central thrust has so far realised its objective, and much less rapidly than the Germans expected. This morning fighting is going on across the Claranco River in the direction of St. Venant. The situation here is undoubtedly threatening. The Enemy Thrust Back at Messines, "At Messines tho Ninth Scotch and the Africans continued a magnificent defence, thrusting back the enemy repeatedly from the ridge to Messines and Wylschaete, and holding it against ropoated counter-attacks. Equally fine fighting retook Ploegsteert Wood after tho German penetration,, thougn the southern retreat and subsequent evacuation compelled the gallant troops to give up bit-terly-contested ground. After the Germans entered and were driven out from Estaires they reforced an entrance, and captured tho town after fierce and bloody hand-to-hand fighting in the streets. Below here 'he troops brought up to hold the Laventie positions had an intense and incessant struggle against great odds, under a torrifio fire from machine and field-guns. The Fifty-iirst llighlandors fought brilliantly on the lino of tho Lawe, till sheer weight of numbers forced an abandonment of the canal. A party of Gordons, who were surrounded near Vieille Chapelle, hung on for twenty-four hours. Another magnificent defence was made at the narrow rivulet Oldlawe, below Lestrem. Headquarters Staffs Hold the Linp.s. "Tho Headquarters Staffs of both brigades held tho forward lines with rifles, and.when Jast seen ono brigade commander was 'allying a small party of Headquartew orderlies and others in a oounter-attaok i'gau;st tlie attacking masses. The third brigade of the same division at noon to-day was holding tho enemy in ih;i region just behind tho Fifty-first. The field gunneiii continued firing till tiie enemy was close up, then falling back, leaving one gun to cover and keep the enemy at bay till ail had got away. Thou they woulu renew the sumo gams in now positions. Further details of the Laucashires' defence at Giveuchy show xhat the battle was the fiercest possible, successive waves breaking against tan upei of tho line. Tho Liverpool hsld. tho exposed ri;glo for two days and iiislic.i ivjaiust unceasing attacks and frequent hand-to-hand fighting."—"The TlffiM," Enemy Rapidly Spendir-n Mis Man-Power. « London, April 12, evening. Hauler's British Headquarters correspondent says: "Tho courage aud endurance of our troops defy all praise. By the sustained pressure of dense, masses, constant blows, and shook tactics, the enemy has succeeded during the past twentyfour hours in advancing in' the centre oi tho attack. The flanks are holding firm. Tho enemy has extended the narrow noso of his salient in a way which nothing but an immense superiority in numbers could render tactically feasible. Wo are counter-attacking to-day, and the battle is fiercely progressing. • Clear weather is enabling our airmen tojhoroughly reconnoitre _ and co-opevate in the combat, with effective results. Uno enemy had -'00 divisions at the beginning of the offensive en the Western front, of which twenty are believed to. bo prac-, tically unfit for the battleline, aud twenty have beon thrown in twice since March 21. While over four times the number of divisions have been hurled against the British than the French the enoiny's rate of spending his manpower cannot be long maintained. Already a considerable extont of the 1919 class are being sont to refit the battleline divisions, while the calling up or tho 1920 class began a month ago. Our reinforcements are steadily coming up from Givenchy to Locon. Our lino is holding well. Owing to pressure wo have fallen back slightly, in the area east of Bailleul."—Router. . Enemy Flinging His All Into the Hazard of War. London, April 13, 1.30 a.m. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: "Tho enemy is dinging his all into tho hazard of war, and has a stupendous number of men. While holding tho lines of tho Sommo ho has moved up to tho north, silently and rapidly, largo concentrations of troops and guns in order to crush tho British beforo tho French and tho Americans are able to draw off bis divisions by countor-olfensives. There are thirty German divisions from Wytschneto to La Bassee. Tho northern • offensive is now as menacing as the Somme. Wo are greatly outnumbered, and only the supremo courago of our men is saving the situation. Hundreds of stories could be given as' proof of this. In some cases tho guns wcro buried by ! hell-fire, but cur men dug them up and served thorn again. Unoccupied oilicors rnd men belonging to machine-gun companies 'fought with revolvers and bombs, while their comrades kept their guns joing. Parties of Enemy Attackers Cut Off. "Tho Liverpool troops showed great skill in utilising their knowledge of tho ground, cutting off parties of attackers. They rounded up 300 Germans in a single attack, of whom 50 surrendered to a British brigade-major anil his orderly. Reserves came up to strengthen tho lino riding on London omnibuses and lorries. The Germans on Thursday .night drove in a wedge between Lestrem and Merville, and gained tho position of Caloimo-tmr-la-Lys, whero they arc trying to force their way to-day with a big concentration of machine-gunners and rillcmcn. A bloody battle is also being fought below tho forest of Nionpc. Old French peasants, young girls, and boys continued working in the fields untilntho'shells began to fall. However, our men aro full of confidence, and if thoy were forced back they aro glad to know they made tho enemy pay a heavy price. Our line is still unbroken, and our men are full of faith that against all odds thoy will hold their own in tho last battle of all. In_tlio heart of ovory man is tho thought that thesu days are deciding tho fate of tno w r 6rld."-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. Germans Have a Preponderance of Men. I ondon, April 13. Mi\ W. Murdooh 6ays: "Our lino continues strong. Reinforcements aro moving thither, but a further retreat is to be expected. Even if tho Ypres salient and tho Amis positions become untenable, we can maintain the line guarding the Channel. At 'east twelve additional German divisions have arrived from Russia since March 21, giving an undoubted preponderance to tho Germans, who used tho widespread cities of Lille and Roubais to mnko secret concentrations." —United Service. . British Performmn Prodigies of Valour. London, April 12, 10.30 p.m. The United press correspondent says: "Tho German, pressure was coaselees to-day from La Bassee to Hollebokc. The ten divisions with which tho thrust began have now been doubled. About three-fifths of tho enemy forces on tho West front have been engaged in tho offensive since March 21, leaving betweon 70 and 80 holding other sectors, only GO of which consist of good fighting men. The British are hourly performing prodigies of valour, firing lifios until they are too hot to hold, and the artillerymon, stripped to the waist, are blazing at pointblank targets."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A'ssn.