VIVID STORIES OF THE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 178, 17 April 1918, Page 5

VIVID STORIES OF THE BATTLE

TOLD IN CORRESPONDENTS' DISPATCHES THE FIGHT FOR NEUVE EGLISE London, April 15, 3.-10 p.m. Editor's correspondent at British Headquarters writes that enormous losses were inflicted on the enemy in yesterday's fighting, especially by machine-guns »i doso range. Wo smashed attacks against tho Messine.s Eidge. The bitter struggle was for Neuve Eglise, where big forces on both sides wove engaged. Tho situation hereabouts to-day is obscure, but our guns aro reported- to be shelling tho ruins of the place this 'morning, which _ suggests that tho enemy again has a footing Ihore. Prisoners say that the effort to take Bailleul will be renewed. We liavo retaken the hamlet of Eics dn Vinage, three thousand yards east, of Eobecf|. Givenchy and Festubert have been heavily shelled.—Houter.

BATTLE INCIDENTS

London, April 15, Mr. Perry Robinson, writing oil April U, eays:—The 51st Division was fighting continuously to-day, and then as the enemy has leaked round tho shifting front at night, went on fighting again. All sorts of troops wero pressed into the combatant ranks, and they did well. They drove back the Germans across the Lys at Bac St. Mam, and held the line of tho stream until a threat on the left by Nieppo compelled them to fall behind Steeniverck. The Koya.l Fusiliers did extremely well at Mervillo. Constant rearguard fighting occurred north of Estaires by Neuve Jlerquin, where orderlies and engineers mixed with the detachments, mid hold up the enemy very gallantly. The line was then thin opposing Iho Germnn masses, who were pressing on first one side and then another. Tho King's Scottish Borderers distinguished themselves against great odds in tho region of Vieux Berquin and Morris. The \\elsh also iought well, holding positions whore the Germans repeatedly failed to mako ground. Scattered posts ahead of the troops are holding the crossing of tho Lys, and have fought heroically against, tho German flood which crept over them. One post of Durhnms especially held up the advance, killing great numbers of Germans, until at Inst only a remnant fought its way back through the encircling waves.

Bloody Struggle at Estaircs. A bloody struggle occurred at E3taires. There was no time, to blow up the drawbridge, and tho Germans poured into the village, but were beaten back across the canal. As a result, for a long time the half-destroyed bridge, was no man's land, which neither side could cross. The Germans finally swarmed around by Croix du Bac. Some of the East Yorks refused to fall back, and nothing more was heard of them. It is calculated that one tired brigade held up two and a half German divisions. The eavageness of the fighting at Estnires was duplicated at Merville,. A blind, merciless struggle went on in tho streets through'the darkness of the night. A bridge across tho Bouvro was blown up while the Germans were crossing it. All went up into the air. Another bridge was blown up before tho Durhams had crossed it, and the men had to rejoin by (swimming the river. The Germans attacking the Northumberland Fusiliers on the Lys were mown down in such numbers that late-comers actually sought to make breastworks of their own dead. Tho machine-gunners fought brilliantly. One team hung on alone, firing into the German musses until they were sixty yards away and commenced to surround 'thorn. The ma-chine-gunnere then smashed the gun and escaped. Thero aro hundreds of such cases, and it is marvellous how tho British fought, as tho strain was inconceivable. Men dropped out on the roadside in a stupor of sleop.—"Tho Times."

THE CROSSING OF THE LYS London, April 14. Mr. Philip Gibbs, writing of tho crossing of tho Lys, says:—"We met attack after attack in unceasing waves, and held the crossings of the Lys until the enemy struck into Bac St. Maur. Thero was a race for tho river. ThoDnrhams got thero first, and faced tho enemy from tho other sido, raking them with rifle fire. A party of tho Durhains held tho salient at Lestrem for a long tinin until compolled by a trench mortar bombardment to fall back across the river. The enemy crossed between the bridgeheads and 6tormod into the western part of Estaires, which was filled with shell-fire. The Durliams and Northumberlands charged down tho streets, clearing the onemy out, and making a no man's land fifty yards beyond tho bridgehead, which was covered with maohine-guns. Their line was turned by the enemy breaking through close to Armentieres, and compelling them to withdraw. A party of East Yorkshires received a message eayiny that tho enemy was behind .them, but they refused to retire until eurrounded and overpowered. A brigade-major defending Merville' telephoned that the onemy was surronndine his house. The general replied: 'You had better hop it.' The major said: 'Thanks, I will,' and Btrolled coolly out of the back door while the Germans were entering tho front There was fierce street fighting in Merville, the Germans repeatodly attacking and boing shot down like rabbits. Great battles continue from Wytschapte to Neuve Eglise. The South Africans' charge at Messines was one of tho finest things ever done, because they.had not rested since the Battle on the Soinme."— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

THE FIGHT AT NEUVE EGLISE

(Rec. April 17, 0.30 a.m.) London, April IC. Mr. Fercival Phillips writes: "Neuvo Eglise changed hands threo or four limes before we voluntarily gave it up last night. Some most bitter street fighting occurred there. Our machine-guns took heavy toll of the oncoming Germans, but somo got through, and when sufficient numbers had gathered they swept agiiiu through the streets. Our men were days without sleep. Our lino now makes Bailleul a sharp ealient, somewhat like Ypres in the old days. The Germans aro bombarding the town in their efforts to make it untenable. Tho Trappist monke of Mont Descats refu6o to abandon tho monastery, and are going to prayera undor fire. Tho enemy employed tweutytwo divisions during this fighting. * Of these fifteen aro concentralod astrido Bail!oul."-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

A SPLENDID EPISODE

(Roc. April IG, 10.30 p.m.) London, April IC. Mr. Hamilton Fyfo writes:—"The marvellous endurance of tho troops has sustained us since tho beginning .of the critical phase on April 8. Their resistance is unparalleled in tho history of the war. I beliovo that oiu> troops formed at ono liuio a hollow Bquaro at Neuvo Eglise, Iho enemy surrounding it except at ono corner, whoro wo held the road leading to Dranontre. Hero the King's Koyal Rifles very gallantly took up a lino protecting tho town whilo the difficult retirement was carried out, and staved off tho ononiy's attempts to break through. Tho ami Wilts hero occupied the square after the of the main boilj. Then they dashed out, stopped the enemy, and captured iivo machine-guns. Wo withdrew i'rom Nouvo Egliso voluntarily, because it was costing us more than it was worth. Then the enemy redoubled his efTbrte to capturo Bailloul. They camo with enormous forces towards tiio high road between liailleul and Meteren. They had l»Bii ordered lo reach the road no matter at what cost, with the intention of surrounding ISailluol. They did not fulfil', their peremptory instructions. Determined British infantry barred the way, and broke every wave, covering the ground with dead."-Aus.-N.Z:' Cable Asen.

WITH THE FRENCH ON THE AILETTE

London, April 15, 1.30 p.m. Renters correspondent, at iWcli Headquarters, writing on April 12, slates:—The recent tactical withdrawal upon (ho line of the Ailette was a complete success. It wns noteworthy for Ihe gallantry of tho troops covering a difficult movement, which wns effected without tho loss of a single cannon or machine-gun. Tho village of Bnrriss lies in tho middle of the angle of tho territory which was evacuated. The dominating point was a hill crowned by the castle of Coucy le Chateau, the* finest European specimen of medieval military architecture. While tho troops were retiring the defenders of this castle were ordered to hold it at all cosls. Small parties of tho enemy advanced into tho gullies lending to the height of Coucy lo Chateau, denso waves following. The French mnchine-giinners lined both sides of the gully, iliirty-six of tho guns firing continually for forty-eight hours (April 8 and 9). Over a million rounds was fired, and when tho French re Fired the valley was grey with German corpses. A company commander who was ordered to check the Germans who were dangerously advancing up other ravines, collected forty crack grenadiers, mid pushed the enemy back sevoral hundred yards, pursuing them until they, were throwing grenades at ' a range of three yards.— Keuter.