STORIES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 5

STORIES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD

THE LULL AND THE RESULTS

WHAT LIES IN THE FUTURE

London. April 21. L'P vi-itea: "Sinco the enemy e offensive began a month ago to destroy the British anuies niul divide us from the l'roncb, Saturday was the first dny on which there was 110 attack against us. 1110 front quietened down to desultory shelling. Wo may' honestly and thankfully elai® that thi3 is due to the most determined resistance of our battalions in lino from Wytschaete and Mont Rommel to the Ancre and the Sommo against fresh storm troops which far outnumbered them. They beat off every attempt to break through, and hurled the enemy back with ghastly losses. Our men, lying in the Flanders ditches with French troops intermingled, repulsed all attacks on Thursday and Friday. - Wlut tho Germans reaped in the 'preliminary attacks beyond Jiailleul, and still moro in tho desporate attempt to break through between liobeorj and Givenchy, is a liarvest of bleeding men garnered 111 the field hospitals behind tho lines. "Another blow was tho bloody repulse by the Belgians on Wednesday. The enemy had prepared an attack in' force between the Ypres-Staden railway and Kippe, and hoped to surprise and annihilate the Belgian resistance b.v the weight and quickness of tho attack. Tho Belgians were waiting, standing in the swampy fields which (hey had held lor three and a half years, always shelled, always paying a daily toll, and not getting much glory out of it, becauso-tho great battles svero elsewhere. The attackers had not n. great mass of artillery behind them, and prisoners curse bitterly, liecause they expected to get through easily. Tho enemy's main pressure was directed along the Bixschooto road. Tho Belgians delivered a quick counter-attack, and ow. ing to their perfect knowledge of the country drovo the enemy towards a. swamp, where many sank to the neck in the icy water. Seven huudred men surrendered.

"Tho German casualties grow npnce, but this does not interfere with Von Ludendorif's policy of bringing up all the possible weight of men and guns. Possibly ho will make, in a few days, another and greater attempt to capture Mont Kemmel. Tho'' inactivity on' tho Somme 4 oes mean tho abandonment of tho idea of seizing the high ground beyond Albert. Von' Ludondorlf is biding bis time."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.