STORIES OF THE GREAT DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 192, 3 May 1918, Page 5

STORIES OF THE GREAT DEFENCE

THE GERMAN FAILURE ON THE FLEMISH HILLS COMPLETE AND DISASTROUS London, May 1. Mr. Porcival Phillips writes: "Complete and disastrous failure rewarded the German attempt to storm lho Flemish hills on Monday. It was undoubtedly tho most sovoro reverse sin.:o thoy begun the drivo to tho rea. Continuous ligbtimr all <lay by picked divisions did not yield a loot of tho desired ground, and tho day onded with the Allies' front improved instead of weakened. The Germans had by morning beoii hurled back more thmi a quarter of a mile from their high-water mark around tho baso cf tho hills, while tho British oast of Locre had advanced a portion of their front Fomo hundreds of yards. Tho battlefield ivas covered with German dead. Tho Gorman infantry did their best, and the artillery gave them all tho support that oould'bo desired. The enemy had a favouring fog, innumerable machine-guns, masses of 'lien, and a limited objective, yet ho failed. Tho French drove him on, l the Baillcul road like sheep, and tho British broke three largo and many small attacks. Their front proved (is unyielding as a wall of elcne. Day of Steady Slaughter. "It was a day of steady slaughter. Tho batteries and machine-giMis did not slacken until (ho light faded, when all movement ceased. Tho broken German regiments returned to impromptu trenches, and a Quiet night followed. Tho morning fog did not reveal any fresh surprise. The Britisli share of the victory involved tho defeat of at least fivo German divisions between La Clytlo and Zillebeko. There was hard lighting on the ridge and in tho wood of Voormozeole. The enemy worked up to the edge of tho wood, which now las no trees, and advanced with fixed bayonets, Vd by their officers. They attacked determinedly, but had little opportunity for bayonet work. The English battalions wero thoroughly screened by machine-Runs. A few Germans who blundered in among the blackened trne-stiunps were shot down. The Germat barrage did not help lho succeeding wavos, and when, our troops charged vith the bayonet they chased the stragglers across No Man's Land. The French at Locrc. "Tho French fought with tho greatest daeli and enthusiasm at Locre against about six divisions. Tho Germans aimed to drive in between Scherpenberg and Mont Rouge, in order lo envelop them, and then to push through Locro against Mont Rouge. The pressure bent the Frenoh lino back' as far as the important road junction called Hydo Park Corner. For a moment tho situation was critical, but tho French counter-attacked with inresistible force. A French captain led the charge which cleared Lcero. and drove tho Germans pellmell across the fields. The French were only f-iopped by their own barrage, laid down in front of Dranoutro to hold the enemy reinforcement?. Hydo Park Corner "as retaken, with a litter of muchine-guns and German dead. The French lino was swung forward gradually in tho afternoon, and hour by hour the enemy's effort slackened, until there was uo fight in the survivors. Some of tho English battalions, which havo boon fighting . ontiuuously for three weeks, have taken hard knocks without complaining, and suffered defeat in silence. They aro content to-day. There is no tonic liko victory."—Aiw.N.Z. Cable A.SSU.

Grim Fame for Ridge Wood. Mr. H. Perry Eobinnoo writes: "The result of yesterday's lighting has immensely increased the confidence; of) tho British and French troops. At Ridge Wood successive waves of Germans came on with fixed bayonets. The adoption of this unusual method availed the enemy nothing. They nevor reached hand-to-hand fighting, Lewis guns and rifles breaking each wave. As the Germans still advanced tho British obliged them, and dashed out with fixed bayon»ts. Thoy got well hom«, and drovo the enemy pollmell. Tho 6avagencss and duration of tho biillo won for liidge Wood a terrible fame, equal to that of Delville and Polygon Woodd."—"Tho Times." a stirringlpisode (Eec. May 2, 11.15 p.m.) London, May 1. The lull in. the fighting enables the correspondents to describe somo of tho stirrimj incidents of the 'April battles. Mr. Philip Gibbs reveals the fact that tho Australians relieved the Guards on April U. After' the Germans had. penetrated the Portuguese line and widened tho gap between Armontieros and Merville, gaining the crossings cf the Lys River, tho Grenadier, Irish, and Coldstream Guards advanced on the Hazo-brouck-Estaircs Hoad when tho situation was at its worst. When our Fifteenth Division had fought themselves out 'by continuous rearguard actions until they wero hardly ablo to walk or stand, the Guards had to hold tho enemy at all costs for forty-eight hours, until tho Australians arrived. They did it, although greatly outnumbered, fighting separate bodies of the enemy, who wore pressing on both flanks, teat back attack after attack, and gained vital hours by the noblest self-sacrifice. A Grenadier officer sent back a message: "My mon arc standing back .to back and shouting on all siues." The Germans swung round them oncircling them, their machine-guns and rifles pouring in a firo until only oightoen wero left. These wero standing among tho wounded. They fixed bayonets and drovo through tho enemy. A wounded corporal reported that when hi* last saw tho company there wero only fourtoon, fighting among a, '.warm of Germans. Tho Coldslreams fought similarly, oking out tho hours with their lives. Ona private remained at his outpost until every one of his comrades had been killed or wounded, and for twenty minutes kopt back tho Germans with his rifio until a bomb killed him. Tho Irish also bought time- at a high pneo, and were still fighting hard when tho Australians arrived according to time-table. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.