THE CAPTURE OF MONCHY.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1917, Page 1

THE CAPTURE OF MONCHY.

A Ihi filing Account. (Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.) rA LONDON, April 12. An eye-witness gave a thrilling description of the capture of Monohv, • the key to the position between the rivers Scarpe and Sensoe, standing on the.edge of a plateau a hundred feet above the surrounding country. Correspondents give ghastly evidence of the British bombardments. Machine gun posts of reinforced concrete two foot thick were destroyed by a single shell, and the trenches smashed into shapeless ditches. Tlie Germans tore tip rails to make barricades and used farm carts, plougns and brick heaps as cover, hut all then precautions were useless. Targets a yard wide were hit from four miles. There were dead Germans everywhere. To faciliatate the defence of Moncliy the Germans planted a series of machine gun batteries around outhouses e and in the wood and chateau to tho north. Sunken roads radiated in all directions, which were full of snipers and machine gunners. The capture of Fampoux, however, covered the n»nk of the attackers, while an enveloping movement developed. Heavy snowstorms enabled a largog force to advance between the Scarpe and Dotini road without the enemy realising tho significance of tho movement. Meanwhile- the artillery crossed tho Scarpe near Boouk and advanced to Moncliy, and by dark the British bombing parties were on the fringe of tho village. The troops were so tired by their thirty-six hours’ continuous fighting that tlmy quickly dug in and slept throughout the night in shallow trench--1 os despite the snowstorm, but were ready t<> re-attack at dawn. They charged the bill cheering, and Moncliy was captured in twenty minutes. lm> remnants of the garrison collapsed when at close quarters. The infantry for the first time had the satisfaction of seeing the cavalry charge broken, our forces driving them terror-stricken

over the fields. The steady reduction of the German strongholds behind tho broken line-proceeded so rapidly that tho 'Lancers and Dragoons were able to drive ahead en masse.

OFFICiaL news

Wellington, April 13 Tlio High Commissioner reports at 11. 50 p.m. British official:—South of the ArrasOambraj roacl this afternoon wo stormed the village at Heniel and occupied heights on the eastern bank, Further progress was made during the day north of the river <Searpo, and east of Vimy Ridge. Our gains reported during the morning north of Vimy Ridge were secured and the positions strengthened last night. Northeast of Kphy a large enemy detachment came under the effective fire of our infantry and suffered heavy During the fighting on the 9th and 10 th. we captured prisoners from all the infantry regiments of six German divisions. The number if prisoners in each of these divisions exceed 1000. Tn spite of exceedingly had weatner our aeroplanes were active again yesterday a,nil seized every opportunity to harrass hostile troops by machine gun fire. Air Fights. LONDON, April 12. Aerial squadrons on both sides were active. Wo downed fifteen, and six or ours are missing. LONDON, April 13. A French .communique says :—'Hiere has been reciprocal artillorying souvii of the Oise region, and norlli of the lAisne. The weather is had. Just in IiniBLONDON, April 13. Mr. Roach .Thomas, describing tho offensive, says the enemy was bringing up seventeen inch howitzers to complete the ruin of Arras which was saved by a week’s margin. The “Times” headquarters correspondent says:—Our line now runs below Ccvenchy, southeasterly five hundred yards south of Vimy village, thence south-easterly, east of Tamjaux, Monchy, Gucmappe and Honniel, where it strikes the Hindenburg line southeast of St. Quentin. Snow and Rain. LONDON, April 13. Correspondents at British headquarters state that snow and rainstorms continue, the wind sometimes being equal to sixty miles • an hour, but the infantry are eager ana «i----thusiastic in continuing tho attacks. The artillery arc showing wonderim skill under the new conditions of field warfare, which are very different from shooting at fixed targets. When tve range and accuracy are known.

There is a momentary pause when the advance as due and the infantry have reached the limits of the area of devastation caused hy the small Runs. Sir Douglas Haig must have time to move up the artillery, as the enemy still hold the fortified villages of Givenchy. Bnuoullt. a.;,' Petit Vi my, which stop the-progross to hens. The Germans have prepared a second lino running north and south of Quant supplementing the Hindeiiburg lino.

/ -In Bulgaria. LONDON, April 14. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Athens correspondent ' Stales that enormous crowds paraded the streets of Sofia the Bill gar* carrying real sWill and eros—hone? if'nd cl, uouuciiig King Feitifcinnrl Geimay and the war. -The Military often fired and there were many cajuiujies.