ANGER AROUSED.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1917, Page 4

ANGER AROUSED.

German “ Frightfulness ” Incenses Australians. (From C. E. W. Bean, Official Correspondent with Australian forces.) March 26 Yesterday, after stiff fighting, the Australians took another village, about two miles in front. The attack was made at dawn. The village.bad been thoroughly rumed by the Germans, but sufficient was left to cause the fighting to take on the character of true village fighting. The Germans held out for some time in one corner of the village, but were at length overpowered. A proportion of the fleeing Germans had to pass a coiner already taken by Auotralians, and the majority of these *vere killed or captured. During the morning the Germans counter attacked, creeping up to a point within fifty yards of the Aus- - trahans. Australian field guns broke this attack. About noon the Germans attacked again from another quarter. This ..attack was also smashed by machine gun and rifle fire. A third counter attack in the afternoon, after a sharp bombardment, came to nothing. The defeated Germans could be seen digging a line across the fields about a mfie awaj. The Germans, for some reason, were most desirous of holding this village. One village which was taken by the Australians last week was several times counter attacked by picked troops. The first time the Germans Succeeded in getting right round the village, but the Australians’ outpost there held, and the attack was defeated. The second time 25ft picked troops were followed by four companies of infantry. A storming party failed to pass our posts in the town, but held on in a house till the afternoon, when it was blown up at a range of 440 yards by the first shell from an Australian field gun, which was brought up. The German infantry walked down the roud in column of fours; straight into the machine-gun?, Alt the men at the bead of the column were killed. The rest retired and took coyer, where, towards evening, they were again seen by the Australian which put 400 shells into them within a few minutes, The cutting down of fruit trees, and the needless and wanion destruction of the countryside, have raLed a very grim temper in the Australian troops.