THE WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 October 1917, Page 2

THE WAR.

IRE WESTERN FRONT.

ENEMY DEMORALISED.

A CORRESPONDENT'S ACCOUNT

fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION];

LONDON, Oct. 8

Mr. Porcival Phillips writes: Tho statements of prisoners and much information from unofficial sources confirms tho demoralisation of the enemy troops in Thursday’s battle. General Yon Armin must have lost at least throe good infantrw divisions, including the Fourth Guards and the FortyFifth Reserve, who were among tho best of the German army. Tho Guards consisted of thoroughly trained men, the pick of the recruit depots, averaging from 25 to SO years of age. The Forty-Fifth Reserve were a storm troop division, chosen for making attacks.

BADLY SHAKEN. MUCH CONFUSION. TAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] , LONDON, Oct. 8. Mr. Phillips continues The fourth Guards were still suffering from their losses at- Lens, where the Canadians systematically shelled them among the ruined colleries. They had only left Lens on September" 26th and had been promised a rest for a time in but General von Arnim thought otherwise. He" needed men, even tired men, so within three days the Guards were under fire at Zonnebeko.

They were weakened and disconnected, every company of the division except four, being represented in prisoners, cam© from the Twentieth Division which was recently on the Russian front. They yielded over 10G0 prisoners besides the largo number of dead strewn on the battlefield. There was extraordinary confusion in the German lines owing to the promiscuous throwing in of regiments. Many battalions were cut off from their regiment’s headquarters. Troops waiting in the darkness for the order to pass through the stationary infantry found themselves overwhelmed in the British • barrages-. Their officers completely lost their heads and ran about cursing the men. The distress signals for the artillery were not answered and even the German wireless stations were knocked out!

The situation east of Polygon Wood was an example of tho confusion prevailing on the entire German front. Hero three battalions of storm troops were assembled ready to attack in three waves. The Guards were ready to take over tho line when captured, and a reserve regiment was ready to make a second assault if the first failed. All the defenders wero in close formation. Exactly ten minutes before the first German wave was to advance tho British were among them. By this time the barrages were sweeping through tho reserves behind with terrible effect- The survivors of this defeated mob said'that the surprise was paialysing and no soldiers could have rallied.

This third defeat must affect the enemy’s planß in many ways. They must dig winter quarters, re-arrange tlieir art-illory, and establish fresh railheads, aerodromes, and hutments. The disappointment of the (German commanders was great as they believed that we would not attempt large operations after the end of August, owing to the difficulty ot taking the heavy gun B over the marshes. The German Higher command is offering tempting rewards for every British prisoner. The price varies from 23s to 50s for a living man and 10s for a dead man or the identification badge.

THE NEW ZEALANDERS

A TRYING JOB

FIXING A GUN CREW,

rAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIAIIONj

(Received This Dav at 12.25. p.ro.)

LONDON, Oct. 8,

Mr Phillip Gibbs continues:—The storming of Abraham, Heights and CraveiLstafel contained much dramatic incident. The New Zealanders were rather handicapped at the beginning by a bulge of their original line. This prevented them from starting evenly, and in' order to remedy this, some New Zealanders had to fall back and rush forward again, when the barrage began covering a considerable extent of extra ground, at the double. Somewhat to the New Zealanders’ surprise, a group of farm redoubts close to the jumping off places waa full of Germans.

Otto farm, only a few yards distance, came suddenly to life, and spat bullets from many loopholes, until they wer G stormed.

There was a lively fight at Berlin farm, on the west of Roosbeke road. The New Zealandera silenced Berlin farm with amok© bombs. There was no time to examine the redoubt, but when it was broken open ne±t day, it was found to bo full of dead Gennanß. A number of "pill-boxes” dotted Roosbeke road, above Gravenstaf*}. In one case a German gun crew appeared through a narrow door, carrying their gun and cartridges. They dodged behind tree trunks, but a New Zealand Sergeant, with a few men, worked round them, and when their capture was inevitable, the German i put up their hands. A moment later thedr hands dropped, and, expecting treachery of the usual sort, the New Zealanders killed them all.

GERMAN EXAGGERATION.

LON DON, October" 7. The German General ' Staff has issued a conumminu© in an attempt to 'jp, allay German uneasiness, stating that there is a movement in Britain against Hie bloodshed caused by Sir Douglas Haig’s war methods. The movement is the result of a protest from Australia and New .Zealand against the heavy losses of the Anzare in the recent fighting. A mitigation of the severity of the Flanders warfare, therefore, is to be expected. To this, the reply is that there is not any movement in Britain against losses which are not disproportionate. Complaints do not exist,