THE WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1917, Page 2

THE WAR.

[pee press association. —COPYRIGHT.]

THE WESTERN FRONT. SURPRISE OF THE WAR. HOW THE TANKS CRAWLED. ENORMOUS WIRE LINE SMASHED FLAT DOWN. TAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] LONDON, Nov. 21. - The United Press reports that General Haig attacked through the Hindenhurg line with an army of Tanks, penetrating the much vaunted trench system on a wide front.

No barrage preceded the infantry, and there was no artillery preparation. The Tanks were berthed behind the lines and crawled out in the morning in the darkness, advancing and blazing a trial through the Hindenburgian

maze. * ■ The artillery, during the night, fir e d sleepily on the front. The night was one of the quietest along the entire lino, and if anything was quieter than usuijl last night. The attention of the G ermans and British seemed to bejxmcerftrated on Flanders.

This morning the batteries were let loose on a front of over more than thirty miles. No-man’s land shimmered, sparkled and dizzied under a rain of fireworks. Between Lens and St. Quentin there was a continuous shower of sparks and flashes, and then the Gargantuan monsters of steel crawled forward, through the smoke barrage, trampling line after line of the entanglements, whose wire was the thickness of a finger. Each line was scores of yards across. When the wire was stretched the Tanks by a clever trick, furnished their own bridge and crossed as B mooth as silk.

The infantry then followed. The tactics entirely surprised the Prussians. One division was in process of -being relieved by another, at the moment of the attack. The battle was the strangest in the World’s history. When tho world was saying that surprise attacks were no longer possible, and when the Prussians were thinking the same, and sleep ing comfortably in their dugouts, tho army of Tanks commonflaged behind the lines and the British infantry rose up from the ground in a magic line. The smashing of the Hindenburg line was the most wonderful performance in the war.

Everything was absolutely normal until the kick off, and then “Hell” was turned loose. The guns bellowed and the Tanks crawled forward. The Tommies followed, shouting “Come on,” impatiently. The German s crawled from their dug outs, dazed and terror striken. The British casualties were few.

SCORES OF GUNS TAKEN. rAUSTRALIAN- * N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION'] LONDON November 21. A correspondent says. As a weird fleet of leviathans loomed through the misty dawn the German s in several places bolted panic stricken; but after recovery, from the first surprise the lighting was desperateThe British stormed Neuf Wood a mile northwards of Marcoing which was full of old quarries and underground defences. It wa s considered one of the strongest points in defending the Ilind<;nburg ltine. We substantially advanced beyond this and the booty includes scores of guns.

Fine dull weather favoured the preparations, but broke early yesterday, and rain fell at night. It is now stormy.

THE ADVANCE DESCRIBED

A GLORIOUS SUCCESS

LONDON .November 21. Following through the gaps made by the tanks, the English, Scottish and Irish regiments, swept over the outposts and' stormed the first defensive system of the Hindenburg line. Along the whole front the infantry and the tanks pressed on in accordance with the programme and captured the second defence over a mile beyond, known as the Hindenburg support lino The East County Troops took Bonavis plateau and wood after stiff fighting.

The English rifle regiments and Light Infantry captured Vacquerie, also formidable defences o n the spur known as Welsh ridge. Other English country troops stormed the village of RAbecourO and fought their way through C-oulle Wood . The Highland Territorials crossed the grand ravine, :uid entered Fresqueres, where fierce fighting took place.

The West Riding Territorials captured Havrincourk, also the treftieh system northwards of the village.

The Ulster battalions covering the latter’ s left flank, moved northward up to the west bank of the Canal Du Nord. After morning we continued our advance and rapidly progressed at all points. The English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh, secured crossings on the canal at Masnieres, and captured Marcoing Neuf Wood, and West Ridge. The troop s from Havrincourt made remarkable progress eastward of the Canal Du Nord. They stormed the village of Grandcourt, and Ux, co operating with the Ulsters. Westward of the canal we carried the. whole German line northward of the Bauftaume-Gambrai road. The Westmorelandshire Territorials broke into positions eastward of Epehy and the Irish troops captured important sections of the Hindenburg line between Bullecourt and Fontaine'les Croisolles.

The number of prisoners, guns and material laken cannot yet be estimated.

CAVALRY AT WORE

ON CAMHRAI PLAIN

LONDON. Nov. 22

Thousands of cavalry were hidden close io the front line. The cavalry has been fighting in the Camhrai plain since midday on Tuesday widening the salient and capturing villages.

CONTINUING THE ADVANCE. . / MORE LARGE CAPTURES. CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS.

LONDON, Nov. 22. Marshal Haig reports: Important progress was made to-day' ..westward and south-westwards of Cambrai despite continuous rain. Reinforcements for the enemy were hurried up and opposed our advance, but were driven out of a further series of villages, and other fortified positions. Many additional prisoners were taken. The tanks were again a great assistance.

We made progress on the right in the direction of Crevecoeur les Court, and captured, north-east of Masniers, a double line of trenches, on the east bank of the canal de Les Caut, where sharp 1 fighting and counter-attacks were driven off.

The village of Novelle de Le s Caut, northward of Marcoing was captured early this morning. Here also heavy fighting and counter attacks were successfully repulsed. The Scottish troops this morning, moving north-east of Contiang, took the latter village and continued to advance. Later they established themselves upwards of five miles behind the former German front line.

The West Riding troops northward of Anneux engaged the enemy south-west-wards of Bourlon Wood. The British further west, crossed the Bapaume-Cambrai Road, and entered Moeuvres. Strong counter attacks on our new liositions in the neighbourhood of Bullecourt were defeated. The total guns captured is not yet ascertained.

Our aeroplanes attempted to work all day Tuesday in conjunction with opertions between St. Quentin and Scarpe, hut the low clouds, mist and strong westerly winds prevailed with drizzle. The airmen made occasional raids, the pilots flying only 50ft from the ground. Even then, at times, they wore quickly lost in the mist. Continual attempts to maintain contact with the advancing troops were rendered almost impossible. Only five hostile machines were seen. Eleven of ours were lost owing to the mist and the exceptionally - low height at which they were compelled to fly.

ENEMY FAIRLY OUTWITTED. LOSSES UNEXPECTEDLY light. 8,000 PRISONERS.

IjONDO'N November 21. Reuter’s correspondent at headquarters states that besides ordinary pre-~ harations for an attack on a large scale, a fleet of ■ tanks had Been brought close to the line. Everything apparently was carried out without the smallest intimation reching the enemy. An advantage of a sudden change in the scene apart from the element of surprise, was that the ground wa s suitable for the tanks and not cut up into shell holes.

The enemy evacuated the area last spring without fighting having never previously attacked this section. The enemy also had nothing like the concentration of guns lie has round Ypre s and Passchendaele . On the other hand ,we had against us the extremely formidable defences of the Hindenburg line, the strength of which the Germans had continuously increased since they fell back thereon in the spring. They consisted of a triple cordon of three separate trench systems with tunnels wherein the garrison was safe, from the _ heaviest gunfijre, intricate wiring, all co-or-dinating with the machine-gu n posts and .strong redoubts. The main Hindenburg trenches were made specially wide to frustrate the tanks, hut they were not wide enough,*,for the monsters rolled through or oyer every obstacle •

. The infantry losses were almost unprecedentedly light. Evidence''was everywhere that the enemy had been taken unawares. The 'British counted 8000 prisoners.

Many more villages have been captured and strong counter attacics repulsed.

A FRENCH REPORT. LONDON November 22fl A French communique says: West of Lamite we attacked a German salient south of Juvencourt on a kilometre front, averaging a depth of four hundred metres and attained all objectives carrying strong defences. A French communique says: We made several successful raids north and south of St. Quentin.

A violent artillery struggle is in progress in the region of Ohaume Wood. x

THE GERMAN REPORT. LONDON November 21. Wireless. German official: —Main English attacks under the protection of armoured cars strove to break through at Camhrai and succeeded in capturing the villages in the fighting including Graincourt and Marcoing and also portions of our permanently established material. Our reserves arrested the thrust in the rear positions. The enemy has not advanced beyond our foremost line between Fontaine les Croiselles and Raincourt. His attack southward of Vendhurlle collapsed. The Italian theatre is unchanged. .

MOPPING UP THE RETINA NTS.

GERMANS ON THE RUN

(Received, This r 'a:v at 8.50. a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 22. The pursuit of the remnants of the German main force, under Von Littoro himself, across the Mnronde Plateau continues. The fighting is most determined. Fine work was done by the King’s African Rifles, Cape Corps, and the Nigerian 'Brigade. It is significant that the Germans are surrendering their hospitals throughout the country. All British prisoners have been released. The enemy abandoned his last fiveinch gun intact, and destroyed his smaller guns.