PHILIP GIBBS’ ACCOUNT.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1918, Page 2

PHILIP GIBBS’ ACCOUNT.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.] LATEST BRITISH ATTACK. LONDON. Sep. 23. Air Phillip Gibs writes: The fighting at Epehy and Villers-Guislain has been close and bitter, resembling the old trench warfare amid dirty ditches, barbed wire, swamps and ruins. The enemy brought up four new division* and assembled many guns, under cover of which he launched a series of bombing attacks, in which the bombers were well hidden in old trenches. This was only a minor action, designed to straighten om- line. True, we were unable, to maintain all our gains in the face of intense shelling and difficulties of ground and weather, but the position was improved.” After staling the Fourth Many's prisoners since the the August are over 44,000, Mr Gibbs paints a grim picture of the British troops difficulties. “In wild weather, with heavy rains,” lie says. “ and in a country where there is little shelter, save tents among swamps, slimy dug-outs, and tarpaulins spread over the tops of ruined habitations, our men fight, work and sleep—in wet clothes, labour battalions slave hard to reduce the Vtiseoirufort and improve the roads. The rapid advance of the railways is marvellous.”