The British in Flanders.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 138, 28 January 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

The British in Flanders.

The recent cable that there were 60,000 casualties at Loos in the great battle, the last week in September, makes the following dispatch by Sjr John French,, published in London m November last, more than usually interesting.. It gives a clear an authoritative description of one of the most important developments of the war. The narrative may be summarised as follows:

From the second week in August until the last week in September, Sir John says, there was relative quiet along the whole oi the British line, except at those points where the normal conditions of existence comprised occasional shelling or constant mine and bomb warfare. In these trying fo-ni' of encounter all ranks have constantly shown the greatest enterprise and eour. age(, arid have 1 consistently maintained the upper band. The close accord and co-operation which hsfe always existed between the Commandcr-in-iChief of our Alius and myself has been maintained, and I have had constant ineetings with General Joffre, who lias kept me informed of his views'and intentions, and explained the successive 'methods by which he hopes to attain his ultimate object. After full discussion of the military situation*'a decis on was arrived at for ; joint action, in which I acquiesced. j It was.arranged that we should make a combined attack from certain points of the AU : ed line during the last week in September. j The reinforcements I have received , enab'ed me to comply with several requests which General Joffre has made that I should take over additional par*' tions of the French line.

In fulfilment of the role assigned to it in these operations the Army under my command attacked the enemy on the morning of the 25th September. The main attack was deivered by the Ist and 4th Corps between the La Bassee Canal on the north .and a point of the enemy's line opposite the village of Grenay on the south.. At the same time a secondary attack, designed wjth the object of distracting the enemy's attention and holding his troops to their ground, was made by the sth Corps on Bellewaarde Farm, situated to the east of Ypres. Subsidiary attacks wjth similar objects were delivered by the 3rd and Indian Corps north of the La Bassee canal and along the whoi"e front of the Second Armv.

DISTRACTING THE ENEMY. Tlic object of the secondary attack by the sth Corps was most effectively achieved, for not only was the enemy contained on that front, but we have reason to believe that reserves were hurried toward that point of the line. The attack was made at daybreak by the 3rd and 14th Divisions, and at first the greater part of the enemy's front lino was taken; but owing to the powerful artillery fire concentrated against them the troops were unable to retain the ground, and had to return to their original trenches toward n fc ...- fall. The sth Corps succeeded, however, in capturing two officers and 13S other prisoners. Similar demonstrations with equally good results were made along the whole front of the Second Army. With the same object in view, those units of the First Army occupying the lino north of the Bethunc-La Bassee Canal were detailed to carry out some minor operations. Portions of the Ist Corps assaulted the enemy's trenches at Givcnchy. The Indian Corp attacked the Moulin du Pietre; while the 3rd Corps was directed against the trenches at Le Bridoux. These attacks started at day-break, and were at first successful all along the lino. Later in the day the enemy brought iin strong reserves, and after hard lighting and variable fortunes the troops engaged in that part of the line re-occupied their original trenches at nightfall. They succeeded admirably. however, in fulfilling the role allotted to them, and in holding large numbers of the enemy away from the main attack. . Opposite the front of the main line of attack the distance between the enemy's ternches and our own varied from about 100 to MO yards. The country over which the advance took place is open and overgrown with lon»; grass and self-sown crops. From the canal southward our trenches and those of the enemy ran, rough'y, parallel up an almost imperceptible rise to the south-west. Prom the Vermel les-H nil luch rioad, southward the advantage of height is on the enemy's side as far as the Bethuno-Lens road. There the two lines of trenches cross a spur in which the rise culminates, and thence the command lies on the side of the British trenches.

IMPORTANT TACTICAL POINTS. Due past of the intersection of spur and treneb.es. and a short mile away, stands Loos. Less than a mile further south-east is Hill 70, which is the summit of the gentle rise in the ground. Other notable tactual points 'n our front were: — "Fosse R" (a thousand yards couth of A why), which is a coal mine with ,i strong!v defended slag heao "The Hohenzollern Redoubt." - A strong work thrust out nearly fn> burr. dred yards iii front of the German lines and close to our own. It is connected with their front by three communication trenches abutt ; ng into the defences of Fosse R. Cite St. Eli<.—A strongly defended mining village, lying fifteen hundred yards south of Hajsnes. "Tho '.'!;• Tries." —Lying half-way to the GVniari trenches west of Cit.» St. EHe.

Huiloch. A vi'lagr strung nut along a '-mall stream Iv'ng loss than half n inv south-east of Cite St. Eb> and 3000 vard* north-east of Loo-.

Half ■> mi'o north of Hill 70 is "Puit.s M bis." another con! mine, possessing irrent possibilities for defence when taking in conjunction with a strong redoubt situated" on the north-east side of Hill "0.

SIR JOHN FRENCH ON RECENT FIGHTING. THE BATTLE OF LOOS.

Tho 15 Division earned out its advance with the greatest vigour, in spite of its left flank being exposed, owing to tho Ist Division on its left having been checked. About 1 p.m. the enemy brought up strong reserves, and the advanced portions of division at Fossec 14 bis and on the far side of Hill 70 were driven in. We had, however, secured the very substantial gain of Loos and the western portion of Hill 70.

500 GERMANS SURRENDER. The Lit Division, attacking on the left of the 15th, was unable at first to make any headway with its right brigade. The brigade one its left (the Ist) was, however, able to get forward, and penetrated into tiie outskirts of the village of Hulluch, capturing some gun positions on the way. The determined advance of this brigade, witli its right flank dangerously exposed, was most praiseworthy, and, combined with the action of divisional reiserves, was instrumental in causing the surrender of a German detachment some 500 strong, which was holding; up the advance of the right brigade in tho front system of trendies.

The inability of the right of this division to get forward had, however, caused sufficient delay to enable the enemy to collect local reserves behind the strong second line. The arrangements, the planning and execution of the attack, and the conduct of the troops of the 4th Corps wero most efficient and praiseworthy. In the attack of the Ist Corps the 7th Division was directed on the Quarries. The 9th Division was to capture the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and then to push on to Fosse 8. The assault of the 7th Division succeeded at once, and in a very short time they had reached the western edge of the Quarries, Cite St. Elie, and even the village of Haisnes, the tendency of the action having been i'j draw the troops northward.

On the right of the 9th Division tiie i'6tl: Brigade secured Fosse 8 alter ieavy fighting, and the 28th Bnglile captured the front line of the Geiwrni L.enches east of Vermelles railway. At the latter point the fighting was extiemely severe; and this brigade, suffering considerable losses, was driven back to its own trenches.

NEW BRITISH LINE. At nightfall, after a heavy day's fighting, and numerous German coun-ter-attacks, tiie line was, roughly, as follows: — From the Double Crafisicr, south of Loos, by the western part of Hill 70, to the western exit of Hullueh; thence, by the Quarries and western end of Cite St. Elie, of Fos.se 8, back to our own original line. Throughout the length of the line heavy fighting was in progress, and our hold on Fosse 8, backed as it is by the strong defences and guns of Auchy, was distinctly precarious. Heavy rain fell throughout the day, which was very detrimental to efficient observation of fire and reconnaissance by aircraft. In the course of the night 2">th--26th September, the enemy delivered a series of heavy counter-attacks along most of our new front. The majority of these were repulsed with heavy loss; but in parts of the line, notably near the Quarries, our troops were driven back ii certain distance.

THE HILL 70 MYSTERY. Tho situation at the Quarries, described above, was readjusted by an attack of the 7th Division on the afternoon of September 26th, and on that ovening very heavy attacks delivered by tho enemy were repulsed with severe loss. On the 4th Corps front attacks or. Huiloch and on the redoubt on the cast s : de of Hill 70 were put into operation, but were anticipated by the enemy organising a very .strong offensive from that direction. These attacks drove in the advanced troops of the 21-t and 21th Divisions, which were then moving forward to attack. Reports regarding ilin portion of the action are very conflicting, and it is not posKili'p to form an entirely just appreciation of what occurre din tli's part of til!' held.

At nightfall there was no change up to Hill 70, except for a small gain or ground south of Loos. From Hill 70 the line bent sharply back to the northwest as far a< Loos-La Bn-see Road, which it followed for a thousand yards, bearing thence north-eastward to near tho west end of Huiloch. Thence northward it was tho same as it f:ad been on tho previous night.

Th e attacks of the Ist and 4th Corps were delivered at 6.30 a.m., and were successful all along the line, except just south of the La Basse© Canal.

SCOTTISH VALOUR. The enemy met the advance by wild infantry fire of slight intensity, but hi' artillery fire was accurate and caused considerable casualties.

The 47th Division, on the right of the 4th Corps, rapidly swung jts left forward and occupied the southern outskirts of Loos and a big double slag heap opposite Grenay. known as the Double Crassier. Thence it pushed on, and, by taking possession of the cemetery, the enclosures and chalk pits south of Loos, succeeded in forming a strong defensive flank. This London Territorial Division acquitted itself most credtably. It was skilfully led, and the troops carried out thei rtask wtih great energy and determination. They contributed largely to our success in tin's part of the field. On the left of the 47th Division, a Scottish Division of the New Armies (loth Division) assaulted Loos, Hill 70, and Fossee 14 bis. The attack wa.s admirably delivered, and in a little more than an hour parts oi the division occupied Loos and its northern outskirts, Puits 14 bis and Hill 70, whilst some units had pushed on as far as Cite St. Auguste, a mile east of Hill 70.