ANZAC VETERANS

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 18 May 1917, Page 6

ANZAC VETERANS

' GATH’S EAST OF BULLECOURT.

LONDON, May 8,

Reports from the British front received to-night state that the Australians have made important gains east of Bullecourt, and have also repulsed terrific German counter-attacks.

Mn Keith Murdoch, the Sun special representative in London, who is visiting the western front, has telegraphed the following message from Anzac headquarters:— “The battle in which the Australians were engaged on Thursday was the greatest so far of the series of huge battles which the British armies have forced upon the Germans in this campaign. The Australians’ part in the struggle was on the front in the neighbourhood of Queant, on which only a few brigades could be employed. Veteran soldiers from Victoria and New South Wales were principally concerned. All fought a strongly-contested action with great gallantry and success.

“I stood for an hour before dawn on a commanding position some distance behind our forward line, which here con sisted of a series of strong posts. Suddenly the shriek of the guns arose, fleeting and instantly recurring flashes set the countryside for 330 miles dancing with light, as though a raging tempest of flaming metal covered the earth. “This tremendous barrage, which never wavered for hours, though it changed according to timetable, was a signal for the infantry attack. We knew that in the dark, dusty inferno beneath our men were advancing. They found the extraordinarily wide and stout entanglemtnts of the Hindenburg Line cut to shreds, but immediately they encountered the strongest enemy barrage met since Pozieres. While dawn came our men fought their way steadily with bomb and bayonet through the enemy lines, gaining objective after objective, with the exception of some delay on the right. A truly Australian sun, red through the Smoke and dust, rose over them.

WOUNDED UPHILL TOIL. *‘The first lines of walking, wounded men tolled up hill to the dressing stations. Soon also the first batch of German prisoners appeared—shaken, bruised and white. The Huns needed all their artillery for their barrage, but after sunrise they began sprinkling the whole plateau with heavy shells. This Shelling, though continued throughout the day, was extraordinarily ineffective, while our barrages remained true, winning warm praise from the infantry. We knocked out many Hun guns with direct hits, according to the re--1 ports from aeroplanes, which flew high and low with great gallantry. One British aviator, flew slowly for 90 minutes at a height of a few hundred feet, backwards and forwards over Bulleeourt and over the Australian left, though constantly peppered. The youngster was wounded, but he insis'ted on being carried to Anzae headquarters, where he made his report before being taken to hospital. No German aeroplane was seen throughout the morning. “It was a day of many stern, heroic incidents. Perhaps the most notable was that of an officer of a New South Wales battalion who, seeing another battalion temporarily without a leader and in difficulties, went to it under the heaviest fire, rallied it, and led it

forward. Owing to the thick dust w t c could see nothing of the Infantry except the British attacks, and later one Australian attack. ASTRIDE THE LINE. “ Whilst this strong action was being reduced our left was temporarily withdrawn from the farthermost point reach ed, but it is reported as being comfortably astride the Hindenburg Line. “Our men fought heroically, with supreme endurance. The wounded reported that the German trenches -were full of dead. Certainly the accuracy and extent of our artillery fire was unique in the history of the Australian force. One of the most stirring sights was the slow steadiness with which fully-equipped reserves advanced over fields ablaze under German shells.”

Reuter’s correspondent at headquarters telegraphed on Wednesday:— “The new British thrust was made just before dawn. It is not yet permissible to discuss the scheme of the attack. Suffice it to say that the objectives were several important points, the capture of wdiich would improve our line. Incidentally such operations may suit the strategic idea by involving very heavy enemy losses. Anyhow, we naturally want the most complete mastery of all dominating positions from which our artillery can effectively devastate the fresh troops which the German command continues to throw into his defence.

As urrul, the infantry assauP was pre ceded by a tornado of fire f oni weapons of all calibres betv en 15in. howitzers and Stokes trench-p vtars. A crcrj-ing barrage worked wit'. chrono-3'-'t:r precision as the ordc" “Go!” snapped forth simultaneously down the miles of trenches, and the crouching ■figures of the men formed regular waves behind the crawling wall of palpitating crimson thunder. Then came sii.C deadly rattle of the machine-guns,

and the ear-stabbing crashes of bursting bombs as the infantry reached the enemy parapets, followed by wild confusion as they got to grips in the trenches. The results of the attack are at present unknown. I hear that the Germans counter-at-tacked near Gavrelle and Loos, and were repulsed.

WILL HUNS RETREAT FURTHER?

Messages from Amsterdam state that the Gormans are usy withdrawing considerable troops beyond reach of the British artillery in Northern Prance. Meanwhile they arc making local attacks in northern sectors, and meeting sanguinary defeats, their aim obviously being to keep the British occupied before Armtntieres while the necessary defences are prepared further in the rear. The general expectation is that the Germans will shortly further retreat before the heavy pressure of the British. Fresh enemy troops have arrived in Flanders, and manoeuvring practice is continually in progress. Deserters in Holland state that there is a marked increase recently in suicides amongst the eGrman troops.