WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 9 October 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

I HEAVY FIGHTING ON THE YPRES FRONT. NEW POSITIONS SOLIDIFIED. LONDON, Oct. 7. Mr. Keith. Murdock, an Australian correspondent at headquarters, states that heavy fighting continues, but the British have everywhere solidified their positions,' and await couffteTiattaeks with; confidence. Rain has changed the battlefield into a vast sea of muddy ponds, bringing sore trouble to both sides, especially ours, owing to the difficulty of communication over three miles of the conquered shell hole zone. Our artillery organisation has reached batteries fire at an identical moment in an awful, demoralising and death-dealing chorus. The Germans generally fought gamely, but the attackers’ dash at the top of the barrage, prevented in most cases the mac-hine-gunners getting their guns from the redoubts in time to fight. As a result of their preparation for - attack, many thousands of Germans were caught in the trenches and shell holes, and remained throughout the barrage. The survivors fought to the end. ON THE FRENCH FRONT. BIG GUN DUELS. LONDON, Oct? 7. 'A French communique says: “Artillery duels continue in the Vauxaillon, Latfaux, and Hurtebise sectors, and on the left bank of the Meuse, notably north of Hill 344 and towards Bezonvaux. “We repulsed a powerful raid against Narvarin Farm in the Champagne BRITISH OVERWHELM THE ENEMY. , GERMAN HIGHER COMMAND’S • DISAPPOINTMENT. LONDON, October 8. Mr. Percival Phillips says: The Fourth Guards were still suffering from losses at Lens, where the Canadians systematically shelled and gassed them among the ruined collieries. They only left Lens on September 20th. They were promised a rest time in Belgium, but Von 'Arnim thought otherwise. He needed men, even tired men, so within three days the Guards were under fire at Zonnebeke. They were weakened and discontented. Every company of the division, except the Fourth, was represented in the prisoners. The 20th Division, recently on the Russian front yielded over 1000 prisoners, besides a large number of dead strewn over the battlefield. There was extraordinary confusion in the German line owing to the promiscuous throwing in of regiments. Many battalions were cut off from regimental headquarters. Troops who were waiting in the darkness for the order to pass through the stationary infantry, found thmselves overwhelmed in the British barrages, Officers completely lost their heads and ran about cursing the men. Distress signals for the artillery were not answered. Even the German wireless stations were knocked out. The situation cast of Polygon Wood was an example of the confusion prevailing on the entire German front. Here three battalions of storm troops assembled ready to attack in three waves, with foot guards ready to take over the line whenraptured. and a reserve regiment ready to make a second assault if the first failed. All the detachments were in close formation. Exactly ten minutes before the first German wave was to advance, the British were among them. By this time barrages were sweeping through the reserves behind with terrible effect. The survivors of this defeated mob said the surprise was paralysing. No soldiers could have rallied. The third defeat must affect the enemy plans in many ways. They must dig new winter quarters, rearrange their artillery and establish fresh railheads, aerodromes and hutments. The uisappointment of the German commanders is great, as they believed we would not attempt large operations after the end of August owing to the difficulty of taking heavy guns over the marshes. ENEMY’S LATEST CRY. LONDON, Oct. 7. The German General Staff have issued a communique, in an attempt to allay German uneasiness, stating that there is a movement in Britain against the bloodiness of Sir Douglas Haig’s war methods as the result of a protest from Australia and Now Zealand against the heavy losses of the Anzacs in the recent fighting. A mitigation of the severity of the Flanders warfare therefore is to be expected To this the reply is that no such movement exists The Anzae losses have not been disproportionate and complaints do not exist.

GERMANS LOSE THEIE BEST TROOPS. LONDON, Oct. 8. Mr. Percival Phillips The statements of prisoners and. much information from unofficial sources, confirm the demoralisation of the enemytroops in Thursday’s battle. Von Arnim must have lost at least three good infantry divisions, including the 4th Guards and 45th Reserve, who were among the best of the German Army. The Guards consisted of thoroughlytrained men, the pick of the recruit depots, averaging from 25 to 30 years. The 45th Reserve were storm troops divisions, chosen for heavy attacks. ENEMY BARRAGES BUT DOES HOT ATTACK. LONDON, Oct. S. Stormy weather and heavy rain were experienced all day. 'An attempted enemy advance southward of Reutel was broken by our fire. The enemy at dusk heavily barraged the greater part of the front between Broodeseinde and Hollcbeke, but no infantry actions followed. Our aviators continue bombing raids, despite the weather. AT ABRAHAM HEIGHTS. NEW ZEALANDERS’ GREAT FIGHT LONDON Oct 8. Mr Percival Phillips writes: The storming of Abraham Heights at Gravenstafel contained much dramatic incident. The New Zealanders were rather handicapped at the beginning by a bulge in their original line. This prevented them getting even, and in order to remedy this some New Zealanders had to fall back and - then rush forward again when the barrage began, covering a considerable extent of the extra ground at the double. Somewhat to the New Zealanders’ surprise a group of firm redoubts close to the jumping off places, was full of Germans. Otto Farm, only a few yards distant, came suddenly to life and spat bullets from many loopholes until stormed. There was a lively fight at Berlin Farm on the west of Roosbeke road. The New Zealanders silenced Berlin Farm with Stokes’ bombs. There was no time to examine the but when it was broken open next day it was found to be full of dead Germans. A number of “pill-boxes” were dotted on Roosbeke road above Gravenstofel. In one case a German gun . crew appeared through a narrow door, carrying a gun and cartridges. They dodged behind tree trunks, but a New Zealand sergeant with a few men worked round them. When capture was inevitable, the Germans put up their hands. A moment later their hands were dropped. Expecting treachery of the usual sort, the New Zealanders killed all.

STIRRING STORY OF FIGHTING. NEW ZEALANDERS RECKLESS BRAVERY. SODA WATER AND PILL BOXES. Received 8.35 LONDON, Oct 7 Mr Philip Gibbs, the well-known war correspondent, writing of the latest British offensive, says the New Zealanders had many fights on the way to Gravenstafel and Abraham Heights. They were surprised at the number of pill-boxes and blockhouses. Apparently the Germans had thrust little groups of men into the forward blockhouses with orders to hold them at all costs, until the German attacking divisions reached them. In consequence of this proposed attack the enemy’s guns laid a heavy barrage over the British lines half-an-hour before our attack commenced. The New Zealanders did not escape this shelling. Their brigadier experienced intense anxiety, not knowing from their dug-outs, over which the enemy’s fire passed whether the New Zealand boys were so cut up that a successful assault was impossible. Fortunately the New r Zealanders were not seriously hurt nor thrown into disorder. When the moment came they were “over the top” like a pack of hounds on a good hunting morning. They had not going many yards before they took fifty prisoners. There was a blockhouse just outside 'the New Zealand assembly line, the garrison of which surrendered without a fight. Our gunfire had smashed the track of a stream nearby, making the ground a swamp. The New Zealand lads had a devil of a time getting through. Some fell into shellholes with mud up to their belts, and men on the solid ground hauled out those in the slough. This meant a great risk from the barrage travelling on with the protecting screen of shells. The only safety in these battles is to keep close to the barrage. Howcevr, the Now Zealand lads somehow managed t'o scramble over eight hundred yards in tune to catch up the barrage. The first fight for a blockhouse took place at Vermeulcn farm. The New Zea'and boys began to drop under the bulletof the farm. They were held up for

half : an-hour until the “ leapfrog” battalions —that is, men who arc going to pass through the first waves to the next objective! —came up to help. A New Zealand captain, beloved for his gallantry and generous-hearted ways, led a rush of Lewis gunners, bombers, and riflemen. The captain fell dead, with a bullet through his heart. With a cry of rage the rest ran on and stormed the blockhouse In the left one New Zealand battalion could see the Gormans firing from concrete houses, on the slopes of Graveustafel, Although they had to lose the barrage, which was sweeping on ahead again, the New Zealanders went straight for those places under sharp fire. Some worked round tke concrete walls, and hauled out more prisoners. Hardly a New Zealander would go back as an escort, so the brigadier, who came out of a dug-out to see what was happening, received the first news of the victory from batches of Germans marching in company formation, under their own officers without an escort. There was a steady stream of fire .from Abraham Heights until the New Zealanders climbed up and routed the enemy from the dug-outs, which were screened by our barrage. Only great gallantry by high-spirited youngsTers could have done this. The storming of Abraham Heights proves the quality of New Zealand’s troops. Their keenness to do well and recklessness regarding cost resulted in a lot of prisoners being taken at' Abraham Heights. The •next resistance was at Berlin which was a row of dirty concrete pill-boxes above a deep cave. The German machine gunners defended this stubbornly The New Zaelanders brought Stokes’ mortars, fired thirty rounds for two minutes, and then, with a yell, rushed the position from both sides. They flung pea-bombs through the back door until part of the. garrison streamed out shouting “we surrender!” While the other part of the garrison were dead inside. The New- Zalandcrs drank soda water and smoked high-class cigarettes, which were discovered at a farm where a battalion commander and his staff w-ere prisonered. After refreshment the New Zealanders went out to Berlin Wood, where soverah pillboxes w-ere hidden among fallen trees and mudheaps. They had to make their way through a machine-gun barrage. From one house a Gerrpan officer directed the fire, and w-hon one gun was silenced he came out with another, and fired round the corner of the w-all until our men rushed it. Even then the officer raised his revolver, but fcvas killed by a bayonet thrust .q Elsewhere the English boys were fighting with equal courage, some against even fiercier gunfire. The English w-ere opposed to Ghiluvelt, Polderhoek and Remelbeke, and endured bad hours. W e hold the outer houses in Gheluvelt The swamps here are even wmrse than the New- Zealanders encountered The Englishmen fought forw-ard doggedly, and by sheer valour safe-guard-ed the right wing. The Irishmen, astride Thorout railway fought recklessly, w-hile the Devons and Scottish Borderers fought in a most gallant fashion. OFFICIAL REPORTS.. Received 10. .25 LONDON, Oct. 8. iSir Douglas Haig reports; We beat off an attack east of Polygon Wood, following last night’s heavy barrage. We successfully raided tasffward of I Monchy. French communique: An artillery duel is lively in Belgium and on the Aisne. Wireless German official. — Local English attacks in some sectors following strong drum-fire failed. Violent artillerying is taking place between Ailette south of Parguy. There is strong French fire between Saruogneux an dßezouvaux. Our artillery frustrated all attacks. REWARDS FOR BRITISH PRISONERS. LONDON, Oct S. Mr Percival Phillips writes:— The German Higher Command is offering a tempting reward for every British prisoner. The price varies from 25s to 50s for a living man and 10s for a dead man or an identification badge. GERMAN INTRIGUES. MORE DISCLOSURES. Received 10.25. LONDON, Oct 8. Mr Ellis Powell alleges that the German effort to get control of the Financial News in 1915 was part of 8010 Pasha’s plans. German or Ger-man-American buyers endeavoured to secure the controlling shares held by Marks for, £35,000. Marks at the time refused to disclose the name of the .intending who schemed to use the paper to precipitate a financial panic in the critical closing months of 1915 by announcing the suspension of one of the great joint stock banks.