AUSTRALASIAN PHALANX

Taihape Daily Times, 26 October 1917, Page 6

AUSTRALASIAN PHALANX

CffiSnSBOUS RT7AI-.RY. October 7. It is allowed to state that the centre of Thursday's great battle, in which Brcodseinde and Gravenstafcl fell, was occupied by r single solid phalanx of Australian and New Zealand' troops which constituted the greatest force of Australasian soldiers or those of any Dominion which ever attacked simultaneously. This powerful southern striking force formed the centre of the yet more extensive British line. Not the least important cause of the outstanding dash of these troops on this occasion was their real enthusiasm at being employed beside their fellow-soldiers from the Pacific Dominions. The Australasian force which was launched on Thursday was animated by a fierce national pride, which cannot be too fully realised. The result of Thursday's battle was that, together with certain British troops, for whom the ground teems with undying associations, they pushed the Germans off from a part of the crest which for three years had been one of the most portions of his main position on the Western front.

The. xlustralian soldiers, on Thursday swept over almost the exact position north of Broodseinde where General French's line in front of Ypres originally ran in the earliest days of the •war. But to those who have watched the war in Europe closely during the past two years these three battles mean far more than a mere struggle for positions. Many of us to-day feel an optini Ism which we have not before felt, realising that a means has at last been worked out of delivering on the Germans whenever it is desired smashing blows which they cannot parry. Each time the Germans have known that p. blow was corning, and have seen the arm raised, yet, in spite of all preparations, they received the blow full and square between the eyes, one, two and three within a fortnight. Every time the attack reached exactly the point decidled on, and was stopped there deliberately All the German coun-ter-attacks have not brought back one inch of valuable ground. The German troops have been simply forced to take whatever blow y.e decide to deal them, and they know it. Personally, one feels that for the first time the weapon has been worked out which opens up the prospect of a real success leading to a decisive issue. It should be a matter of tremendous pride to Australians to realise that in the battles of Messines and Ypres the solid striking force of their troops helped in an outstanding way to deal the blows by which this weapon has been proved. Two counterattacks were beaten off on Thursday by Australasian troops. Over 1000 prisoners and several guns appear to have been taken by them. Their advance at some points was at least a mile and a quarter.

This • evening the House went into committee on the Social Hygiene Bijjfc The Hon. Eussell said that up to Clause 20 the Bill had been withdrawn and the measure as it now stood would not repeal the drastic portions of the Hospital Act of 1913, or the Prisoners' Detention Act, 1915.