WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 November 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

TANKS LEADING ADVANCE. SMASH THEOUGH WIRE. LONDON, November 21 Sir Douglas Haig reports: Between St. Quentin and the Scarpe the tanks broke through successive belts of wire of great depth and strength. The infantry followed and stormed the first defensive system of the Hindenburg line. iThe tanks and infantry pressed on and captured the Hindenburg support line more than a mile beyond. Several ['thousand prisoners and a number of guns were captured.

OPERATIONS CONTINUE. LONDON; November 21 i General Sir Douglas Haig reports: r Yesterday morning the Third Army, ' under Sir Julian Byng, delivered a number of general attacks between St. r Quentin and the Scarpe River. The attacks were carried out without previous artillery fire, Completely 'surprising the enemy. Our troops broke in the enemy's positions to a depth of I four and five miles on a wide front, and captured several thousand prisoners and a number of guns, The operations continue! at the present hour. During the assault on the principal front a large number of tanks moved forward in advance of' the infantry and broke through successive belts of German wire of great depth and strength.

THE NEW ATTACK. BRITISH LOSSES SLIGHT. ARMY OF TANKS BLAZES TRAIL. The United Press correspondent states that General Haig, attacked through the Hindenburg line with an army of tanks, penetrating the much vaunted trench system on a wide front. No barrage the infantry and no artillery preparation was made. The Tanks berthed behind the lines, crawled out into fee morning darkness, advancing and blazing a trail through the Hingcnburg maze. . The artillery during the night fired sleepily on thej front, which was one of, the quietest along the entire line, and if anything was quiter than usual last--night. The attention of the; Germans and the .British seemed concentrated on Flanders.' This morning the batteries were let loose over more than thirty miles. No Man's Land shimmered, sparkled and sizzled under a rain of fireworks. Between Lens and St. Quentin there was a continuous shower of sparks and flashes, then Gargantuan monsters of steel crawled forward through the smoke barrage, trampling line after line of entanglements, whose wire was the size of the finger, each line being scores of yards across. , When the widest trenches were reached the tanks by a clever trick, furnished their own bridge, and crossed as smooth as silk. The. infantry then followed.

These tactics entirely surprised the Prussians. One division was in process of being relieved by another, at the moment of attack. The battle was the strangest in the world's history. When the world was saying that surprise attacks were no longer possible, when the Prussions were thinking the same and sleeping comfortably in the dug-outs, an army of tanks, eamauflaged behind the lines of British infantry, rose up from the ground like magic, smashing the Hindenburg line. It was the most wonderful performance of the war. Everything was absolutely normal until the kick-off, then hell turned loose. The guns bellowed and tanks crawled forward. The Tommies followed shouting "Come on!" impatiently. The Germans crawled from their dug-outs dazed and terror-stricken. The British casualties were few. THE GATES OF HELL!" DISASTER OF GREAT MAGNITUDE AWAITING THE GERMANS KAISER SHAKES HIS FIST (Received 8.35) LONDON, November 22 A Dutch correspondent declares, from present personal observation, he is convinced a German disaster of great magnitude is impending on the West Front Flanders is a vast shambles and Belgium a huge hospital. The troops call Flanders "The Gates of Hell!" They consider themselves sentenced to death if sent there which causes much disaffection and desertion. There are 150 000 deserters : in Holland, despite rigorous frontier precautions. The frightful slaughter made on the West Front is a German nightmare. The Kaiser during his recent visit was impressed with the gravest danger here. Shaking his fist at Passchendaele ridge, he exclaimed: "England at all costs must be beaten to her knees!"

FINES* WAR SPECTACLE SEEN. CAVALRY TEEM THROUGH GAP. . GATE TO GREATER VICTORIES. THE DREAM OF FORTY MONTHS. Received 9 a.m. LONDON, November 22. Mr. Pcrcival Phillips says, on Wednesday night the breach in the Hindenburg line proved the gate to greater victory. Through the gap torn by our tanks and infantry there poured, to-day, a steady stream of cavalry. These famous British regiments are now realising their dream of forty months. It was the finest spectacle I have f;ceu during this war. As they" swept confidently across the battered Hindcnburg line, up the smooth German made road. Twenty-four hours eariier another fortunate detachment had led the way, saluted by cheers from Tank crews and infantry. Since noon on Tuesday cavalry have been in action among the hills and valleys which skirt the Cambrai plain, rounding up fugitives, clearing the villages, and steadily widening the salient. TANKS CAUSE PANIC AMONG THE ENEMY LONDON, November 22 The United Press correspondent says:—As a weird fleet of leviathans loomed through the misty dawn Germans in places bolted panicstricken, but after recovery from the first surprise the fighting was desperate. The'British stormed Neuf Wood, a mile to the west of Marcoing. It was full of old quarries and underground defences. It was considered one of the strongest posts defending the Hindenburg line We substantially advanced beyond this. Our booty includes a score of guns.

THE GERMAN STORY Wireless German official —The main English attacks, under the protection of armoured cars strove to break through to Cambrai. They succeeded in capturing villages in the fighting zone,, including Graincourt, and ,Marcoing. Our reserves arrested the thrust in the,,,rear,of the; positions. The enemy have , not advanced. beyond our advanced and foremost line between Pontain-les-Croiselles and Reincourt. Their attack southward of Vendhuille collapsed. .., A further German,.wireless message states:—The English since noon have reattached with strong forces southeastward of Cambrah'' Fighting continues. ':•'' '"'• "- •'

PROGRESS MADE TQ. THE- ' , .SUPPORT LINE. ~ | ST. QUENTIN CANAL CROSSED. LONDON, November i 21. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Following through the gaps made by the tanks, English, Scottish and Irish regiments swept over the outposts and stormed the first defensive system of the Hindenburg Line along the whole front. Infantry and tanks pressed on in accordance with programme and captured the second system of defence over a mile beyond known as the Hindenburg Support Line. East Counties' troops took the Bonairs Plateau Wood after stiff fighting, English rifle regiments and light infantry captured Vacquerie, also formidable defences on a spur known as Welsh Ridge.

Other English county troops stormed the village of Ribecourt and fought their way through Coullet Wood. Highland Territorials crossed the Grande Ravine and entered Flesqueres, where fierce fighting took place. West Riding Territorials captured Havrincourt, also a trench system northwards of the village. Ulster flank, moved northward up the west battalions, covering the latter's left bank of the Canal du Nord. After midday we continued our advance and rapidly progressed at all points. English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh troops, secured crossings of the canal at Masnieres and captured Mareoing ana" Neuf Wood, west of the ridge. Troops from Havrincourt made remarkable progress eastward of the Canal du Nord. They stormed the villages of Graincourt and Ux. Cooperating with the Ulsters westward of the canal, we carried 1 the whole of the German line northward to the Bapaume-Cambrai road. West County Territorials broke into positions eastward of Epehy. Irish troops captured important sections of the Hindenburg Line between Bullecourt and Fontaine les Croisilles.

The number of prisoners, guns and material Jaken cannot, yet be estimated. Fine dull weather favoured preparations, but broke early yesterday. Rain fell at night, iand it is now stormy. ~ ■

- A THRILLING NARRATIVE OVER 6000 PRISONERS MORE TO COME IN CAVALRY SLASH DOWN REARGUARDS SABRE BATTERY GUNNERS TANK COMMANDER LEADS "EVERY TANK EXPECTED TO DO ITS DAMNEDEST!" (Received 11.3) LONDON, November 22 Mr Perceval Phillips states that British cavalry rode down the German rearguard columns and charged the German batteries, including two fiehl batteries snugly hidden in a hollow, where the horsemen were swinging their sabres to cut down 'crews be-

fore they could escape The cavalry were untrammelled by any kind cf trenches in the region they hold. To-day there is heavy, continuous rain, but the horses have still a fairly decent footing, and the untrodden, open country between the captured villages gives ampla room for movement.

We broke the Hindenburg line between Havrincourt and Niergniea fcr a distance of six miles penetrating five miles. By this morning is was reported that the wings of our line were much further north than .';ra in court, behind the broken western limb of the Hindenburg line. We have taken 6000 prisoners s*;uUi west of alone, but the total will be considerably greater before we have finished.

Our cavalry rescued 50 wretcuod French peasants in Ma-nieres last night, and 1000 others at /llemiliy, this morning. ,

We have given the Hun one of the most demoralising blows since he precipitated this Armageddon. As a high official grimly said "He is still swinging in midair." Byng's avalanche of tanks feii at a point where they were least expected. Never was there such a surprise as when the tanks flattened out the enemy's defences without the slightest, artillery preparation. The..tanks went, into battle. Jed by their co.mniahder-in-chM,'; whose tank was some distance ahead of the first wave, flying the battle flag-; The message he sent to every'tank was: "We expect every tank -to do its damnedst." K:

The crews had a shiver of apprehension when the engines first tuned up, as it seemed inevitable that the enemy's outposts must hear them, but no alarm was taken.

Most of the tanks moved forward at 20 minutes past 6 o'clock precisely, into the unsitelled valley_ The most exciting point was Flesquieres, w.here the .village is embedded in the.Hinsupport system. The tanks' experience here were not altogether unchequred. General Haig reports:—We advanced last night. We attacked and captured Fontaine and Notre Dame, with a number of prisoners.

GERMANS COMPLETELY SURPRISED. SOOO PRISONERS CAPTURED. LONDON, November 21. Router's correspondent at Headquarters states that besides the ordinary preparations for an attack on a large scale, a fleet of tanks had been brought close to the line. Everything was apparently carried out without the smallest intimation reaching the enemy. The advantage of the sudden change of scene, apart from the element of surprise, was that the ground was suitable for tanks, not being cut up into shell-holes. The enemy evacuated the area last spring without fighting and we had never previously seriously attacked this section. The enemy also had nothing like the concentration of guns they have around Ypres and Passchendaele. On the other hand, we had against us the extremely formidable defences of the Hindenburg Line, the strength of which the Germans had continuously increased ■ since they fell back thereon in the spring. The defences consisted of a triple cordon of three separate trench systems, with tunnels wherein the garrison were safe from the heaviest gunfire. Intricate wiring was all co-ordinated with machine-gun posts and strong redoubts. The main Hindenburg trenches had been made specially wide to frustrate the tanks, but they were not wide enough, for the monsters rolled through or over every obstacle. The infantry losses were almost unprecedentedly light. There arc evidences everywhere that the enemy were taken unawares. The British have counted 8,000 prisoners. Many more villages have been captured and strong counter-attacks re- i pulsed. |

CAVALRY TAKE PART LONDON, November 22 Thousands of cavalry were hidden close to the front until the tanks broke the Hindenburg line. The cavalry have been fighting on the Cambrai Plain since midday on Tuesday, widening the salient and capturing villages. EURTHER IMPORTANT PROGRESS WITHIN FOUR MILES OF CAMBRAI. LONDON, November 22.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: Important progress -was made to-day westward • and south-westward of Cambrai, despite continuous rain. Reinforcements for the enemy were hurried up, and opposed our advance, but were driven out of a further series of villages and other fortified positions. Many additional prisoners were taken. Wc made progress on the right in the direction of Crevecoeur les Court (south-cast of Cambrai) and captured, north-east of Masnieres, a double line of trenches on the east bank of the Canal do les Court, where there was sharp fighting, and counter-attacks were driven off. The village »of Noyelle de les Caut, northward of Marcoing, was captured early this morning. Here, also there was heavy fighting, and counter-at-tacks were successfully repulsed. Scottish troops this morning moving north-east of Cantaing, took the latter village, and continued to advance, later establishing themselves upwards of five miles behind the former German front line. West Ridings troops and Irish northward of Anneux engaged the enemy southward and south-westward of Bourlou Wood. The Ulsters, further west, crossed the Bapaume-Cambrai road, and entered Moeuvres. Strong counter-attacks against our new positions in the neighbourhood of Bullecourt were defeated The total number of guns captured has not yet been ascertained. Our aeroplanes attempted to work all day on Tuesday in conjunction with the operations between St. Quentin and the Scarpe, but low clouds and mist and strong westerly winds prevailed, with a drizzle. The airmen made occasional raids, the pilots flying If if ty feet from the ground, but even then; at times they were quickly lost in -the' mist. Continual attempts to maintain contact with the advancing troops were rendered almost 'impossible. Only five hostile machines were seen. Eleven of ours were lost, owing to "the mist and the exceptionally low height at which they were compelled to fly.