ANZACS AT ALBERT.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 April 1918, Page 3

ANZACS AT ALBERT.

ENEMY ATTACKS CRUSHED. (From Lieut. F. M. Cutlack.) London, April 5. The Australian position across the Rovers, An ere and Somme, west or Albert and south-west of Albert, contains a series of broad spurs anc small gullies running down to the streams. South of the Ancre eacn side is entrenched across the top of thewatershed down to the Somme gullies, and again to the broader watershed to the south. The enemy’s several attempts in the past six days to penetrate under cover or the thicklytreed river flats and turn the line up the gullies has been repeatedly defeated, especially in the battle in the flats by Sailly on Saturday afternoon. There has been no serious attempt to repeat the manoeuvre since then, though several infantry concentmtions have been observed in the villages and woods opposite the Australians, and scattered at the outset by the artillery. Concurrently with these' efforts to advance in the Somme Valley, the enemy attempted a number of minor frontal rushes up the gulliep near Albert. These were plainly visible to the Australians from the excellent observation ground, and all were crushed and obliterated by machinegun fire. This morning 150 storm troops of the German Marine Division made another of these small attacks,nsndeavouring to establish themselves in a small house on a railway embankment at the foot of the gully. The machinegunners held their fire till the enemy made the best target, and then practically annihilated the attackers. Six prisoners captured-—big, intelligent men—described these attacks as pigdriving. They had, they said, repeatedly attacked strong points in this fashion since the beginning of the bat: tie, not led by officers, but by junior non-commissioned officers. The British resistance on their front throughout had been magnificent. German divisions had been sent on in a reckless rush regardless of life, their only orders being to get. forward as far as possible. The enemy Intention certainly has been to smash the Bri army with the full weight of his forces, *■ ' '• ■

The prisoners were unfeignedly glad to be out of the battle. They knew four days ago that the Australians had come in against them, and regard them with the sincefest respect. They do not believe that this battle will be decisive, as they failed to penetrat 60 miles.

This morning at breakfast time the enemy again attacked heavily against spurs south of Albert, about a bttaiion strong, and was again repulsed with machine gun, rifle fire, and bombs, with heavy loss. They did not gain an inch of ground.