AUSTRALIA’S SONS.

Taihape Daily Times, 26 April 1918, Page 6

AUSTRALIA’S SONS.

arrival at dernanoourt “ONE OF WAR’S GREATEST .RECORDS.” London, April 12. The Australians gallant stand at the battle of Dernanconrt is widely acclaimed. They fought great masses to a standstill. The “Manchester Guardain’’ says; “They have established another of the war’s greatest records’’ Australians from the front hold the general conviction that Amiens is saved. Certain divisions there hold a record as glorious as any forces in history. Arriving after long and trying journeys, sleepless and unrested, they were thrown in alonside the British wherever the positions were most critical, plugging the worst gaps, stopping the Germans onrush, not conceding an inch except at a point where they were literally blown out by artillery. The officers there seemed overwhelmed with horror at their inability to hold up the enemy’s masses, supported by a terrible weight of machine guns and artillery, and whilst the Tommies were dulled by lack of sleep and sore and weary in every bone and muscle. NEW DRAFTS FIGHT WELL. The Britishers’ joyous welcome of the Australians was pathetic. An artillery major rushed up and emotionally embraced the Australian commander, saying: “ Thank God you’ve ( come.” The major was reasserted and ( heroically swung back his guns, pro- | mising the Australians every shell available. Indefinite news as to the . line compelled the Australians to advance until the scouts contacted with the enemy. Then the likeliest posi- I tions available were taken up. i Commanders say that the latest j drafts from Australia acquitted them- ; selves equally with the veterans. A captain from Sydney said, “With another three Australian divisions w'e would break the back of their salient’’ Officers generally are anxious about reinforcements. All agree that the Dernanoourt barrage was the" heaviest experienced, including a lot of low- , bursting British shrapnel. Non-com- ! batants, including cooks and quarter- I masters, rushed into the line at Dern- J ancourt and Brettoneoux, fighting 1 heroically. THEIR LAST STAND. Two companies of a New South Wales battalion carried out a dashing engagement an hour /adfijer xeleiving other Australians. About three hundred Germans emerged from a wood, charging through the undergrowth. The Australians poured in bullets, and then rushed them with the bayonets. The Germans soon fled leaving 70 dead and 100 prisoners. The Australians lost. 20 killed. A Sydney officer states that a South Wjales sergeant and six men bravely established an outpost. The sergeant was wounded in the chest. He reported that the Huns were gathering. Before anything could be done the Huns charged

in great numbers. After half an hour’s intense fighting they overpowered the post, the men dying round, their mac-hine-guns. An Australian flying squadron evacuated an aerodrome the night before a shell destroyed everything, wounding four men left as a guard. The Australians speak encouragingly regarding the security of the southern line, and of the excellence of the American officers.