ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 May 1918, Page 6

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

AUSTRALIANS’ FRONT. (Official Correspondent -with A.1.F.) WEST FRONT, May 14, The Australian front, despite this morning's attack, generally is quiet, though German long range guns are pecking more constantly at the villages behind the front, while villages and valleys near the line have received occasional vicious gas shellings. The half-open warfare is responsible almost every day for. astonishing adventures. Our men, being able to find their way in the dark, and endowed with instant decision and courage, are constantly out behind the German patrols or between German posts. A letter recently captured from a German soldier, dated Morlancoiirt, May 5, reads:—“We are now in the neighbourhood of Albert, and I am in an outpost, with the English 200 metres away. We have the Australians in front of us, and they are very quick and cunning. They glide about in the night like cats and come right" up to our trenches without our seeing them. Last night they were in our trenches, and killed two men and dragged one ; away with them. Our regiment nas suffered heavy losses through gas. It Is the most horrible death a man can liave when he swallows gas. I dffl, therefore, very cautious and always have a gas mask by me. There are many soldiers round here, mostly Bavarians, Badeners, and Rheinlanders. The worst thing here is still the aeroplanes, against which there is scarcely any means of protecting oneself.” FEEBLE-HEARTED ATTACKS. ! May 15. During the night the Germans made two attempts to re-take the high ground above Morlancourt. Their first effort was on the southern slope of this ground, above , Sailly, and was easily beaten off with machine guns and rifles. It consisted of a few little groups of men advancing half-hearted-iy-

At 3 o’clock a more serious attack, 250 strong, penetrated between the Australian outposts near the top of the hill, and the enemy temporarily occupied about 100 yards of our front line. The artillery fire was not heavy, and the Australians in the support trenches at first did not believe they ■were Germans. On the truth being discovered, they immediately counterattacked across the open, simultaneously bombing down the front .line trenches from the north.

The enemy, mostly youngsters, did not show much fight. Some escaped, and many were hilled. About 50 prisoners were taken, and 'our posts reestablished. Prisoners state they were specially brought up to re-capture the high ground recently lost, owing to the importance of observation therefrom. May 16. The front continues for the most part entirely quiet. As I looked over a great part of the Australian line today I could scarcely believe that a tvar existed in this landscape. The country spread before us only here and there showed signs of the wear and tear of the warfare which has lately descened on it. Here and there the grass showed patches like a threadbare carpet where it had been torn by many shells or worn by congested traffic. Occasionally one fitful shell pecked like an angry bird at some roadside in the foreground. For the rest, nothing stirred. Two soldiers on a bank played with a dog -which. had been left on some ’farm. The anhy is still waiting for the heavy blow which will certainly be attempted. The Australian force is in splendid health.

i NEW ZEALAND’S LINE. fit and ready for all. (N.Z. War Correspondent.) • May 21. The Allied troops are living in daily expectations of a new attack, yet their moral was never higher. Yesterday, ■which according to some prisoners’ statements, was to have been the eve ef the onslaught, one of our brigades held a military tournament and horse show. The arrangements were perfect, and great interest was shown in the 'various events. The battalion bands, played, and many men walked miles to the ground. The scene reminded one of a country show in New Zealand, except that everyone was in uniform and the transport was .entirely warlike. The horses were in fine condition. Meantime the men in the front line stalk tho enemy and bring in prisoners almost daily. The moral of the divisions opposite us is poor, but no doubt they are simply holding the lino, and other divisions would move through them ro take part in any onslaught. During the day there is little doing, but at night there is considerable artillery activity, especially on the part of our gunners, who are energetically harassing the enemy with concentrations of fire. During Lie

past few months several American staff officers have visited the New Zealanders for brief periods. We have found them keen to learn, and the utmost cordiality, has prevailed. We have also seen something of the French, and with them also relations are most friendly.