BATTLE OF THE SCARPE.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 September 1918, Page 2

BATTLE OF THE SCARPE.

FOCI! V-S WONDERFUL ACTIVITY LONDON, August 27. The French, correspondents on General By Tig’s front describe an epic f}<>•;;;■ night, when there was a great Fash of Germans and British with bayonets and hand grenades, in the light of some flaming tanks, whose petrol was burning as the result of shell-fire, says Reuter’s correpondent. Spurts of flame 90ft. high lit up the scene, and hundreds of airmen, despite the torrential rain machine-gunned the enemy, while thousands of men were engaged in a deadly and bloody grapple.

Two German divisions were here positively annihilated, and the ground was strewn with thousands upon thousands of bodies. It was, says the correspondent, 1 ‘ a gigantic tragedy,” ending finally in the utter defeat of the enemy. Up till Sunday night it is estimated that the enemy has been forced to nse between the Scarpe and the Aisne at least 70 divisions since August 8. Two thousand prisoners and some guns were captured as the result of yesterday’s extension of < the battlefront northward by the attack behind Arras. Our progress was excellent considering the difficulties of the ground, and o'ur casualties were very light. A few tanks co-operated in the fight but perhaps it was more of an infantry battle than any recent fighting.

Northward of the Scarpe we merely adjusted our flank, in the course of which the Highlanders occupied the famous Roeux chemical yvforks, fTfie enemy withdrew into the wooded contours eastward of Monchy, where ho stiffened his resistance in country favourable for defence, especially in Bois du Sart and Gigjaw Wood. “Wonderful” is the adjective applied to the successes of the week-end, which have evoked the most enthusiastic comments of experts in Baris and London. Marshal Foch’s activity now that his chance has come is described as so incessant and tremendous that it is difficult to observe and keep pace with him. At the same time great admiration is expressed for the tactics of General Byng and Eawlinson, who skilfully avoided frontal attack whenever they encountered powerful positions, and by attacking less formidable positions on cither side changed dangerous centres of resistance into fresh salients, to be later reduced by envelopment. It is pointed out that the extreme wings, commanded respectively by General Sir Henry Horne and General Gouraud, have not yet been engaged, and the opinion is expressed that the real offensive is probably still to come.

In an earlier message the correspondent said: — We have reached the most dramatic era of the war, yet, deVito our successes, wc ought at present to temper our optimism with cantion. Since Saturday morning the enemy has disintegrated over a considerable zone of the Somme battlefield. In some places groups of Germans are wandering about seeking an opportunity to surrender, and the degree of the enemy demoralisation in. certain places is the greatest factor of present situation. On Saturday the enemy cracked up near Thiepval Ridge The Australian and British troops resumed the advance this morning, and reached the line from Pozieres to Contalmaison.

The inner history of these operations will reveal economy of man-power as one of the most striking features of the present brilliant generalship. The degree of confusion behind the retreating enemy is incredible. Reinforcements are hurrying up on to the stop-gap principle. To-day’s advance has been in the nature of a greatsweep from Bray to north of Bapaume. The New Zealanders with tanks helping them, had a stiff fight in clearing out the enemy from Loux>art Wood, dominating Bapaume, but evefltually they succeeedcd and took over 400 prisoners.