WILD PICTURESQUE BATTLE.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 September 1918, Page 2

WILD PICTURESQUE BATTLE.

FIELD STREWN WITH DEAD. (Special Correspondent with, the ALP.)) HEADQUARTERS, Sept. 5. The present phase on the Somme front is one of terrific fighting. The battleground is strewn with dead, and stretcher parties have a heavy task removing the wounded. Yesterday, after the Queenslanders and West Australians ’ fine drive north-eastward from Mont St. Quentin, and the New South Wales men’s gallant fighting for the easterly forts and ramparts of Peronne, our bearers, under the white flag, could be seen mixing with the Boche and gathering our wounded amidst the black burst of shells. The New South Wales attack on the Peronne forts was a wild and victuresque battle. We had only half of Peronne on Sunday night, four cleverly enemy nachine-gun posts sweeping the streets and preventing our completion of the capture. The main trouble was the high fort

called St. Denis, which, is really tie old citadel of one of the strongest an-. cient French fortresses, with i'-iLdeep ramparts, flooded moats, a glacis and a commanding position. These New South "Wales troops came at it frequently through the city streets. Again a.nd again the waves had to scatter, seeking shell-holes shelter, until some machine-gun was knocked out by the artillery, or the Lewis guns were brought to bear upon a difficult spot. As usual, tho Boehe gunners threw up their hands, when wc got Within ‘ revolver fire distance, Fifty machineguns were captured here. The whole of the Australian force.-., was much impressed by the and gallantry of this fight. ONE DIGGER—TEN HUNS. The 3,000 yards advance from Mount St. Quentin through Haut Allaines by the Queenslanders and West Australians was also marked by bloody fighting. The Bodies were thick, and far outnumbered us, yet they could not hold up our dauntless and skilful men. They kicked off from the summit of Mount St. Quentin which was deeply strewn with enemy dead and pushed through the old German trench systems where the French were held up in the Somme battle. X It was largely bombing, rifle grenade and Stokes mortar work, and required four hours incessant sweating, and slogging, with many bitter hand-to-hand encounters.

Such, exploits justify what one senior officer said yesterday: “One digger is worth ten Huns, and we do not feel that we have had a square deal unless we knock out ten Fritzes for every Australian casualty.” The official artist and photographer went over the top with these lads, maintaining the high standard of courage set by Captain Bean, of the War Records Section. SYDNEY OFFICER’S FEAT A fresh German division, ready to attack, which was encountered near Aizecourt, was severely handled, and gave up some 250 prisoners. Gorman officers wore observed shooting men in the back for refusing to remain at their posts, A gallant Sydney officer in the cap ture of Peronne shot IP Huns with his revolver. Our men desire to pay a tribute to several brigades of Brutish Horse Artillery which were lent to the Australians. These brave fellows had observation posts on the edge of No Man's Land, and the batteries continued in action despite a devastating shell-fire ( • shooting with fine accuracy. Captured officers still speak eontlinp- _ uously of the Yanks, refusing to believe that more than ta few score thousand are in France. A French general said yesterday, when he saw four diggers playing poker on a hill side under shell fire whilst awaiting their battalion's order to advance. “All things are possible to such men.’'