THOUSAND SAVED.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 September 1918, Page 6

THOUSAND SAVED.

rOCH’S GREAT STRATEGY VALUE OF FLANK ATTACKS. LONDON, September 7. There was never a neater instance of a strategical offensive than the fashion in which the German forces along the Vesle were put to flight by a blow struck many miles west of them (said Renter’s correspondent at American Headquarters). Had we attempted to force the line of the Vesle it would have cost at least 10,000 and possibly 30,000 men. The blow struck on the Soissons plateau, east of Leuilly, enabled us to cross the Vesle, scarcely firing a shot For this we have to thank the genius of Foch. The fighting on the Juvigny Plateau was desperate and in the defence of this ridge the Prussian Guards suffered enormous losses. THE GUARDS DIE GAMELY. The Guards charged five times, with extraordinary courage, and absolutely forlorn hope, against a sheer front of iron for tanks strode into the charg-' ing line, and actually crushed men under their creepers, while they shot light and left into the reinforcing waves Allied airmen at the same time swooped down within a few feet of the ground, and swept them with a scythe Of bullets, aftjeV Jvhich, swinging about tho airmen drove what was left of the attacking battalions to the shelter of their guns. The Germans crossed the Aisne without any attempt to veil their retirement or exact the ordinary penalties from the French and American advance. The gross casualties of the Germans since the great offensive opened on March 21 are estimated by Reuter’s correspondent at French headquarters at 1,200,000. About 60 per cent, of that number will recover, but the permanent loss remains in the neighbourhood of half a million. CLEVER RETREAT. Next spring there is every reason to believe that tho Americans alone will be as numerically strong as the whole German army. The Germans are retreating cleverly and have reserves to throw in. The German High Command intends to fall back to a shorter line, thereby economising men, and to fight a defensive war to the last limit. . .

The vallery of the Somme was the scene of extraordinary fighting during the last few days. The Germans contested every yard of the Canal, and also the marshes bordering it. Last of all they fought in the bed of the river itself, where the water was the lowest, owing to the extremely, .hot summer, within living memory. The defence was entrusted to the Alpine •Corps who fought with cleverness and •courage.

The cney has from 30 to 40 divisions in reserve, but his armies are hieing consumed at the rate of a division per day. Mr James Campbell (The Times correspondent with. the French army) compares Generals Debeney, Humbert Mangin, and Berthelot to a quartet of clever footballers, dodging, feinting and rushing, according to the tactics of their opponents but always playing into each other’s hands. The important problem of the mastery of St, Gobain massif will be faced when General Humbert reaches Chauny. Meanwhile General Mangin is successfully manoeuvring for an advantageous position to attack it from the west. The Germans cannot stay in the Aisno Valley and must speedily retreat to Chemin do§ Dames.