FRITZ ON THE RUN.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 October 1918, Page 6

FRITZ ON THE RUN.

SHADED BY, CAVALRY, TANKS AND TLANES. A graphic narrative of the fighting the 'middle of August was obtained mi a young Glasgow soldier of the nlc Corps, who drove- one of the nlrs ■ went farthest into the man lines in the new Somme battle '‘Our tanks/' he stated “were of e light and whippet type, and we ivelled fast. The way was difficult cause of the low-lying mist. The srxnan guns opened on ns with eat fury just then, shells bursting front of us, at the side and behind, lere the infantry were mating forird in our wake, singing cheerily ell e time. Si- ging ceased after a few ells had burst among the men, hut

■is resumed as we swept forward. “We swept forward at »>ur tcp speed r the mist was rising and day was eaking everywhere. In front of ns ire a number of huts, and at the end these a better-looking building of e villa type, wired and netted in der to make it bomb-proof. It was igiade headquarters. From an open ndow the head of an ierly man with a nightcap. He was ( outing something in German. Our inntry were entering the building from I sides, and on the stairs they found my officers in different degrees of ess and undress. It was the brigade iff, and the old man was the brigier. They were too surprised for >rds. A MAD HELTER-SKELTER “The alarm had been given everyhere now and across the landscape e could see the hurrying figures of erman officers and men. Into these ying groups we fired as fast as we mid, and hundreds were shot down, he infantry were keeping up with us jry well, but by now began to slacki down the pace, and the cavalry apeared on the scene later. Near to ns ere men of the Scots Greys and the aniskilling Dragoons. They were barging irifco .the retreating (enemy rom three different points. “The Germans were easting aside acks, rifles, and everything likely to amper their movements. Suddenly - party of the Greys appeared at the i nd of the main road by "which the | memy were retreating. They were oming across country, and had auceeded in heading off the enemy, Overlead were British aroplanes. The Gernans saw the new" danger in time ,and mined frantically from the road to sscape the sabres of the Scots. Into ;he -fields to the right and left theGermans plunged. Over them the British airmen soared for a while, and then bombs began to drop in rapid succession. Terrified Germans were killed and maimed iat every turn, The survivors headed back and were intercepted by our tanks. They were shot down by the score, and mad panic seized the survivors. One German battalion commander was among his men, clad only in pyjamas He was trying to I rally the men, but they showed no respect for his authority in the absence of the uniform so respected by the German soldier. They disregarded his orders and ran on past our tank, which was firing into them all the time. We knocked them out as fast as we could, but we had no time to stop, for our job was to press on in support of the cavalry and airmen, while the infantry gathered up what was left. “By the afternoon we had reached a point nearly nine miles from the Start of our offensive, land had the satisfaction of being told that we had gone further than any other unit taking part in the fight. BETWEEN TWO FIRES. “The Germans were still on the run panic being general, end what added to it was the fact that other German troops were being hurried up by every load to be thrown into the battle. Instead of getting into the battle these ■units were getting among the retreating Huns, and adding to the general panic. Some of the Germans trying to get into the fighting line to retrieve the disaster that had overtaken their arms lost patience with their own comnades and heavy fire was opened on them from different points, driving them back in confusion towards us. Here again the cavalry came into action, and the Scots Greys had a magnifent charge. “Our attention was attracted by a commotion in the rear, and more Germans appeared. They were flying from the sectffifl German lines to our right and left. They had been driven off the main road, and were seeking safety on our line under the mistaken notion that they were not likely to be molested by British troops. Some oi our tanks turned about and poured thousands of rounds of machine gun bullets into these Huns, - taking terrible toll of them in lives and sending them reeling back towards our infantry lines behind. "Our battle line was now established on a front of about two miles nearly nine miles from the original point of departure, and the enemy were attempting to develop counter attacks on both flanks, but our tank* were active more than ever, and were keeping up a fierce cross-fire, whlcn -was picking off the enemy by the

score. The Scot3_caya Irym e n were attacking once more, and after desperate fighting they succeeded In clearing the whole line, starting the Germans on the run once again, and keeping them on move despite repeated attempts to rush our new positions.”