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Taihape Daily Times, 29 October 1918, Page 6

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-FEARS OF COLLAPSE* * »! • SOLDIERS' VIEW OP NOTE. HEADQUARTERS, Oct. 8. The German proposals for an armistice stir tie men to more intense efforts. The Allies have suffered what may be called minor reverses in the last few days on various parts of the front. They have not achie\ed all their objectives, as, for instance, in Thursday's battle on the Australian front, where an obstinate resistance on the Le Gateau Road prevented out cars and cavalry getting far through. In a similar way elsewhere the Germans, whilst losing heavy in prisoners and positions, have saved their armies from a repetition of the August and September retreats.

The men were beginning to think that the period of stabilisation was likely to be reached shortly, but Germany’s proposal, launched during critical battles, convinced them that she ’ears a lapse. VICTORS OF MOUNT ST. QUENTIN The Germans are crowded thickly n the front line between Cambrai and 3t. Quentin. They have no trenches 'or seven miles —merely strong-posts, juilt in shellholes. When the Victorans on Saturday morningi—the same :roops as conquered Mount S. Quentin —attacked Montbrelian, they found ;he cross-shaped village, the neighbourng woods, the old mills, and especially ;he sunken roads, crowdedi with de'enders. We had nine tanks, some of vhich were set on fire. The others did

isful work, and the survivors were ent homo immediately after the obqctives were gained, in order to save hem from being shelled. Our battalions were sadly reduced, md numbers of our men had desperate , ighting, especially round the cemetery icrth-west of the vilage, where the josition was doubtful for some hours. The Second Division's Pioneers went »ver the top in order to form, a defensive flank. They soon found themselves fully engaged in the battle. Sven the cyclists' corps did its share. Eventually of a New South Wales battalion and some South Australians came to the rescue of the Victorians, and made the positions snug. The Victorians took 700 prisoners, considerably more than the attacking infantry, but 200 of these dribbled back to the German lines. NO MEN TO ESCORT PRISONERS It was impossible for our men to detail guards to escort the prisoners to the rear. We had not a single man to spare, and could merely disarm »the Germans and send them off. The Pioneers met heavy machine-gun fire from houses in the village whilst mopping up, requiring careful stalking. They found five aged civilians in cellars. Their joy was pathetic. The boys put tin-hats upon the old white-haired women, and led them through the shell fire. One old grandmother was killed close to battalion headquarters.

Many Germans fought well, making the whole attack a "bloody affair, one of the hottest those lads have ever sen. Guns were firing at 300 yards range. The shellfire was intense throughout the day, and especially severe during the attack, when the Germans answered our creeping barrage with one creeping backwards designed to pelt our men during the advance. This new idea in warfare must be the last resort of desperate defenders, for it sacrifices defenders indiscriminately with attackers.

A pleasant sight now is the great numbers of Australians resting in quiet farming and billeting areas.