WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS. SECIiLBSS COURAGE. >H-\" WASTED LAVISHLY. | _ London, 'April 2fi. "lie Morning Post's correspondent states that the German counter-attacks were delivered with a reckless courage unparalleled in the early days of the war, and arc indicative that the enemy's aflairs aro approaching a supreme crisis, 1 rinee ißuprecht's staif wasted men lavishly in the attempt, to .restore the left flank to a position of vital importance. Troop trains continue to unload fresh reg.Tiients of Wiirtemburgers and Prussian Guards on the far side of the Douai plain, ivhilo divisions have been withdrawn from other points to strengthen the breaches in lliiulcnbnrg's line south of the river Scarce at Hill 70 and north of loos, Gavrellc, "Moneliy, and Fontaine, which are four sto;m centres have involved exceptionally heavy German losses.

The Hermans apparently thought it possible that they might break the British barrier between Gavrelle and the Douai railway, and thence to the Scarpe marshes. Infantry waves flowed ever the ridges and through the copses between Eresnes anil Plouvain in solid l;nes. No gunner could ask for a bettor target, and appalling destruction was wrought by our explosives. This did not affect the German observers behind Fresnes, and the -".rviving Erandenburgers, who managed tp regain their shelters, where they sorted themselves and prepared for another attack. Fresh battalions were summoned to undergo the same ordeal.

The British garrison at Gavrello simply sat tight behind machine-guns and killed the Germans in companies. The artillery fields in front were covered with corpses, and the entire country-side around Monchy and Fontaine is strewn with dead. Never before have the opposing air fleets been so heavily engaged as during Monday and Tuesday. In the battle airmen grappled with each other above the contending armies, and aviatiks whirled down in dizzy spirals pursued by the British airmen, who saw them crash in blazing wreckage on the battlefield. Then our planes swept low and riddled thft wavering line of advancing grey figures with bullets. Our airmen everywhere. fought the German batteries, line regiments, and transport columns. They did not give the enemy a rest. Tanks, aeroplanes, and gas shells were wielded by us in this modern battle. Altogether 10 German divisions were withdrawn at one part of the front and 10 new ones are already undergoing a similar hammering.