WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

GERMANS DESPERATE. TO HOLT) HKDENBGRG LINE SUPREME BRITISH VALOR PAGING FEARFUL ODDS. Received April 30, 9.60 p.m. London, Ap-il 20. Mr Philip Gibbs telegraphs that fighting began on .Saturday morning on both sides of the Scarpe, on difficult ground and against the stubborn reserves of the enemy, who further increased his concentration of men and guns in order to hold us back, irrespective of cost, from the Hindenburg lino The results of the battle must not. be reckoned by the number of prisoners or the ground gaine'd, for tho real results consist of the supremo valor of our men in assaulting enormously strong positions and then, though almost -.pent by fighting, teaming back successive waves of counterattacks. The fighting 'was "f the -.vorst possible Kind, owing to tho extreme difficulty of attacking high slopos defended by machine-gun redoubts, and to the isolated positions exposing ilia attackers to enfilade fire. The English gallantry was splendid. Companies and platoons showed fine initiative. The Canadians' capture of Arleux waa the result of hard fighting. STRENGTH OF GERMAN RESIST- ■ ■ ANCE. The German shell fire south of the Scarpe was the heaviest since the opening of the Somme offensive in 1916. The enemy employed many new batteries of heavy guns. The strength of the German resistance was surprising, as they had been forced back more quickly than expected upon the Hindenburg line.

iHINDENBORG LINE INSECURE.

The Germans are now throwing in their main reserves t& prevent us breaking the line, thus imperilling their retreat. Tile Germans must do this or suffer a real disaster, as already the Hindenburg line is insecure. Our heavy shells are falling in a storm over Quennt, which is the actual bastion o£ the Hindenburg .position. TERRIBLE ENEMY LOSSES. According to prisoners, enemy losses recently were terrible. One Pommeranian company lost 80 men in four days, paying a fearful price for Hindeiiburg's strategic plan, ibu.t they never fought fiercer in this war. This battle was one of the bloodiest episodes in history. The weather is fine and hot, being perfect for aeroplane work. GALLANT NEWFOUNDLANDERS A FIGHT THAT WILL LIVE IN HISTORY'. NOT ONE OF THE ENEMY ©SCAPES. ENORMOUS 'SLAUGHTER OS] GERMANS. , Times Service. , f Received April 30, 7.3d p.m. London, April 29. Mr Robinson tells how the Newfound* landers, at the battle of Arras, added new lustre to their reputation. v Pushing to the farthest point of their advance on a difficult section, they had to fall back from an overwhelming counterattack, while holding the German masses till the British Are checked their advance. Then came the Newfoundlanaers' opportunity, and the next half-hour saiw such a slaughter of Germans as has only been witneseed once or twice in battle. It is believed that not one of the enemy escaped, there being between 1200 and 1500 (piled up round the German (trench. MASTERY OF THE AIR. ' AGAIN HELD BY ALLIES. •■'"' A WILD, BAiRBAfiIC STORY. RIELES USED AS SPEARS & CLUBS. EAJVAEIANS WIPED OUT. Unit. a .tivice. Received April 30, 7<3Q p.m. ' London, 'April 2D. Mr Thomas writes: Our airmen never before hit the Germans so hard. They are harrassing them day and night. We seek more opponents than will face us. The enemy's losses in purely fighting machines is enormously,. greater than (Ours. We again hold tliel mastery of the fcir, and whether we shall keep it depends on the activity of the factories at Home. •Mr Thomas tells a wild, barbaric story, wlvich is verified by experienced offilleers. A' Bavarian battalion), 700 strong, 1 drove out some of bur men holding a ' captured trench. They were pursued so, keenly that the Lincoln Regiment was ll able to cut .tlicm off. The retreating party thereupon turned and faced their pursuer/;. The combat becamo one of elemental savagery, for scarcely a man thought of shooting; 'his rifle became a spear an<l club. Both sides relapsed, to the date before 'gunpowder. Some seven of the men threw :• •• i.hpir riflfs anrl wrestled to the . Others picked ujj stones and ed war cries suitable "to #;jne age. Not a Bavarian escaped, I and very few surrendered.