The Daily News. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1917. THE BATTLE OF BRODSEINDE.
To be too late in getting in with the first blow in a battle gives the opponent a great advantage.' This happened to the Germans at what Mr. Philip Gibbs describes as the battle of Brodseinde, the latest phase of the third offensive at Ypres. As a result disaster overtook the Germans, who were preparing an attack in force with the hope of recovering their lost positions, five German divisions being caught and destroyed by the British barrage. The thrilling descriptions furnished by the war correspondents of the smashing blow delivered and the terrible carnage inflicted support the assertion that although the victories obtained under unusually arduous conditions, the battle was one of the biggest, and possibly the most useful, of the war, especially in view of the importance of the positions obtained. To New Zealand the exploits of their men at the front should be most gratifying, lor they have earned the highest praise and worthily upheld tue high standard of heroism which our boys have gained in the war. The assaults were delivered by English, Australian and New Zealand Divisions on a wide front, all the objectives being gained, the Australians capturing Brodseinde and establishing themselves well over the crest of the ridge, five miles east of Ypres, and giving observation eastward. In the previous offensive the British gained important positions flanking the Passchendaele ridge, which is a vital position in the already weakened defences of the enemy in Flanders. The subsequent struggle was for the Brodseinde ridge, an elevation east of Zonnebeke, on the high ground at the junction of.two roads, one running north along the Passcliendaele ridge (of which it forms part),, and the other running east from Zonnebeke to Moorslede. It is evident the Germans attached the utmost importance to the Passchendaele ridge, and they have recklessly delivered numerous coun-ter-attacks to regain the lost ground, but without avail, while their losses have been tremendous. They calculated to stun the British forces, but were just one hour too late —a delay that cost them dearly, their attacking forces being caught by a tornado-like barrage. The mastery of the Passchendaele ridge iB an achievement that opens out great possibilities. One, of the outstanding features of this offensive was the rapidity of the advance, and to this may be attributed in a large measure the completeness of the victory, while it testifies to the splendid organisation and the superb condition of the troops engaged. The whole battle was carried out according to plan and with a completeness that is so characteristic of Sir Douglas Haig. It is also gratifying to learn that the British losses were comparatively light, doubtless due to the terrific artillery barrage. It is not surprising to find that the Anzaes fought like tigers. Our men swept over the German assault troops, annihilating them and crushing their plan of attack. As Air. Philip Gibbs says: "Fortune was on our side, and the wheel turned round to crush the enemy. The British bombardment was the most terrible that has- been witnessed during the war, the entire Passchendaele erest being like a series of volcanoes, belching forth pillars of earth and fire. By this third rapid assault , on the same wide front. Sir Douglas Haig
I lias wrenched from tlie enemy the whole j ul the ground, and the Anzacs can j louk down on the terrain where storm "hulls are bursting over every vestige of Herman defence. It w;as tlieir greatest and most glorious day and they carried all before them by magnificent fighting." Mr| Beach Thomas says: "Tin; New Zealanders never did better thwi yesterday," adding that they are earning the highest praise for their rapidity of movement. The Australians also acquitted themselves with the greatest credit, so rapid being their advance over the ridge that they unearthed lurking Germans behind the first and second objectives. The battle is summc-d up as resulting in the most smashing defeat the British forces have as yet inflicted and however much the Germans may attempt to hide the real truth from their people, there is every reason to consider that the blow has inflicted a reverse that will have an appreciable effect on the Gel man troops. The possession of the high ground gained and so tenaciously held places the British in a very advantageous position, especially in view of the approaching winter. Success in this war is not measured by the extent of territory gained. It is guaged by the loss inflicted on the enemy in men and moral. The British have during the past month or two attacked the enemy's Strongest positions, manned by the flower of the German army, and supported by every defensive devise known to military science. The attacks have never failed ■ each objective lias been gained. Counterattacks, made regardless of the loss of life, have failed to stem the British progress or to eject them from the positions gained. Not one inch indeed have the Germans permanently recovered; not one gun have they wrenched from the avenging army, whose steady advance in the face of the most formidable fortifications and the best German troops must have a dreadful significance to the German high authorities. The mass of Tuetonic people are kept in ignorance of how things arc going against the British, but the military and political leadeis must realise that the day of reckoning is coming, slowly may be, but injevitably, and with it the disappearance of all hope of snatching a settlement that would leave Germany free to hatch later on, when conditions were more propitious, further schemes of world dominance. Last year on the Somme the British were able to fight through to the middle of November. If the weather is favorable, we may look to further ham-mer-strokes with the object of freeing the Belgian ports of the Germans. The "lade ridge dominates the plain of Flanders, and it is probably Sir Douglas Haig's plan to capture the whole of it, together with the important junction of Eoulers.
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Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1917, Page 4
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1,009The Daily News. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1917. THE BATTLE OF BRODSEINDE. Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1917, Page 4
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