WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

A SURPRISE ATTACK. BRITISH FORCED TO GIVE WAY. GUNNERS ENCIRCLED BY HORD'ES OF GERMANS. Received Dec. 3, 8.30 p.m. London, Dec. 2. Mr. Philip Gibbs, describing the fighting round Cambrai, says the enemv seemed apparently to be concentrating his efforts during the past week on the northern side of the salient, but meanwhile he was secretly concentrating heavy forces on our right flank, intending! to strike through the weakest part of the salient, thus hoping to cut off a great number of Britishers. Our forward lines and right flank were held thinly. l

When this sudden weight of men was flung against them they were forced to give- way. The enemy broke through the lines. The surprise was so great that -our men in most cases were unaware of the break through until they saw the Germans swarming close to them. i

A gunner told me that when the officer shouted "Stand to the guns!" ho rushed to the I>attery and saw a great number of advancing Germans with machine-guns only three hundred yards away. The surprise was stupefying. The guns were laid directly on the enemy's ranks. Several rounds were fired and tore great gaps in their lines, but others filled bhom. The gunners were almost surrounded before they abandoned their liattery and ran for their lives. T1)0 gunners joined the infantry and were given rifles, and participated in the counter-attacks, which recaptured Gonzeaucourt and drove back the enemy. TRIFLING GAINS. TACTICAL SITUATION UNAFFECTED. Received Dec. 3, 10 p.m. London, Dec. 2. Renter's headquarters correspondent sny 3 the amount of territory the enemy gained in Friday's attack at a loss of thousands was so trifling that it scarcely shows on the mip. The tactical situation is practically unaffected. We retain gains up to 11 depth of nearly six miles, while the Germans were beaten back almost everywhere to whence they started. It was a test of tho respective fighting qualities, with odds probably three to one in favor of tho Germans. " HAIG'S DETAILED REPORT. TROOPS GREATLY PRAISED. ENEMY'S OBJECTIVE DEFEATED. London, Dec. 2. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Captured orders and objective map 3 in various sectors on the Cambrai battle front enable the following account to be given of the battle. The enemy's intention was to deliver a simultaneous encircling attack with a large number of divisions and drive ns out of the positions gained on November 20.

General von der Marwitz, commanding Hie 2nd German Army, issued on November 29 the following order: "The English, by throwing into the fight countless tenks on November 20. gained a victory hear Canvbrai. Their intention wbh to break through, hut they did not succeed, thanks to the brilliant resistance of the troops put in the line to check their adrnnee. We are now going to turn their embryonic victory into defeat by an encircling counter-attack."

Sir Douglas Haig proceeds: "Owing to the magnificent defence and stubborn resistnncc of our troops the enemy's object was completely defeated. The enemy advanced in masses from Vendhuile to a point tv;o kilometres westward of Moeuvrca, endeavoring to break through by weight of numbers. From Masniercs northward our positions are intact. Artillery, rifle, and machine-gun fire inflicted very severe losses on the enemy. Where he. tcmporarilv hroke through he was caught by the pointblank fire of field artillery and driven back by immediate counter-attacks. "The enemy forced his way into our tines on a considerable front southward of _ Crevecoeur, capturing a number of prisoners, and reaching our gun positions in places. Our reserves, in a counterattack, recaptured a great, part of the Wound, and to-day retook Oonnelien and the Stj Onentin spur southward of the village. Wo took several hundred prisoners in thesn onerations. besides machineguns, and inflicted heavy losses.

''The enemv in the afternoon repeated

the attacks in the neighborhood of Masliieres, Marcoing, Fontaine. Bourlon. and Vtoeuvres,'but was completely repulsed." CAPTURES TN NOVEMBER. Tn November we took 11,551 prisoners, including 214 officers, and captured 13S guns, including 40 heavies, 303 machineguns, 64 trench mortars, and great quantities of engineering stores, ammunition and war material. ALL COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. London, Doc. 2. Sir Douglas allig reports: The enemy yesterday delivered nine separate attacks in the neighborhood of Masnieres. Wo beat off all with heavy losses. Detachments of German infantry in the last attack gained a foothold in the village of Les Rues Vcrtes. on tbe west bank of the Canal l'Escaut. A counter-attack drove them out. We repulsed raiders in the neighborhood of Avion and southward of Armentieres. ARTILLERYIXG ON FRENCH FRONT. London. Dec. 2 A French communique says: Artillery activity continues to be very great on the right bank of the Meuse, but there have been no infantry encounters.