STRUGGLE AT CAMBRAI.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1917, Page 7

STRUGGLE AT CAMBRAI.

ENEMY'S GREAT FAILURE. MASSED TROOPS MOWN DOWN. GROUND BLACK WITH CORPSES. London, Dec. 4. Describing the German counter attack on the Cambrai front, Reuter's correspondent says:—Captured German objective maps show that the scheme of the offensive was most ambitious. For example, certain troops had set them as the first day's objective a line which would have carried their left flank two miles beyond where our front line rested prior to the great drive of November 20. Our men are fighting like tigers. They have piled up a regular barrier of field-grey corpses. We recovered still more of the guns we temporarily lost during the first onslaught on Friday. It is 'believed that such guns as had to be abandoned under the pressure of the first rush were blown up, so that our proud claim that the Germans have not taken a single gun intact since the beginning of tile Soinme offensive probably still holds. WAVES OF GERMANS DEVASTATED. The correspondent says the Germans paid an appalling price lor the few yards of ground they recovered. The effect was admittedly undertaken to recover the lost 15 miles of the Hindenburg line, and" to free Cambrai from tlie present threat. The Germans made prodigious preparations for yesterday's effort, bringing many trainloads of troops from the eastern front. The weather throughout waa perfect, enabling our gunners and riflemen to make the best possible marksmanship. It may be computed that no fewer than 12 divisions (120,000 men) were thrown into the attack, coming on in endless waves across rolling country. Our advantageously posted field batteries caught the Germans at short ranges with devastating effect, yet at one time sheer weight of numbers carried them through our line south of Morcoing. A splendid ly-spirited counterattack sent them reeling back. Again and again we either beat back the Germans after awaiting the clash in our own lines, or advanced to meet them in hand-to-'hand conflict. Whether the Germans will renew their solossal and costly attempt remains to be seen. We still retain the high country north of La Vacquerie, which considerably minimises any tactical advantage of the German inoccupation of the ruins of the village. The most methodical activity prevails in the rear of our battlefront, where line exceptional dryness of the roads is facilitating transport and other operations. I think it can safely '.ie said that we are quite ready to deal with any further projects the enemy has in mind. Our troops are cheerful at the situation, and think that the results of the ?reat German offensive constitute a notable British success. If the sum total of Germany's losses in the field will win the war for us, then we have taken a substantial step in this direction during the past four days. GROUND BLACK WITH CORPSES. Mr. Perry Robinson, telegraphing on Sunday, says:—The enemy's most suprome and dramatic effort was in the open country between Bourlon Wood and Moeuvrcs. No fewer than five divisions, about 50,000 men, were concentrated on a Iront of 5000 yds. It was like fighting successive swarms of bees. Officers say that the ground was simply black with corpses at the end of the dreadful day. The enemy made a little dent in our position, meaning nothing. Rarely have a few yards been won at such terrible cost, far exceeding the day's total of British casualties and prisoners. Nine attacks at Les Rues Vertes and Masnieres were beaten back. Some say it was the greatest slaughter of Germans during the war. The mere work of killing them left tho victors worn out at night. Mr. Phillip Gibbs says that the Germans are fighting proudly and savagely, and are drenched in hate. Two officers who were surrounded refused to surrender to the accursed English. One blew out his brains, the other stabbed himself with a bayonet. Illusory promises of peace are constantly used to stimulate the men on the eve of battle. M. Tudesq, correspondent of Le Journal, states that the Germans threw 20 divisions into tSo Cambrai fight. Thdy employed all their ingenuity, destructive genius, desperation, and ferocity. They collected reserves from everywhere, even recent arrivals from Russia, hurling men in like a battering ram. Human avalanches time and again, preceded by a deluge of shells, dashed against the British, yelling as though mad drunlc from alcohol. The oftiCMs had a frenzied desire to avenge their defeat. It was the most bitter ■ fighting. Regiments opposed regiments as confused blurs. The sang froid and calm heroism of the Tommies triumphed everywhere. The Germans were decimated, and battalions were sacrifices in vain. It was the roughest lesson since the Somme.

The military correspondent of the Westminster Gazette regards the repulse as one of the most momentous episodes of the western campaign. We have proved that Germany's most formidable defensive weapon, namely, counter-attack, cannot be depended on to check us. Undoubtedly Hindenburg employed what he considered sufficient forces, for it is contrary to German practice to risk failure in a crucial operation by stinting weight. Nevertheless the blow did not succeed. Probably the effort will he persisted in, for the enemy does not dare to sit down under a demonstration that his power of counter-attack is not equal to Ms demands.