VICTORIES OF 1917.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1918, Page 5

VICTORIES OF 1917.

SIM.IiNDIJJ RECORD IN THE YVKST. SIR DOUGLAS HAKi'S STORY OF THE OPERATIONS. BATTLES WON AOAINST OURS OF 2 TO 1. The following is a short summary of the-dispatch received by the Secretary of State forAVar from Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British armies in France. It deals with operations in France and Flanders last year down to the end of the Battle of Flanders

Tho general [dan of campaign for the Allied armies during 1017 had been decided , at; a conference held at French General I(«adi|i»irlers in Ncp'omber, l')l(i. '''The plan comprised a scries of offensives on all fronts, so timed as to assist each other by depriving the enemy of the Dower of weakening any one of bis fronts in order to reinforce another.' 1

HAKi'S FLANS. Sir Douglas Ilaijrs original schema had been an attack against the enemy in the salient between the Scarpe and + be Ancre. This included the capture of the Vimy Ridge. But this attack was not intended to be the main offensive of the year." T did not consider, that any great strategical results were likely to be gained, by following up a success on the front about Arras. Tfc was therefore my, intention to transf,r my'ma in offensive to another part of the. front. The front selected for these further operations was in Flanders. They were to be commenced its soon as- possible after the Arras offensive.'' "

However, the plans of the Allies haA to be revised "Subsequently imex» pected developments in the early weeks of the year-necessitated certain niodifi■'stions in my plans. Accordingly it was n-ranged that T should commence the offensive parly in April on as great a scale us tli - extension of my front would permit." This attack was to be preparatory to a more decisive attack, to tc made bv the French in which, in the event 'Of its complete success, the British were to co-operate. So- on April 0 British and Canadian troops of the First and Third Armies attacked (he Herman lines from "just north of Crnisilles, south-east of Arras. to just south of Givenchy-en-Cnhelle, at the northern foot of the Vimy Ridge," a distance of nearly 15 miles. Terrific, air fighting preceded the attack. "Losses on both sides were severe, ,but the offensive tactics most gallantly persisted .in by ovif 'fighting aeroplanes secured our ■H'fcillery machines from serious interference and enabled our guns to carry out their work effectivolv."

THE BATTLES OF APRIL. "The general attack on April 0 was 'Hunched at ,1.30 a.m., under cover of a most effective barrage. Closely following the tornado of fire, our gallant infantry nonrcd like n flood across the German lines overwhelming the enemy garrisons. - ' The attack was a complete success. "By the end of the day our troops were established deeply in the "iiemv's positions on (he whole front of attack. We had gained a firm footing in the enemy's third line on both.flanks of the Rcarpe, and had made an important breach in the enemy's last fully completed line of dofenec."

Unfortunately the weather definitely broke on the morning of attack. Storm, *now. squalls of wind and rain greatly 'inpeded operations. "It would be hard + o over-estimate Hie importance of the '•esultaut delay in bringing up our guns ■it n time when the enemy had not yet been able to assemble his reserves.'' However, the attaek was pressed heavilv for the next five days, and Monehy and other important positions were captured. "At the end of six Any*' fighting our front had been rolled four miles further east, all th" l dominating features forming the immediate objects of my attack had passed into our possession. More than 13,000 prisoners and over 200 gnus were captured." So far as Sir Douglas Haig's own plans were concerned, this would have been the time to have transferred his army of assault to the northern front while merely maintaining a show of strength in Artois, but the Trench offensive was on the point of being launched, and "it was very imnortant tbit the full pressure of the British offensive should he maintained." Accordingly further attacks were planned, >vhieh resulted in the great battle of April 23 and 24 ami Mav 3. These were •successful, and important ground was gained, but the enemy was ,-now in ijreat strength on this front. "A month after the commencement 23 enemy divi<ions had been withdrawn exhausted from the front: on the other hand the strengthening of the enemy's forces opposite my front necessarily brought about for the time being all the eharacteristies of a wearing-out battle, fin the Aisne and in Champagne also the French offensives had met with very obstinate resistance." However, on May 5 the 'French achiev,.d the objects they had in.vjew on the Chemin des Dames, and Sir Douglas Ha.ig >vas able "to turn my full attention and divert the hulk of my resources to the development of the northern plan of operations." The results of the great battles round Arras were the capture of nearly 20,000 prisoners, 257 guns, and nn advance of five miles on a twentymile front. THE YPRES SALIENT. "The nositioiis held by us on the Ypres salient were far from satisfactory, i'hev were completely overlooked by the .nemy. Their defences involved a considerable strain on the troops occupying them, and they were certain to he costly to maintain against a serious attaek, in which the enemy would enjoy all the advantages in observation and in the plac:ng of his artillery. Our positions would he much improved by the capture of the Mossines-Wytschaete ridge and of the high ground which extends thence northeastwards for some seven miles ;and fien trends north through Broodseinde and Pasachendaele.

"The preparations for the attack on the Messines-Wytschaete ridge were necessarily as elaborate as those undertaken before either tho Sommc or the .irrns battles. They were carried out in c'mumsfances of exceptional difficulty fnr the enemy's positions overlooked our lines. A special problem arose in connection with the water supply.. Pipe lines were taken well forward from existing lakes, from catch pits constructed on the Kemmel Hills, and from sterilSing barges on the Lye. "A special feature at tho attack, and one unique in warfare. Was furnished bv the explosion of 19 deep mines at tho moment of assault. In all twenty-four mines ' were constructed, four of which were outside the front ultimately selected for our offensive. Man; of these bod

been ronr,,lc(<\l for twelve months prior lo our olicnsive, nml constant mi.l anxK • .ib work was necdt'd to ensure their' Hfif.'ty. 'J'lio enemy iil'.o had a deep' " mine sy-,lcm, and w.x-., aware of Ilia dan-'} '.'"r At Hill til) coni;, :; ..,n:. r.iiilt r;>roiin4JL' Wilting took plan- fur over ter iitontlil prior io ilic iiit.i,: . At tlic ttino of our oilciisi.e ilk; iii'iiiy was known i/Jf be driving a ;',iil<, rv vfiicb would ultim»' ;' ■.My lmvooi'.i kuoUie gallery lc.idin;,'tg - the Hi!! lib nines. V,v eH refill Jistc uing it/ ivas judged [lial, if our olfensliw looli uhicc on (iie dale arranged, Uip enemy'*'*'' gallery would Ju.-I. fail Id rcifh ours," -o it was allowed In ; roceed Tho". Spanbroeklien niine formed tlm,. larprosfr ' " cater of those' blown, the area of com-' plete oblitcnilion, having a diameter of Over 140 yards."

"At 3.10 a.m. and .Tune 7 the nineteen mines were exploded sininlfaneo k] v . At • !.hc same momeut onr guns onened and*' our infantry assault was launched." Fnglish, Irish. New Zealand, and Australian troops being engaged. "The attack proceeded from the commencement u almost exact concordance vith tho time-table." All t-lie objectives were " gained by the pvcninsr and 7200 prisoners. Willi 07 guns, were captured. 7>jrin»i tho following days further progress was made, heavy countcr-attacks broken, and'; ' the enemy wpre forced tot fcvaiuatfc ground further to the south. "As soon as this preliminary open""'turn had been successfully accomplished-,• it became possible to take in hand ourj una! dispositions for tho main offensive east and north of Ypres. It 1 had been. J agreed that French troops should take par'; in those operations, and'should ex. ' t«nd mv left flank northward* of Boe'.•nthe."

The .dispatch then described the great'.' l ; tfifliciilty in mounting suck an offensive,;/;" f Hie successful Gorman attack on tfte''\ '•oast, aiiJ the final prepsiraf ions for the* '\ Mf.tV, whiwi was opened, after several,*; -*J delays, on July 31, on a fifteen-mfle^ \\ front, from the Lys to beyond Steele/ -| straat. Tlie 2nd and sth Armies be- \J. ;ug engaged, ' '

THE BATTLES IN FLANDERS. >%

The attack was launched at 5 30 a.!n. troops from England, Ireland. Scotland ! and Waif's delivering tho main assault ' ■■ "Preceded at zero hour by discharged, thermit and oil dn.ms, and covered by an accurate artillery barrage, the Allied infantry entered tho G'ermarMines at •11 points. The enemy's barrage •was ! littcnnd weak, ; and our casualties were.') light." Practically all our objectives' **J wero gained, and COCO prisoners taken.' . Then camo the rain, which in a four ' days' incessant dov.-nponr turned "tho ' ~ low-lying, clayey Kail into a succession of vast, muddy pools. The valleys of the choked and overflowing streams, were speedily transformed 'into long} stretches of nog, impassable except by , a few well-defined tracks, which became marks for the enemy's artillery. To leave these tracl: s was to risk death by drowning, and on sever.tl owis:,,!,. zaea, rind rack animals were lost' jn this way., Tn these conditions operations of any 'uagnitudo became impossible. As had ,' been the case in tho Arras battle, thiß unavoidable delay was of the greatest i service to tho enemv."

Towards the middle of August the . weather slightly improved, and attacks were launched near Lens by Canadian troops, and on the main battle front. The first was absolutely successful, but • ',' the attack on the Ypres front, though. successful, was impeded by the new do- , fensivc tactips of the enemy. In the future our artillery tactics were modified" to meet tho situation (Created by Ihe change in the enemy's methods of defence. - ',

The enemy hart adopted a system of elastic defence, in which his forward' lines were held in only sufficient strength to disorganise the attack, while tho bulk of his forces were kept in close ro» serve ready to deliver an immediate ' " and powerful blow. "In the heavy fight"'' ' • iijg east of Ypres these tactics hrwl un- , - (ioubtcdly met with r> certain measure of success. In combination with the state "f the ground and the weather they ■ ~ had succeeded in checking our progress.* Minor operations were carried out unt'l September 20, when a fresh assault , •, was launched on an eight-mile front hy' \ British, Australian, and South African '-.• troops. The new British tactics abundantly justified themselves. All the objectives , were gained, and "the whole of the high ?■' ground crossed by the Menin Rood pass- > ! 'A into our possession." Three thou- •' sand prisoners were taken. The enemy I ', suffered the heaviest losses in reptitod counter-attacks.

HIGH-WATER MARK. Extremely successful attacks ver* made on September 20 and October 4. In the latter 5000 prisoners were taken ar.i three Herman divisions lined up for a counter-attack were annihilated. This " marked the high-wate; mark of British ' success. "The year was far spent, the . weather had been consistently unpropii.ious. The. resultant delays bad given the enemy time to bring up his reinforcements and to reorganise his defence after each defeat." Nevertheless, with a fine October, much might have still been aceomplishd. Instead the weather remained permanently hostile. Successful attacks were carried out on v October 8 and 1:\ but "by this time the persistent continuation of bed weather had left no further room for hope that the condition' of the ground would mnrove sufficiently to enable us to capture tbo remainder of the ridge, this year. But in view of other project* . which I had in view it, was desirable to maintain pressure on the Wanders front ' fot a few weeks longer." Tln\ refers, , of course, to the Cambrai offensive.

"No large force could bo made availiblo' for the enterprise The prospects of success therefore depended on com- ■ ' plete secrecy and on maintaining suffi<:;ent activity in Flanders.'' After a series of minor operations ' Passchendaele wan captured "by a »ue'-' 'r t ci-ssful attack by wliicli. for 'the second . time within the year, Canadian troops , achieved a record of uninterrupted success " These operations concluded the Flanders offensive.

THK YEAR SUMMED.UP. "This offensive, maintained for thre« and a half months under the most adverse conditions of weather,' had en- - tailed almost super-human exertions on ,the part of our troops. Time after time '■' i the practically beaten enemy was enabled to reorganise and relieve hi* men, and to bring up reinforcements behind the sea of mud, which constituted his main protection." Nevertheless 24,000 prisoners and-74 guns wove, taken. . During the year the failure of Kus-. >?ia to give the help expected had allowed 40 fresh German divisions to bo brought,to the Western front. -That under these conditions the victories of Arras, Vimy, Messines. and Flanders were wan by us, and those at Moronvillers, Verdun, and MalumißOri hy lh» French constitute ft record of which the , \llied armies have ,i right to be proud." 'ln our operations 131 German divi-' sions have been engaged and defeated by leas than .half the* number.of '■•': tish dlTiaJoa "" , , , ' ~■•-' ',;,5