A MAGNIFICENT TARGET.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1918, Page 5

A MAGNIFICENT TARGET.

SOLID LINES OP GERMANS. STUBBORNNESS OF BRITISH. United Service. Received March 25, 8.40 p.m. London, March 24. Mr. Robinson, writing on the 22nd, says the battle nowhere was fiercer than between Gouzeaucourt and Epehy. The enemy attacked in overwhelming strength. After a relatively ineffective bombardment they stealthily emerged from the thick mist, their solid lines i presenting a magnificent target at close ■(uarters. The British say the only surprise they received was due to the mist, which saved the Germans from a smashing defeat at this point. A terrific combat raged in Cauche wood, held by the Scots and South Africans, the defence recalling the glories of Delvi'lle Wood in 1910. All day the Germans came on in successive waves, ami several times penetrated the edge of the wood, but were always wiped out ■n- thrown back. At the end of an almost unimaginable day the British here had not lost a foot of ground. Below Cauche Wood on an area extending to Peizieres and Epehy, one British division, mainly composed of Leicester and Northumbcrlands, encountered three enemy divisions and part of a fourth. The fog again obscured the advance. Only one part of oit line was breached. A party of Leicester's holding a farm fought until all were killed or wounded. The Germans, using ilammenwerfers, captured Poizieres, but were driven put by the British, aided by tanks, after the bloodiest struggle, the Germans losing terribly. British officers say the men, though fighting against fearful odds, showed absolutely automatic precision, and positively crowed with joy when they realised the punishment inflicted on the Germans. Our losses were inevitably heavy, but the position was held. The withdrawal of the British near lipehy compelled other gradual retirements to Templeux la Posse, whore there was heavy fighting on Friday and Saturday The defenders had borne a terrible two days' battle, yet they had not yielded a new position. Two batteries mowed down masses of the enemy at point blank range during the whole of Friday. The Germans, during the retirement, began "looting the adjoining huts. None was seen again. Our concealed rearguard with machineguns riddled the buildings and killed all. The British asked prisonered officers from the Balkan units whether this was really Germany's supreme effort. They replied: "Certainly, or we would not be here." They ruefully added that tiiey had been given the job of clearing the Germans' path to open fighting. ENCOURAGING REPORTS. London, March 24. A Paris message denies that there i 3 | any breach in the front. The German I losses are 40 per cent, of the total forces engaged. i' The latest messages are reassuring. I The British resistance throughout is [solid. Numerous attacks during the | night were repelled and several attempts : to advance in the Peronne district were l' decisively defeated.. The wlwjL} situation