GERMANS' RAPID BLOWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1918, Page 5

GERMANS' RAPID BLOWS.

NO EFFORT AT CONCEALMENT. HEROISM OF BRITISH GUNNERS. Received March 25, 10.40 p.m. London, Mareli 25. Mr. Phillips says the enemy between La Fere and St. Quentiu had one assault division opposed to each British battalion. Throughout Thursday the battle was unceasing on the downs beside the Oise. The Germans, in lofty observation towers on the crest of the hill at St. Gobain, could follow every movement. Their men having occupied all the high ground, the Germans were able to search the valleys, beyond winch is still in our possession. The open country soiiLh of St. Qucntin contained a number of strong redoubts, equipped with machine-guns, food and water. All held out until the afternoon, some until evening, but one after another were tiken by storm. The Bull's and Londoners, who were holding the old Vaudan keeps near La Fere and Venhuil, kept up a steady fire long after the Germans were a great distance behind them. Tl;e Germans poured men through the patches of woodland dotting the rolling country between the Oise and St. Quentiu Canal. We withdrew behind the canal during Thursday night. The enemy renewed the battle on (Friday with fresh troops. We fought a severe rearguard actici: throughout Friday. By Saturday morning the Germans held the bridgeheads of the St. Quentin Canal, and had thrown large masses across. We fall back behind the line of railway which runs parallel to the canal, with hilly wooded country in our rear. The canal was dry near Ham, and the enemy crossed readily. ' German prisoners said they suffered greatly, owing to our machine-gun fire. The attacking divisions lost forty per cent, of their strength. Meanwhile there were two days of the fiercest fighting between Arras and Bapaume for the high ground between the rivers Cojeul and Sensee, and the series of villages around Beaumet. Our men were outnumbered by eight to one, but clung to their battered trenches with traditional tenacity and the most dogged resistance in the Scarpe marshes. One report received read that twelve machine guns were still sticking on the ridge, although the infantry on both sides were forced back. These twelve guns remained firing into the advancing! waves long after the infantry had retired, the gunners' heroism rendering invaluable service. Wherever possible the Germans used the ordinary roads, which were fairly whole, and showed their utter disregard of the British artillery. The Germans made no attempt at concealment. I could not help being impressed with the celerity with which troops followed troops with rapid blows at our fluctuating line. They came with trench mortars, while their field guns pressed up behind into the villages just evacuated Heavy mountain guns from the Balkans were sent forward, slung on horses, at Mory, where we fought throughout Friday night among the cellars It was cockpit, sanguinary fighting. Some English were cut oil', but refused to surrender. Their comrades counter-attacked continually, and bayonetted the Germans, releasing the defenders, who had comparatively few casualties. Our line here was a gliarp salient, and we were obliged to fall back on Saturday morning. No troops had a harder time than the weary men of Mory. The spirit of our men was in no wise shaken by the necessity to give ground. Everywhere there was the greatest activity. Stores, equipment, hospitals and ammunition were safely taken back. The transport columns rolled back in perfect order. The staffs carried on operations as methodically as ever, sometimes grouped around a table in an orchard.