THE GREAT BATTLE

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1918, Page 8

THE GREAT BATTLE

BLOODY STRUGGLES. BRITISH DIE TO THE LAST MAN. ■A VIVID NARRATIVE. Australian-N.Z. Cable. Association. London, March -2s. Mr. Gibbs writes: The enemy on Sunday continued his efforts to advance, seeking to cross the Somme south of Pcronne and break a way through the defences of Baeaume. lie flnn;,* pontoon bridges and rafta across the Somme. Our liekl artillery, firing at short range, .smashed many bridges and killed the engineers and infantry. A gallant counter-attack Hung tiio Germans back at several point:), but elsewhere the enemy held the crossings long enough to put over some forces.

Two fresh German divisions attacked ,111 Monday morning of Veronne We wore heavily engaged holding them back in the most ro-olute spirit. Tim fighting here since the 21st lias been continuous. The battle divisions holding the battle line from Gauzcaucourt to Maissemy have shown magnificent powers of endurance The defence at I'lnu/eaeoiirt only yielded ground under tile pre-sure of overwhelming numbers, and great gunfire-

Sir Dougla,; H.i ; g specially praises the. 2!th Division for tile defence of Le Xergruier- Here a small body of tlic Queens fought to the last man, refusing i,o retreat when surrounded, and working their maci'iue-gans until they were put out of action. The Lancasi'ir.! troops were nearly equally brave. The 2-1 tli Division withstood the assault of seven Herman divisions. The-e em,tinned to press the 21th until it fell back from the front line system fijjhting everv inch of the way .with little battles in the woods and ruined chateaux, sucii as Grandprief' Wood, Couvrieres Chateau and Fereequo Farm, west of Tlargicourl. The* enemy directed liis thrust Rpninst Templeaux-le-Cuontrd. and secured the high [jround villi (h-errntion, and fought forward through the village of F.rvillers. There was a bloody struggle in some old chalk quarries where many German dead arc now king. : When (lie enemy had come on some distance ten of our tanks dashed in and shattered his battalions with ma-chine-guns. The tanks manoeuvred about firing continuously on each flan!:.. ; causing terror to the enemy's foremost assault troops.

The British Held artillery and heavy guns were handled with marvellous discipline .throughout the trying hours, often in untenable positions. The giui; ners, hour after hour, fired into the ranks of the grev men, who came forward ceaselessly like a living tide, regardless of the loss of life.

Some of otir guns were necessarily abandoned, but many, were withdrawn across the Poimno, the gunners showing wonderful skill and courage in making the passage and going into action aaain like batteries manoeuvring' at a military tournament.

The Germans wore sn e\liaus(.">d on Saturday morning that they made no furllicr effort in some parts oE the line, hit halted to pfpt sleep and await fresh rations. Our men were reinforced on Saturday and given some' relief, though' manv, respite their wearincse. put up a ,most rrnllaiit fight ngainst the enemy crmimr on again in an uncndjng on-sl-uight. Some o.neniv cavalry were seen on Si'nday and Monday, small bodies acting, as scouts. Our own cavalry patrols iiiet them and turned them back in the neighborhood of Rani and on the edge of the old Homme battlefields.

French infantry were also fighting shoulder to shoulder with our men, giving the most rrallant help.

A remarkable feature of the German advance is the rapid movement of the heavy guns. This phase of open warfare had been carefully rehearsed for months. Our airmen see howitzers limbering along the roads and endless columns of motor lorries bringing shells to the new battery positions. Guns come into action anywhere in the open. Field batteries are seen galloping boldly across vising ground within a mile of our troops. Behind the advancing armies is another army of workmen repairing the railways], and bridges, and erecting hospitals and aerodromes.

The latest reports state that the Germans have captured Roys. British, Americans and French are engaged. The French are bringing up reinforcements. It is impossible to overpraise the way the Britishers foug'ht when tried to the utmost limits of human endurance- Our army is now a body of dirty, unshaven heroes, who snatch half an hour's sleep in any pause of the fighting, then get their rifles and maehine-guiiß ready for another bout-

It is thrilling to know that we are fighting on the old-time battlefields. Nature lias filled the deserted trenches with Srass and wild flowers are growing in (he old shell craters. We came upon little cemeteries where sleep the dead, the well-remembered dead. The new scenes are of the old-fashioned kind, recalling the open fighting of the early days of the war. Batteries gallop into action, patrols move out to establish contact with the enemy, infantry take up positions, chattering and smoking among the old ruins.

The greatest novelty is the line of tanks crawling over the hill 'like enormous slugs. They are an excellent target for the enemy guns, though not a shot is fired. The enemy is not strong in guns in the front lines.

Nevertheless the dominating impression is our infantry, calm, resolute and undismayed, marching forward. One's lie/art beats to sec this pageant of heroic youths, their bodies and spirit stand between us and a German victory. Their couragp will break the enemy onslaught in the second battle of the Somme.

. ( CAXAI>IAN r GAS ATTACK. Paris, March 2C. Tlie Canadians used GCOO drums of lethal gas in the attack* neav Lens, causing heavy German casualties.

DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED. ,- r London, March 20. Dramatic developments are expected hourly in France. There is heavy fighting or. thj. French front. The French have evacuated iXoyon,