GERMANS' AWFUL LOSSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1918, Page 5

GERMANS' AWFUL LOSSES.

WOUNDEb MEN'S THRILLING ACCOUNTS. BAKING GERMAN COLUMNS ALL DAY. Received M-wli 2ft, 5.5 p.m. i London, .March 2S The wounded arriving in London give thrilling description* »if the German losses. A private, who ivas fighting at St.. Kloi, west of T.c Catelet, narrates that iic knew the dale and time for the opening of the attack. The bombardment was most terrific for six hours; then came, two hours of gas shelling. At noon dense masses of men, followed liv cavalry and transports, swarmed across the opposite ridge- Our machineguns, rifle.-, and bombs tore the vanguards to shreds. The Germans fell in hundreds every few minutes, but the gaps tfere lilled. We were able to rake two Uiirman columns with i hundred ma-chine-guns. We did this throughout the day, and the enemy dead piled lip hourly and long into the night, when the darkness was broken by 8.0.5. (lashes. We were without food and water, as we were forbidden to touch our rations owing to the risks of poisoning from gas. At dawn the German dead covered the ridge. Altogether ten -German divisions attacked our division. At eleven oil Friday morning the Germans threatened to take us in the llank, but we retreated, enfilading them and lighting all the way. My company was. now reduced to between 30 and 40. The captain divided us into four groups and took different routes. As we retired we heard our mines blowing up amid the Germans- Another division then tool: up the rearguard action at Haulcourt. We marched to Peronne. Other wounded men state that the majority of the German stormers are young men- The enemy used dye gas shells, which stained the craters, thus warning the Germans to keep clear. In some cases the British batteries fired until the Germans were only 200 yards Jiway arid still got their guns away.

WHAT MAY HAPPEN. COLONEL REPINGTON'S VIEWS. * Received March 20, 5.5 p.m. London, March. 28. Colonel Repington says: "The Germans arc certain to pour in reinforcements. It will never do to allow this. The attack may he a failure, but if the next succeeds a general advance of the German line may be ordered. It should now be possible to give the British Third and Fifth armies a much-needed reit. "British IS-pound.ers and French 75's are now massing for attack, but Sir Douglas Haig and General Petain may elect to allow ti'e enemy to break his neck before launching a counter-attack."