ANZACS AT ALBET.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1918, Page 2

ANZACS AT ALBET.

ENEMY ATTACKS CIIUSHED. MANY B'liCKUffiS BUSHES. Commonwealth Official. London, A r ril 5. Tlio Australian position aciva.s the Bivors Ancre and Somme, west of Albert and south-west of Albert, contains a series of broad spurs and small gullies running clown to the streams. South of the Ancre each side is entrenched across the top of the watershed down to the Somme gullies, and again to the broader watershed to the south. The enemy's several attempts in the past sis days to penetrate under cover of the thickly-treed riveri flats and tum the line up the gullies has been repeatedly defeated, especially in the battle in the flats by Sailly on Saturday afternoon, I There has been no serious attempt to repeat the manoeuvre since then, though several infantry concentrations have' been observed in the villages and woods opposite the Australians, and scattered at the outset by the artillery. Concurrently with these efforts to advance in the Somme Valley, the enemy attempted a number of minor frontal rushes up the gullies near Albert. These were plainly visible to the Australians from the excellent observation ground, and all were crushed and obliterated by machine-gun fire. This morning 150 storm troops of the German Marine Division made another i of these small attacks, endeavoring to establish themselves In a small house on ] .a railway embankment at the foot of ! the gully. The machine-gunners held their fire till the, enemy made the best target, and then practically annihilated the attackers. " Six prisoners captured —big, intelligent men—described these attacks as pig-driving. They had, they i said, repeatedly attacked strong points in this fashion since the beginning of the battle, not led by officers. The British resistance on their front throughout had been magnificent. Ger-I man divisions had been sent on in a reckless rush, regardless of life, their only orders being to get forward .as far as possible. The enemy intention certainly has been to smash the British Army with the full weight of his forces. The prisoners were unfeignedly glad to bo out of battle. They knew four clays ago that the Australians had come in against them, and regard them with the sinoerest respect. They do not believe that this battle will be decisive, as they failed to penetrate 60 miles. ,| This morning at breakfast time thej enemy again attacked heavily against s spurs south' of Albert, about a batta*' i lion strong, and was again repulsed with machine-guns, rifle fire, ami bombs, .with heavy loss. They did not gain an .inch of ground. •