VILLERS BRETONNEUX RECAPTURED.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1918, Page 5

VILLERS BRETONNEUX RECAPTURED.

BY THE AUSTRALIAN'S. Received April 20, 9.30 pm. London, April 25The Australians recaptured Villers j Bretonneux, taking six hundred prisonera,/ | TANKS IN ACTION. GERMANS FAIL TO REACH OBJECTIVE. THE VILLERS-BRETONNEUX ATTACK. London, April 25. The United Press correspondent says: Hindenburg used the tanks for storming purposes, assaulting French and British positions eastward and southeastward of Amiens. The enemy infantry charged near Villers-Bretonneux under the protection of tanks. Mr. Pcrcival Phillips writes: The enemy ' failed everywhere, except at Villers-Bretonneux, where there was heavy fighting on a front of iy., miles. The attack, which we had been expecting for several days, does not seem a great thrust for the Amiens battle, and is rather due to the enemy's desire to wipe out ft local salient and take the high ground on each side of the Amiens road before attempting a big advance. The Gorman . troops nowhere reached their limited objective. The tanks may he derelicts we left behind. Hitherti) the Germans have only used tanks to bring up ammunition to the front lines. Mr. Philip Gibbs states: Two divisions attacked Villers-Bretonneux. The Germans advanced a small distance and hold the outskirts of the village. It is a place of some size on the ridge south-east of Amiens perched above the Sonime. As a tactical position it has some importance and would enable the enemy to advance four or five kilometres. The German bombardment commenced at 3 o'clock in the morning and continued furiously for four hours. Then the 4th Guards Division, who have already been twice in action in recent battles, attacked with the 77th Division, which has just come from Russia. At the same time the 13th Division, comprising Westphalian troops, attacked the French at Castel and gained a footing on the rising ground. HEAVY FIGHTING ON WIDE FRONT. BRITISH REGAIN GROUND FIGHTING CONTINUES. Received April 20, 7.45 p.m. London, April 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There was heavy fighting all night in and around Villers Bretonneux. The figlitihg continues. We regained ground by counterattacks. < The fighting yesterday on the whole of this front was most severe- Heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy by the infantry and tanks. The enemy was three times repulsed northward of the Villers-Bretonneux-St. Quentin road. He used a few tanks in this fighting. The enemy also late last night attacked the French north-eastward of Bailleul, but were repulsed. The enemy early this morning renewed his attacks on this sector and the British positions further cast, after an intense bombardment. Fighting continues in this sector on a wide front. The enemy at night-time attempted a raid in the neighbourhood of Deuchy, but were repulsed. Hostile artillery was' active at nighttime in the Festnbert and Pebetno seetors. THE FIGHT FOR HANGARD. ■ VILLAGE LOST, RETAKEN, AND LOST AGAIN. Received April 20, 7.45 p.m. Paris, April 20. French communique (4.25 p.m.):—The battle continued violently round the village of liangard, against which the enemy concentrated all his strength. We gallantly resisted, and counterattacked several times successfully. The village was lost and retaken, but finally remained in the 'hands of the Germans at the cost of high losses. We hold the immediate outskirts of Hangard, wherefrom the enemy has been imalble to debouch, despite repeated efforts. The artillery duel continues very violent on both banks of the Avre, and ia very active in the Woevre, iu the region of Flirey-BegnieviUe.

THE GERMANS ENTRAPPED. BY SKILFUL AND DARING GENERALSHIP. UNPARALLELED GERMAN CARNAGE Received April 27, 12.30 a.m. London, April 26. Mr. Philip Gibbs reports: A <;oiiple of bodies of Australians encircled Villers Bretonneux, while the British fought through the village from the north. The Germans were thus entrapped. The number of German dead exceeds those at Lagnicoui't. The Australian attack at Villers Bretonneux at ten o'clock at night was a piece of skilful and daring generalship. The Australians were gent into darkness without artillery. They relied upon their rifles and bayonets. They recaptured the most important position, i Great heaps of German dead now lie around Villers Bretonneux. , ' Mr. Phillips, describing the carnage of the Germans at Villers Bretonneux, states that English and Australian officers agree that they have never seen the dead so thick on any battlefield.