INCREASED ENEMY OPPOSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1918, Page 5

INCREASED ENEMY OPPOSITION.

BRITISH OVERCOME RESISTANCE. MAMETZ TAKEN. ] London, Aug, 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Hostile opposition increased to-day, with the arrival of German reinforcements. Many German counter-attacks were broken with loss under our fire. Our troops, despite counter-attacks, fought their way forward with great gallantry, and, overcoming resistance, made further progress, taking many prisoners, j On the northern bank of the Somme the Australians, by successful attacks early in the morning, carried the enemy's position on high ground eastward of Bray, while on their left the London and Eastern County divisions continued to advance in the direction of Carney and have taken Mametz. The Welsh captured Mametz wood. In the centre of our attack we crossed the Albert-Bapaume road along its whole length southward of Bapaume, and captured Martinpuich, Le Sars, and Le Barque. Northward of Bapaume severe fighting occurred at Favreuil and about Mory and Croisilles, Wo progressed eastward of Behagnies and in Neuville-Vitasse. A counter-attack against our Givenchy sector was repulsed. Tha aviation report states: Airmen on Saturday carried out varied work, including much low flying and artillery observation. We dropped 43 tons of bombs on Valenciennes and Cambrai. The rail connections were amongst the targets,—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

BRITISH POSITION IMPROVED. SUCCESSFUL WORK ON THE SOMME. London, August 25. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our troops at three o'clock this morning attackef in tlie Scarpe sector, and good progress is reported. On the southern battle-front we slightly advanced our line astride the Somme, and, by a successful operation, carried out on Sunday, progressed in the direction of Maricourt. The enemy on Sunday evening launched strong counter-attacks southward and northward of Bapaume, and also in the neighborhood of Eaucourt l'Abbaye and Favreuil. The attacks were repulsed. Northward of Favreuil we met the enemy with the bayonet, inflicting heavy casualties and taking prisoners. Another counter-attack later in the evening in the neighborhood of Favreuil'was also unsuccessful. Favreuil is in our hands and we have made progress beyond the village. We improved our position south-east-ward of Mory and westward of Croiselles. Heavy rain is now falling along the battlefront.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. British troops attacked along the Scarpe and made good progress. They advanced two miles on a four-mile front, capturing Favreuile, Monchy-le-Preux Wancourt, and Guemappe. ' The attack extended from Fampoux to tlio heights north-east of NeuvilleVitasse. The Germans are reported'to be withdrawing north of the Vesle.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. A French communique states: There was lively artillery action at night-time in the region of Roye, Beauvraignes, and between the Ailette and the Aisne. Enemy raids in the Vosges were resultless. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. A French communique reports: There is reciprocal artillery activity in the region of Lassigny and between the Ailette and the Aisne. We made fresh progress east of Bagneux and repulsed counter-attacks west of Crecy-au-Mont. We took 400 prisoners. Nothing is being done elsewhere. Bad weather hampered our aviators in their bombing in the daytime, but, the weather improving at night, bombers dropped 19* tons in the rear of the battlefield on stations and bivouacs. Numerous hits were registered and fires observed at Laon, Guiscard, and Guignicourt. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter.

\ GREAT SWEEP. ENEMY DESPERATELY PRESSED. I GERMANS TOO DISORGANISED TO ! " COUNTER.ATTACK. London, Aug. 2G. Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters states that the degree of confusion behind the retreating enemy is incredible. Reinforcements are hurrying up on the stop-gap principle, which is an indication that the Germans are desperately pressed, or they would not thus break up the reserves. Friday s advance has been in the nature of a. great sweep from Bray to north of Bapaume. It is estimated'that since August 21 20,000 prisoners have been taken by the British, and that since July 15 the Allied total has reached 100,000. It is reported that the Guards' outposts have reached the fringe of BulleI court, and that we have captured High I Wood, Eaucourt l'Abbaye, and are advancing upon Longueval. The New Zealanders, with tanks helping, had a stiff fight clearing out the enemy from Loupart Wood, dominating Bapaume, but eventually they took over 400 prisoners. A significant fact in the present disorganisation of the enemy is that there is practically no counter-attacking. Today a stubborn resistance occurred at various points, but when this was broken it nowhere recurred with the increase of strength.

Writing last evening the correspondent says: We have reached the most dramatic era of the war; yet, despite sue-.' cesses, we ought to temper optimism with) caution. Since yesterday the enemy has disin-f tcgratcd over a considerable zone of theSornme battlefield. In some places, groups of Germans are wandering about! seeking opportunity to surrender, and. the degree of enemy demoralisation in J certain places is the greatest factor in' the present position. Yesterday the enemy cracked up in. ihe neighborhood of TMBpval ridge, but 1 we must prepare for his recovery when he reachea-ateong- lmes of resistance. The

INTERESTING EVENTS. EXPECTED IN THE VOSGES AND LORRAINE. Received August 28, 1.15 a.m. London, August 27. The Central News, in a cryptic message from Paris, states that 'interesting events are expected in the Vosges and Lorraine, but the hour lias not yet struck, —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. EATING INTO THE ENEMY'S LINE. PREPARATORY TO ANGLO-FRENCH RUSH. FEROCIOUS FIGHTING. ' Received Aug. 28, 12.30 a.m. Paris, Aug. 20. Every hour brings news that the British have taken another village, while the French in the Aiiette sector are eating into tho enemy's defence east ot Noyon preparatory to a joint AngloFrench rush towards the Somme. Bapaume continues the storm centre of the British front, the German defenders being concentrated on the northern outskirts. Tho fighting is ferocious m character. The Germans have been compelled to rush men from Douai and Cambrai to fill the gaps, but the British attack is unshaken. The Londoners and Welsh advanced seven - miles between Thiepval and Contalmaison. Throughout the liaison between all services is perfect. The wounded are succored with wonderful celerity by the Red Cross stretcher-bearers, the motor cars being in closest touch with the front line.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

FUTILE ENEMY ATTACK. GROUND COVERED WITH HUN CORPSES. Received Aug. 28, 12.30 a.ta. London, Aug. 26. Renter's correspondent at French headquarters states that a feature ot Sunday's fighting by General Mangin's army was the German attempt to thrust the French from the heights between Juviny ; and Crocy-au-Mont. The French at first yielded a little ground, but recovered it in a brilliant counter-attack. The Germans later made other futile counterattacks and lost heavily. As the result of the French' machinegunning and artillery barrage the battlefield is covered with German corpses. ENCIRCLING BAPAUME. THE TOWN DESERTED. AUSTRALIANS APPROACHING PERONNE. Received Aug. 28, 12.30 a.m. London, Aug. 2G. Reuter'B correspondent at British headquarters states that southward of the Sorame, movement for the past twentyfour hours has been restricted, but intensely active, especially on the part of the Germans, who failed m numerous counter-attacks. They were unable to arrest our progress where we were determined to push it. By storming Favreuil last evening we have drawn a halfcircle round Bapaume, the exit from w'liich is now closed, save toward Cambrai road. Our airmen report that the town is deserted, but undetected machine-guns may be concealed in the ruins. At least the Germans are denied the use of this important centre of communication. This morning the Australians apparently captured Suzanne and Cappy, and approached within ten miles of Peronne. The Welsh troops who penetrated Mametz wood yesterday belonged to the same division who took this place, 'after fierce fighting, in July of 1916, while the c..pture of Miraumont and its redoubts ranks as the finest feat to the credit of the East Lancashires.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

THE CAPTURE OF MONCHY. ITS GREAT IMPORTANCE Received Augflust 28, 1.15 a.m. London, August 27. Mr. Nevinson, writing on the 27th, says the outstanding event to-day was the Canadians' capture of Monchy, astride the old Hindenburg line commanding the valley of the Scarpe. Its importance can hardly be overrated. The Guardswere engaged in a bloody affair at Mory on Sunday evening. A Fresh Bavarian division—good troops—violently counterattacked, the Guards forcing them out of Mory. The Guards fixed bayonets, killing many, and restoring the position. The King's company of Grenadiers specially distinguished themselves.

THE LITTLE BERTHA. ON VIEW IN PARIS, Paris, Aug. 26. From an early hour yesterday thousands flocked to the Champs-de-Mars to see the 11 in. gun captured by the Australians, who baptised it "Little Bertha." The gun, which was taken with its own loeomoti.ve, was e.vhibted with four trucks containing shells, spare parts, repair shops, and gunners' quarters. The. gun weighs 150 tons, the tube is 20ft. long, and the shells are sft. high. The gain can only be fired in one direction, and accordingly it moved on curved •rails. A detachment of the Australians who* (captured the gain mounted guard, and visitors all day cheered and congratulated them. Many visitors travelled long distances from the provinces. The?gun was inscribed: "Captured by tlie British, 4th Army, August 8, 1918." It is understood that the gun will later jbe exhibited in London.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

ENEMY RUDELY SURPRISED. BRITISH ATTACK THE SCARPE. BATTLE FAVORABLY PROGRESSING. Received Aug. 27, 8.35 |».tn. Tjondoti, Aug. 26. Reutor's correspondent, telegraphing at noon from British headquarters, states that the morning's attack eastward of Arras carried our battle flank to the Scarpe at the moment when the eyes of the Germans were nervously turned elsewhere; consquently the enemy was rudely surprised when, in the squally clouded moonlight, dense British waves swept forward after only the briefest artillery preparation. Owing to the heavy wastage caused during the last few days, and the transfer of reserves in this region towards the Bapaume sector, the morning's attack progressed most favorably, and, at the moment of telegraphing, is going well. Comparatively few prisoners have hitherto come back, hut this conveys no indication regarding the character of the fighting.—'Reuter. Received Aug. 28, 12.45 a.m. i London, Aug. 27. A French communique states: On both sides of the Avte we carried out two local operations enabling us to capture Fresnoy-lea-Roye and St. Hard, despite lively resistance. In the Vosges we repulsed several attempted coups-de-main. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

NEW ZEALAND SECTOR. ' DOING'S OF DOMINION TROOPSCOMPARATIVELY SMALL LOSSES. 'From Captain 'Malcolm Ross, Official Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces.) August Sfl. . At dawn this morning a long line of British troops, among whom New Zeaianders were represented, attacked the enemy in the new battle south of Arras. The utmost secrecy possible was maintained regarding rthis operation. Divisions concerned made preparations hurriedly during the past few days. The result was that the enemy was completely surprised, his first trenches were stormed before he was thoroughly -iwake, many prisoners were taken, and considerable territory regained along a fairly extensive front. The weather was exceedingly favorable for our plans. A grey day on which enemy planes ctmld do nothing was succeeded by bright moonlight, but towards morning a heavy mist enveloped the landscape, so that the assembly of our troops was quite unknown to the enemy, Practically all the movement necessary was done by night. Under a bright moon, the tToops marched from the back areas with their lands playing, and the sweating mule and horse-teams and mechanical transport swung round the corner of our village street towards the battle-front—an inspiring eight. It was a New Zca'ander standing in the shadow of a two-century-old church that directed this traffic through the village past a chateau | that had been mishandled in the Revolu. tion and now no ldhger .sheltered its titled owner. At five minutes to 5 o'clock, summertime, our guns all along the line opened a thunderous barrage, and the troops followed close upon it. There was no preliminary bombardment. The mist was almost like London fog, and even from an advanced position it was impossible to see anything of the battle. Later the sun maids two ior three attempts to break the veil. For ifive hours we jvait-ed and marched nearer the front without seeing anything, but we could tell from the absence of machiengnn fire, except in a few isolated 1 spots, and from the feeble reply of the enemy artillery, that the surprise was comvletc. Early in the morning, the first ■hatch of prisoners loomed through the feg in charge of a sturdy New Zealander ; They were Bavarians, and seemed not s-nrry to have been captured. The New Z?alanders gathered about them, and we listened to amusing attempts at conversation. Both these and others that wp saw later, gazed with incredulity when we told t-liem of . the recent successes of the Allies and the large hauls of guns and prisoners. This news had been kept hidden from them. One wounded man to whom I gave a piece a\ chocolate seemed greatly astonished and remarked: "We have not had that it. Germany for a long time." They said that food was getting scarce, but the soldiers got enough, Generally speaking, the prisoners captured 'by the Nbi« Zealanders were a good lot and well clothed. Another thing, they would not believe was the number of Americans in France.

Never before have I'seen a battle in which for bo many hours fighting was so one-sided. At an early hour we j heard that New Zealandors lad o&pturfd their first, objectives, and that their losses had been extremely light. On our right and left otiier troops were going well. One on our left attacked on e broad front and otter fresh troops followed it and went on the same breadth of line. The New Zealanders attacked in dashing style in tho dense fog, and forced'their*way well into the enemy defences, surprising the enemy, killing arid' wounding some, and capturing others who didn't fight. One or .two pockets that had l 'been overrun in the fog' gave, some trouble fof a time with machine-guns, but .were quickly wait with, and their gun crews either wiped out or taken prisoner. In company with a London correspondent of New Zealand newspapers, I walked along *>ur front line, By 10 o'clock the sun pierced the mist, which rapidly disappeared, and the remainder of the day was blazing hot- A damaged tank and a dead German in a shell-hole just boicnd the German front line indicated -vl'.ore the battle had begun. The air was alive with, our planes. The stutter ftf machine-guns overhead announced a light in the air, and the blue sky was punctured with black (bursts of hundreds of shells from German anti-aircraft guns. Other German gunners now warmed to their work, and four balloons that we could see distinctly ahead were evidently direcling their fire. ' In a hollow were some of our tanks held in leash. Others that had gone on ahead and that wo could see on the -crest of a ridge ahead became a target for Ger % man gunners. Our advancing troops and lfserves were also being .shelled. Other shells screamed overhead into what was now our back area, and a five battery '.ruinped a trench close at hand on onr right, the instantaneous fuse bursts pending the fragments almost to our fort, but this latter at least was ineffective thelitis M&A toothing

living there to hit. ~ Almost all the a wounded we- saw were German ,3| from -which we gathered that our owni' rj cntnaltie? were light. Indeed, at mid-' day we came upon two horse V>; well up towards the front that had fceea--/ waiting for fout hours and had nothing' 4 to do- By midday the New Ze&landera had captured over .200 prisoners and: ' ; several machine-guns. Our own artil-, -/ ierv and machine-gun companies and ■ 1 trench mortars did good work. Early" , in l the day we saw howitzers and other guns moving forward, and there was . considerable traffic on the roads that v. morning that had been in enemy terriiory. 11l our limited sphere and on,? ■' either side of us, operations, as far as we could make out, seemed most sue* 1 ; cessful. Of their full scope you wiU, get details from other sources. " } News of further French successes In) the south, and their big haul of prison- i' ■ c-rs, spread during the morning over the ' j battlefield, and was inspiring to oar!; troops. August' 22. | } The progi'ess of the battle to-d'ay wa3 i slow, and the Xcw Zealanders could not® advance further owing to the on the right having been held up. The * : troops on the left were counter-attacked. | One of these English troops not only, I beat off an attack, but captured 16001 ■ ! Germans. ,f | Yesterday the Rifles, holding the front |' at the Ancre and a defensive iflnnTr ag ? well, to join up with the troops on- the - right, weTe worried 3>y a strong machine- 5 \" gun position 600 yards outside our boxm- * * dftry. Presently the Gemrnn gunners began fo shell their own position. „ The New Zealanderß, who had the time watching their opportunity, now dashed across in front of the troops on - the right and quickly put the German post out of action. About half the gan I ' s rison was killed by two Germaii dulls t that fell on the position. The other ' was quickly dealt with by the New Zew landers, who returned triumphantly to their own lines, bearing the two German ' machine-guns on their shoulders. Some of these gallant fellows also helped ■ troops on the right to capture an enemy; 1 ;; position that was delaying their advance. ' Some amusing incidents occurred in •, the lighting in the fog yesterday. Oar " light trench mortars had actually ad- ; vanced far enough to be able to capture ■; , prisoners. They proudly sent a mes- ' sage to brigade headquarters announcing, "Have captured prisoners and sent fhem •> down to the wire cage." To make sure 1 v that they would be duly credited fcrith \, these Germans, they naively added the -'i i fact that they had taken the precaution \] to get a receipt for them. Another an-. . ' usual incident was the capture of Biz . prisoners by an artillery forward observing officer. Amongst the captured documents was one giving details of v patches and badges of units in the New;, Zealand .Division. One document also contained a complimentary reference to the fighting qualities of the New Zealand Division. It did not say they were cannibals, but said that they took few pria- ■ oners. This testimonial came front our fonher friends, the Fourth Bavarians. The description was not strictly accurate, fpr that very afternoon 250 Germans found themselves inside our wire cages. One of our battalions, whose casualties for the whole day were only thirteen, three of whom remained on duty, captured eighty-one men and (me < officer. Practically all of these were #urdy fighting men, well equipped. All '. the prisoners were most kindly treated by our men, and the wounded men were '' attended to as our own. When some of them came to the dressing stations, and found good bread and butter, and tea with sugar and milk, and even oranges neatly laid on the tables for the wotnni' ■, ed, their amazement was great. Whan they themselves were invited to partake - of these luxuries as if they wen> British) wounded, they were still more astonished. Probably if these facts, for which - I can vouch, were dropped as news behind the German lines and in the villages, in the war zone, the New ZetdandßtSt would take still more prisoners. The, German statement is, of course, solely to get men to Jjght-to a.flnisthnaiidf' not surrender. r: Yesterday, when our men wera tad-> vancing in the thick fog. on th& eastern outskirts of Puissieux, they spotted, "ft German officer making strenuous efforts - to get his men to keep down, with the evident object of attacking our men* as soon as they had gone past, with; their own barrage. This failed, for our men , turned on this little nest of Germans, s and in a very brief time, subsequent proceedings interested them no- more. ; ' To-day is blazing hot. The roads- are clouds of dust, and each gun, whenever it fires, raises a cloud of dust with its muzzle blast. Officers who have much > walking or riding to do have discarded their tunics. Even in various hcadquar- | ters dug-outs. stalf officers may be seen ' working in their shirts with the. sleeves rolled up, reminding one ■of Gallipoli days. August 23. The battle was resumed this morning along the whole corps front, and probably beyond. From a very early hour the • incessant thunder of the artillery has been beating on the air. In clear, moonlight the 'planes began their work- 1 soon after midnight. The weather con-'-ttnues line and hot. The Nv\y Zealanders are still engaged.