WITH THE N.Z.ERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9263, 8 April 1918, Page 5

WITH THE N.Z.ERS.

GERMAN ATTACK FAILS

(Special from Mr Malcolm Ross, the Official AVar Correspondent.)

On the New Zealand front early this morning the eneaiy increased his artillery activity, lie shelled our front-line, searched the roads aud battery posi-

tions, and bombarded the villages, in which many civilians are still clinging to their homes. Among the casualties was an old woman. A shell landed in her bedroom and blow oft' part of her log and loot. Wo wore aware that the enemy had brought up'against us the best'part of a now reserve division, which had not been as yet in the great push, and his artillery preparation indicated that he was about to attack. At 9 o'clock his advancing .troops were seen through the drizzling^ rain and' mist to be advancing from south of the Serre Road, on a front of 2000 yards. They probably overwhelmed some of our outposts holding only a Jew men. At first the enemy came on in parties of fours and lives.' Immediately the New Zealand rifles rang out and the machine guns began with deadly effect, the German groups quickly melted away. These advance parties wore followed by other waves, but they were met with a withering lire, and 'nowhere"did they get nearer than 200 yards to our trenches

Not eon tout with their machine gun and rifles lire, .so eager were some of oiir men, that.'they topped the bags and advanced to moot tlie foe in iNo Man's Land, but in this new develop- ' ment the Germans had no heart to face the tali New Zealanders. The attack seems to have been cariied out. by two regiments, each with (two battalions in line. It was mot by la numerically inferior forco of ISew I Zealand rillemen and machine gunners, i who dealt the German reginicnts^a, i staggering blow. Their dead are being ] strewn about No Man's Land, while -.many of their wounded were soon limpting sadly back from where they came. ! jf'rom "our prisoners we gather that {alter the New Zealand line had been ! stormed the ..enemy troops wen; to push ion to Colincomps Tillage, which was their objective, an advance ot dOOU yards. .. , , >' Far from reaching this they tailed to "am an entry into a single yard ol tin-. Now Zealand trench. All the enemy has done; is to make an insignificant iitile bulge in his own line at Lassiguy farm, where he is attempting to dig in, but the process is costing him further lives, for our niles, machine I'liiis, and artillery are now playwt oii the farm. The indications are that ho must liave suffered the best . uart of- a tTiousand casualties. In. acl- . dition to that our Lewis gunners shot . down some German aeroplanes. Our jield guns are now pounding him to . some purpose, while the heavier guns are. not neglecting the enemy targets : further afield.