THE ANZAC WAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 46, 22 February 1918, Page 5

THE ANZAC WAY.

STORY OF BRIIiIANT RAID. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig hae issued an order congratulating the Australians on their successful raid wcetward of Warneton on February 10. LONDON, February 17. Last night the Victorians made a highly successful raid on the enemy trenches before Warneton, cast of Measines. The attack was delivered on a strongly defended position immediately north of the River Lys. The plan included feints 'by the Australians on the left, -which successfully, deluded the enemy concerning the- exact location of the raid. The wire was cut by trench mortara and artillery prior to the raid. At 10 o'clock a heavy barrage was laid down along a considerable length of front, combined with a heavy counter-battery fire . against the enemy , guns and gas bombardment of the enemy headquarters and dug-oute behind Warneton. ' The attacking force entered the enemy J lines over a front of 400 yards and en- ( I countered a considerable garrison, which ■ they overcame in bomb and bayonet ; fighting. 1 The attack was pursued against large numbers of a further garrison in the s I second line, which the Australians en1J tered with magnificent bayonet fighting. This was the first occasion for a long i time that the enemy had met them with - the bayonet, but the Australians corns pletely outfought the Germans. ! Trenches and dug-oute behind the 1 second line were entered, and many dugi outs were destroyed. The raiders withdrew after half an 1 hour, having killed in the infantry fighfeing alone ninety Germans. A large aumj j ber were certainly killed or wounded , also in the artiHery fire and Lewis gun , fire during the withdrawal. r The raiders brought back 31 prisoners, r three machine-guns, and one light minenwerfer. Our casualties were only pne-sixtti of ' the Known enemy losses, j The enemy counter-attack was feeble. It consisted mainly of an attempt to overtake and outflank the rearguards l during the retirement, •i These covering parties, which were i armed with Lewis guns, effectively disV j persed the enemy from hie front trench _- j and in No Man's Land, inflicting serious i j losses. One advancing enemy party i. was engaged and was dispersed, two further prisoners being taken without Australian loss. s Eeuter'a correspondent at British, -heads quarters, continuing the story of the f Australian raid, said that the German 3 positions were heavily manned. I" "The Australians, however, with bayod nets poised, and trigger-fingers twitching, a flung themselves upon the Germane. A c ehcrt, tatter struggle ensued before the '■ raiders cleared the defence work ol d everything but corpses, c The enemy certainly suffered, heavily, c- j The lowest estimate of the killed alone (amounts to 100, for which the barrage d iwas probably or principally responsible. s- "The raiders' adventure yielded 37 >n field-grey figures, three machine-guns, io one trench-mortar, and various minor id trophies. Ie "This is doing things on a spacious 3d scale, and it should result in a yield or a- a lot of interesting information regardrs ing what is going on behind the German ng [ lines." th The A-ustraians' raid involved perhaps ed the hottest fighting that has ever occurred in a trench. It even extended into No Man's Land. The raid was a complete eurpriee, and iwas skilfully carried ne out, despite a vigorous resistance by the 'c- Bochee.