FRITZ ON THE RUN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1918, Page 15

FRITZ ON THE RUN.

CHASED BY CAVALRY, TANKS, AND 'PLANES. A graphic narrative of the fighting in the I middle of August was obtained from a . yonng Glasgow soldier of the Tank Corps, . who drove one of the tanks which went farthest into the German lines in the new Somme buttle. "Our tanks," he stated, "were of the liKht or whippet type, and we travelled fast. The way was difficult because of the low-lying inißt. The German guns opened on us with great fury just then, shells bursting in front of us, at the side mid behind, where the infantry wero moving forward In our wake, singing cheerily all the time. Singing ceased after a few shells had burst among the men, but was resumed as we swept forward. "We swept forward at our top speed, for the mist was rising and day was breaking everywhere. In front of us were a number of huts, and at the end of tho:;o n better-looking building of the villa type, (Wired and netted in order to make it Iwimh- | proof. it was the brigade headquarters. jFrotn nn open window appeared the head of an elderly man with a nightcap. Ho was shouting something In German. Our infantry were entering the building from all slde.s. and on the stairs they found many officers in different degrees of dress and undress. It was the brigade staff, and 'the old man was the brigadier. They were [too surprised for words. A MAD nELTER-SKKLTER. "Tin- alarm had been given everywhere now. and across the landscape we could see the hurrying figures or Gorman officers and men. into these Hying groups we tired as fast as we could, and hundreds were shot down. The infantry were keep ling up with us very well, Tim by now i began to slacken down the pace, and the .cavalry appeared on the scene Inter. Near to us wen- men of the Scols (ireys and the [inniskllilng Dragoons. They wore charging into the retreating enemy from Iliree different points. "The Germans were costing aside packs, rifles, nnd everything likely to hamper their 'movements. Suddenly n party nf the Greys appeared at the end or the main roail by which the enemy were retreating. They iwere coming across country, and had succeeded In heading off the enemy. Overhead I were British aeroplanes. The Germans isaw the new danger in lime, and turned frantically from the road t.. escape the ,snbres of the Scots. Into the tiebls to right jand left the Germans plunged. Over them I the British airmen soared for a while, and then bombs began to drop in rapid sii s|sion. Terrified Germans were killed and ,maimed at every turn. The survivors headed back and were Intercepted by our jtanks. They were shot down by the 'score, and mad panic seized the survivors. One German battalion commander was among his- men. clad only in pyjamas. II.• I was trying to rally the men. but they Ishowed no respect for his authority in the of the uniform s.-. respected by the German soldier. They disregarded ltin jorders and ran on past our tank, which was firing Into them all the time. We knocked them out as fast as we could. but we hud no time to slop, for onr job was to press ' on In support of the cavalry and airmen, j 'while the infantry gathered up what was left. "By the afternoon we had reached a point nearly nine miles from the start of nur ■offensive, and had the satisfaction of hen: told that we had cone further than any other unit taking part In the licht. Birr WK E N TWO KIRKS. "The Germans were still on the run. panic being general, and what added to it was the fact thut ether German troops were being hurried up by every mail to be thrown into the battle. Instead of gett'nc into the battle these ntiiis were getting among the retreating Huns, and adding to the general pauic. Some of the Germans trying to get into the lighting line t.. retrieve the disaster that had overtaken th-ir arms lost patience with their own coin Irados and heavy tire was opened 'in them \ jfrom different points, driving them ba<-k ! in confusion towards us. Here acain the I cavalry came into action, and the Scots I Greys had a magnificent charge. •■Our attention was r.ttracted by commotion in the rear, and mop* Germans appeared. They were (lying from the j-eeonil German lines to our right and left. They had been driven off the main road, and were sooking safety on our line under the mistaken notion that they were not likely to be molested by British troops. Some of our tanks turned about and poured thon sands of rounrlK of machine gun bullets Into these linns, taking terrible toll of them in lives imil fiendinir them r^etiim hack towards our Infantry lines behind. "Our battle line was now established on a front of about two miles wide nearly nine miles from the original point of departure, and the enemy were attempting to develop | counter-attacks on both flanks. but our were keeping up n tierce cross fire, which was picking off the enemy by the score. The Scots cavalrymen were attacking once 1 more, and after desperate fighting they succeeded in clearing the whole line, starting the Germans on the run once again, nnd them on the move in spite of repeated attempts to rush onr new positions."