MAGNIFICENT RIFFS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 233, 2 October 1925, Page 7

MAGNIFICENT RIFFS.

SUPERB COURAGE AND DASH.

A HANDFUL OF TRIBESMEN.

THEIR OVERWHELMING FOES

(By Cable.—rress Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, October I. The Tangier correspondent of the "Times" says that as the Moroccan war progresses the Riffs' untiring energy and immense sacrifices become more apparent and more remarkable. They are attacked from the sea by the united Franco-Spanish fleets, and on land by Franco-Spanish armies totalling 300,000. armed with every modern war appliance and invention. These comparatively few tribesmen, provided only with what they managed to capture from their Franco-Spanish enemies, are still valiantly defending an inhospitable country, wherever possible taking the offensive. From the Europeon viewpoint the situation may be unsatisfactory, perhaps humiliating, but it cannot be denied that the Riffs are offering the world an almost unparalleled example of resistance and courage only describablc as admirable, knowing all the while that their cause is hopeless.— ("Times-") FRENCH MOVE FORWARD. ALL OBJECTIVES REACHED. (Received 10.30 a.m.) FEZ, October 1. The balance of the fighting in the first day of the renewed offensive has clearly been favourable to the French, whose losses were only 22 killed and wounded. They gained all their objectives north of Kiffane. The troops engaged advanced in three columns and captured the ridges northwards of Kiffane. They met with the strongest resistance on Hammouch Ridge, where machine guns were captured. Otherwise the opposition was feeble and confined to isolated parties. Aircraft largely contributed to the day's success, in which tanks proved most useful, their crews volunteering for dangerous tasks.— (A. and X-Z. Cable.) SPANIARDS' ACTIVITY. A COMBINED OFFENSIVE. MADRID, October 1. A communique from Morocco says that all the objectives in to-day's offensive, which were needed as jumping-off ground for a fresh advance on Ajdir, were speedily captured. The operations started at daybreak. Battleships, aeroplanes, and the land batteries on Alhucemas Island provided covering fire. The objectives were reached by 2.15 p.m., when their Spanish commander announced the success by wireless from his battleship,— (Reuter.)