STORIES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 182, 22 April 1918, Page 5

STORIES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD

TOLD BY CORRESPONDENTS

GERMAN FAILURE AT

BETHUNE

~ „ London, April 19. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: "The storm centre has to-day swung back to the Lya plain, where tho reinforced Sixth German Army is tttacking in the hopo of taking Bethune. So far ho has failed. Nowhere on the iifteon-milo front between iMeppo Forest and Cn.il, beside the earth, work of Givenchy, has our lino given way. Apparently three German divisions weft allotted for the capture of Givenchy, and ten wore compressed into a narrow space for the drive against La Bassco Canal westward of Fcstubort. At Givenchy wo met tho advancing enemy waves with massed machine-gun fire. There was hard fighting, but tho enemy failed to occupy oven an advanced position. Tho greatest pressuro was against the Givenchy Canal, against tho La Bassee Canal from Pacaut Wood, the enemy making an effort to capture the bridgehead on the road through Hinges towards Bethune. Tho Germans advanced in tho densest waves, and our gunners mowed them down. Somo of them reached tho canal, holding up their hands in surrender, and then turned and ran, but few reached Pacaut Wood alive."

Another Account. . Mr. Hamilton Fyfo writes: "This morning the onemy tried with very largo' forces to break through the GirencJiy positions and capture Bothuno. It was no more successful than before. All tho essential points aro steady and secure. Ho mado a momentary gain opposito tho hill at. Hinges, two miles north of Bethuno. Fresh troops attacking vigorously reached tho La Bassco Canal, and threw bridges across. No Germans crossed oxcept as prisoners, and many were shot in attempting to do so. Then the guns smashed tho bridges, and gave a bad time to tho enemy masses on tho opposito bank, so destroying thoir moral that parties crossed tho broken bridges and surrendered, 'i'hero arc now ten divisions opposite ns on tho Givenehy front, four having recently arrived. Threo attacked Hinges, using four waves, which is now tho usual method, tho anticipating tho loss of tho first two., and expecting tho remainder to press over tho bodios. Tho preparations suggest that a great effort here" is likely to ho pressed \o the utmost." "The News is All Good." ~ Mr. H. Perry Kobinson writes: 'Tho news of tho last twenty-four hours is all good. The Germans attacked at sovera.l points, but gained nothing, and their casualties are undoubtedly hoary. Though the heaviest fighting was at Givonchy and Bobecq, tho northern sector remains the chief interest. Tho rctiremont from Passchcndaele achieved good results. The enemy wis slow to grasp what had happened, and allowed six hours to elapso before cautiously advancing. His caution was justified. We wiped out or captured the advanco guards' whilo tho enemy was endeavouring to advanco in strength, and tho ..guns severely handled them in the Polygon Wood area. The Germans are experiencing an extremely unpleasant time in getting troops, guns, and transport over the. shell-pitted and blasted region. Aeroplane photographs reveal shell-holes brimming with water. Sinco the retirement wo have had almost total immunity fr'oin casualties, whilo we are handling the enemy very roughly. '(The enemy yesterday continued to attack Mount Kemmel without success. Our lino runs practically through Meteron. Our guns aro nioro active than the enemy's, and thoir roar and tho whistle of the shells in the sky completely dominate the noise of the Gorman shell-bursts. The attacks at Givenehy were very heavy, and woro desperately pushed by Bixteen or seventeen divisions. On tho front from Hollebeko' to Morris, yesterday, successive attacks wore ii'iado. Three separate drives, ono at Mount Kemmel, one midway between Bailleul and Dranoutro, and ono at "MeteriM, wore all beaten off. Tho attacks at Mount Kemmel were most fierce, and there were great enemy losses. There was a bitter struggle around Metoren. Practically, tho whole village was No Man's Land. We hold the northern edge, but tho artillery fire of both sides makes the ruins untenable. Increased Confidence. "Tho result of the German failure at each point has undoubtedly increased our confidence. If tho line of hills is gained it will be at an enormous prico The line was very thin five or six days ago when the Germans were ordered to capture . Kemmel at all costs. It 6eems miraculous that we held them. Tho enemy should have got there cheaply. It is diiferont now. Apart from our own increased strength, it is permissible to state, tho French aro with us here as elsewhere. Last night the enemy shelled our lines heavily, especially at Eobecq, and succeeded in tho darkness in rushing an advanco .post at Saquerelle Farm. A heavy bombardment began this morning and lasted five hours, and the enemy attacked' at 9 o'clock. Tho attack was unfortunate from the start, for our guns got on to the main forces assembling front Calonne on tho Clarence River down to Eioz du Vinago, and his losses were heavy. _ The attack extended to Robecq and Givenehy, and was particularly heavy in tho centre towards Hinges; but our guns, machine-guns, and rifles smothered four puccessive waves, which gained ground nowhere except at ono post near Givenehy." A BLACK DAY FOR THE GERMANS (lice. April 21, 5.5 p.m.) London,' April 20. Mr, Philip Gibbs writes-. 'Thursday was a black day for the i-nemy between Robecq and Givenehy, especially at Givonchy itself, where desperato efforts to gain the high ground failed, with staggering losses. It was a big attack, following on formidable preparations. The enemy had increased his heavy artillery threefold, bringing up a largo number of howitzers, including monster 11inch armament, and had also ir.asswl new divisions in front of us. Our men stood for hours under an infernal firo of high explosives and gas shells, but received tho.Gorman infantry with blasts of machine-gun firo and a trench mortar bombardmont. Our tronoh mortars caused awful slaughter. Ono battory continued its deadly execution, until its gunpits

were surrounded. Only two of the crews escaped. Tlio machine-gunners fought in the open when the enemy's gunfiro wiped out their gun positions and mowed down I tho enemy's waves at fifty yards' range. Our troops more to ihooouthward, on tho canal, lost somo parts of their front lino and fought in tho open, smashing tho enemy out of his positions. Once tho Germans penetrated a battalion headquarters, and tho servants and staff participated in a fierce hand-to-hand fight and drove off the enemy. There were extraordinary scenes On (ho canal bank. In tho twilight of tho early ,dawn a party of tho enemy rushed out of a wood and tho machine-gunners mowed them down. Another parly advanced, carrying a floating bridge, but found that the bridge was too'short to reach tho other side. One of our corporals went to the edgo of the canal and flung hand grenades at tho Germans while they were trying to fix the bridge. Then a lieutenant and a few men rushed down and pulled tho bridge over to our side. A low hottrs later 150 of tho Germans surrendered, some of them ewimining tho canal for that purpose.' 'This morning our patrols gathered in prisoners, many of whom were hungry. They had been living for six days on two days' rations." Lull Follows tho German Defeat. .Mr. Porcival Phillips writes: "A lull followed yesterday's German defeat. Tho exhausted enomy divisions between La Basaeo and tho Belgian frontier were glad to pass the night quietly after a day of utter failure, and their disinclination to fight was also apparent this morning. Though tho .British yesterday faced greatly superior numbers, especially between Givenchy and Nieppe Forest and tho region of the La Bassco Canal, they held all their ground except at two minor outposts. It is believed that inoro Germans were killed on (ho )a Bnsseo Canal bank and at the bridgehead to tho Bethuuo Road than s-'neo tho northern battle bcgo.ii. 'I he prospects of loot hnvo been an incentive to the Germans, who are frequently hungry, owing to their supply :6lumns having beou destroyed by our bombardments." -Ans.-N.K. Cable- Assn.