INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 291, 28 August 1918, Page 5

INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE

"GREAT PURSUING WEATHER"

MANY SIGNS'OF A "CRACKING UP"

London, August, 26. Mr. Beach Thomas writes:—"lt is groat pursuing weather, though only men in the best physique can bear the strain. The British, Australian, and New Zealand troops, still quite iintired and reluctant to be relieved, were seen dashing forward and cutting off tho retreat of men, transport, and guns. It is a wonderful sight to see our soldiers trooping forward without taking cny notice of the hundreds of Germans who are eager and anxious to surrender. One of the boldest strokes was on the Australian front, where the men waded or swam the Ancre at night belsw Grandcourt, and subsequently made an unsupported advance to tlio eastward. Groups reached Pys, entirely surrounded by Germans who wero too scared to attack in time." — Aus.-N.Z, Cable A.S6n.

WITH THE "HOPPERS-DP" London, August 26. Mr. Keith Murdoch, writing from the Australian Headquarters, says: —"The machine-guns employed by the Germans against' the Australians were so thick that the first waves of attackers passed scores of them, so that the "mop-pers-up" had tho bloodiest fighting of the day, in stalking the gunners and collecting hundreds of quivering Bodies from the dug-outs. Some Germans attacked the advancing tanks, and pelted them with bullets until they had not an inch of surface unmarked; bullets were sticking out of the armour thickly. One tank broke down, and had Germans clambering over it and sticking pistols in the openings, whilo mad Germans i assailed another with bayonets, pricking the sides until they were shot down;" —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

PRECIPITATE AND WHOLESALE SURRENDERS London, August 26. Mr. Gordon Gilmour (Australian Press Association), writing from Australian Headquarters, describing tliu Australians' advance, says that though the Germans in places put up the stiffest fight, when the attackers, after a series eff snort, sharp rushes, came within striking distance, the gunners showed the greatest readiness to surrender. Whole bodies of Germans at one point ran forward, precipitately throwing down their arms. Several wore shot down by their own officers from the rear. The prisoners iucluda representatives of five divisions, proof of the disorganisation bohitid the front. When tho Australians reached the final line, the officers called for more artillery, and pushed on further. This splondid exploitation resulted in the capture of tho mined village off Cliuignes, with twelve guns, one a fifteeninch gun. Tho extension of these operations caused a hurried withdrawal of tho German guns from tho threatened valley south of the Sommo. The attackers pressed forward through 7ones which the German heavy guns saturated with gas, and reached a lino embracing Chuignes, Garenno Wood, and Squaro Wood. Before nightfall a German counter-attack was drivou off with tlie bayonet—tho only time tho bayonet was used. One Harvard' University man admitted that the offensive in March was intended to 'roach tho Channel ports. When it failed, it was swung south- | wards, but they did not hopo to capture Paris.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

INEXORABLE TANKS London, August. 2G. Mr. Perry Robinson states that there is evidence of considerable enemy demoralisation. The Germans aro throwing in all sorts of scratch troops in the hope of chocking the advanco; but bewildered units are cut off or captured before thoy aro awaro that they are in tho battle. Scraps of battalions and remnants of shattered divisions are captured mixed up with other troops in ondless confusion. Captured German officers do not attempt to minimiso tho gravity of tho catastrophe. Tho enemy was forewarned of tho Australian advance below tho Sommo, and had massed his machineguns till they averaged one ovcry two yards. But in the preliminary advance the tanks largely neutralised them. Tho Germans aro now thoroughly afraid of the tanks, and fairly "havo them on tho brain," as captured documonts reveal, reporting their presence in all sorts of places which thoy havo never reached. German officers rebuke us as ungentlemanly for using tanks to which thoy ire unable to surrender, and bitterly cbroplain that they are compelled to chase i;hem like buses and hail them to stop and take thorn aboard; but the tanks refused to stop, and went on crushing the machine-gun r.ests. All tho prisoners practically agree that Germany's ultimate victory is now impossible; but if tho Allies mean to crush her utterly, Germany will fight on for one or even two years. —Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. "LITTLE BERTHA"~IN EXHIBITION Paris, August 26. From an early hour thousands Hocked to the Champ do Mars to sco tho great gun captured by tho Australians, who had baptised it "Little Bertha." Hie gun, which was taken with its own locomotive, is exhibited with four trucks containing shells, spare parts, repair-shop, and l tho gunners' quarters. The total weight of the mounted gun' is 150 tons; the tubo is 26ft. long, and tho shells arc sft. high. The gun' can only bo fired in one direction, and accordingly is moved on curved rails. The detachment 0i Australians who captured the gun mounted guard over it. The visitors all day long cheered and congratulated them. Many visitors travelled long distances from tlio provinces. Tho gun is inscribed: "Captured by the British Fourth Army, August 8, 1918." It is understood tho gun will be later exhibited in London.—Aus.-N.Z. Cabin Assn. "MOVEMENT EVERYWHERE" INDESCRIBABLE CHAOS IN GERMAN LINES. London, August 26. Mr. Pereival Phillips writes:—"ltmust not be forgotten that our wellwon triumphs often mean hard fighting with sovere losses at one or two points; but our losses on the whole aro light. Sometimes there was grim close-quarter work with the bayonet in deep craters by moonlight, when handfuls of the enemy found themselves trapped, as, for example, at Bilmcourt, Snpignies, and near Bapaumc. These included some tile fittest and most skilled of the German Army, but they only fought in desperation, for the British could not be stayed. The German infantry hourly ■ becomes more coiftnscd and more helpless as the enemy's defences are cleared and broken. He has tried repeatedly to reorganise a coherent line of resistance, but as often it is shuttered into a fragmentary rearguard. Tho chaos behind Bapaume could scarcely bo grenter. Perhaps the commanders are partly to blame, but the men havo lost heart. Our prisoners aro utterly j discouraged. Thero is movement

everywhore, and the Peronno road is threatened. When it. is crossed, tho wilderness of tlio Soinrno battlefield will have been passed, and good roads and fairly good ground rogained. Gallant Incident at Miraumont. "Tliere was a gallant incident at Miraumont when the British encircled tho garrison. The enemy tried hard to relievo it, and sent up a strong forco which occupied a ravino. A Email British forco, pushing ahead of tho town, found themselves at nightfall on the odgo of tho ravine, and halted. When dawn broko on Friday, the British found tho ravine full of Germans and themselves encircled, but, hung on all day. Other British troopß on Friday night waded tho flooded Anere and made a forced march in tho darkness. An aeroplane at dawn on Saturday dropped a message: "Hold on; help is coming." The enemy in the ravine did not daro to attack, as they bad summoned reinforcements, but the British reinforcements won the race, cleared the ravine, and turned to assist the assault on Miraumont, which foil after a hard fight. Then f,ho German reinforcements, consisting of tho Third Naval Division, at last arrived, and cne battalion was captured en bloo.

On to Loupart Wood. "As soon as Miraumont was cleared, the Now Zealandors, with the assistance of tanks, attacked Loupart Wood, en route to Bapaume. They found little opposition within tho wood, but the trenches beyond were full of Bavarians. The New Zealanders passed over_these within two hours, aid not wait to gather prisonors, but pushed ahead and attacked Grevillers, an old acquaintance, which gave little trouble, and by mid-afternoon began fighting the inner defences of Bapaume—good trenches around the suburbs and well-wired slopes. Meanwhilo other troops climbed the slopes before Pozieres, with quickened pulse, iu ordor to gaze on the promised land behind. They found Pozieres was no longer the same. The old ruins had gone, and the new ruins were now of British hutments and tumbled cemeteries.

"The German artillery beyond Bapaume on Sunday was energetically trying to counteract the infantry"h instability, but tbe barrage nowhere delayed the advance. The airmen reported seeing patrols inside Bapaume, but tfiese were probably reconnaissance parties."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

STOP-GAP TACTICS London, August 26. Router's correspondent at British Headquarters writes:—"The degree of confusion behind the retreating enemy is' incredible. Reinforcements are hurrying up on the stop-gap principle. There aro indications that the Germans are desperately pressed, or they would not thus break up their reserves. To-day's advance lias been in the nocture of a great sweep from Bray to north of Bapaume. It is estimated that since August 21 20,000 Germans havo been taken prisoner by the British. Since. July IS the Allied total has reached 100,000. It is reported that the Guards' outposts havo reached the fringe of Bullccourt, and that we captured High Wood and Eaucourtl'Abbaye, and are advancing upon Lcngeval. _ The New Zealanders, with tanks helping them, had a stiff fight in clearing out the enemy from Loupart Wood, which dominates Bapaume, but eventually took over 400 prisoners. A significant fact of the present disorganisation of the enemy is that there is practically no counter-attacking. Today stubborn resistance occurred at various points, but when this was broken it nowhere recurred with an increaso of strength."—Reuter.