THE BRITISH DRIVE

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3234, 7 May 1917, Page 2

THE BRITISH DRIVE

ITS DEVASTATING EFFECT.

PILES OF GERMAN DEAD

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyriglil.) 1./H.stialian-N.Z, . '.bin Association.]

London, May 5. Sir Douglas llaig reports: We took on Thursday upwards ol 900 prisoners, and strengthened to-day the position captured in a section of the Hindinburg Lino. Wo also made progress eastwards along the enemy trenches. in air fighting on Thursday, 11 enemy machines v.eie brought down. Two of ours are missing. Wo conducted a successful raid eastward oi' Levergiieror., and made progress northward oi' Havrincourt Wood and the neighbourhood. At Fresnoy the enemy thrice counterattacked in the night time our new positions on the Hindenburg Lino. Our artillery broke the iirst attack and our infantry the others. We repulsed raids in the neighbourhood of Messinos. Sir Douglas Tlaig's latest message says: There is nothing to report. Ten German aeroplanes were bi ought down yesterday. APPALLING LOSSES. NEW STYLE Ol' , FIGHTING. Mr eßaeh Thomas, the war correspondent, telegraphs: There is open lighting on the whole battlefront. The l>l itish are rapidly regaining this forgotten form of warfare, but find it difficult to .shake off the trench habits, numbers still preferring bombs to rifles. 'The Germans, while desperately fighting with storming troops armed with special machine-guns and automatic rifles., have units at tho same time digging hard over the whole bieadth of a strong lone four or five ir. iles behind the present fighting line. War correspodnnets pay tribute to tho Australians' dashing work at Bullecourfc against picked German troops, and say that though they do not yet posses the whole village, they hold tho ground north and south and trenches on the Hindenburg Line front. 'Ihey repulsed nine counter-attacks by fresh troops. German officers who have been taken prisoners admit appalling losses, in some instances 50 per cent, per regiment. FIGHT FOR THE MILL.

BRITISH NOW HOLD IT. Mr Phillip Clibbs telegraphs: Ever since our great attack on Vimy Ridge the enemy has fought desperately and ferociously, Hinging forward great f(>ri;c v s inio the battle, in order to keep us away from the Hindenburg Line between Drocourt and Queant. Fjosh divisions of troops and guns have travelled across Germany, including many recently used in the lighting on the eastern front. Specially trained reserves have been hurled at our lines with great losses. Opposite (jemappe and Gavrella the Germans died in heaps, but there are masses behind and other masses behind them—and so the gruesome business goes on.

Tlio Uavrelle windmill has now change , d hands eight times. At present we hold it. There have been sci:icely less bitter struggles at Oppy and Roeu.Nj whero picked enemy troops hold the villages,, though sufI'eiing the bloodiest losses. Under our bombardments south of the Scarpo the enemy was so decimated that it amounted to a real massacre. This is no figure of speech but the utter tinth. Yet other waves ordered loiward with Oriental recklessness of human life.

The enemy has greatly increased his gun-power of ali calibres, including machine-guns and trench mortal's. Thus, our men aro fighting the hardest of battles. It is a deadly struggle for both sides. The enemy seems to be fighting for his lift, knowing ho must now win or die. His men were hard pressed, and were obliged to send three pioneer battalions into the fighting line until the arrival of reinforcements of .lighting troops. Our shells are devastating the defences of Oppy Wood, but the enemy is bringing up many new batteries, including long-range guns.

Our aeroplanes are "spotting" the new gun positions, and already a number have boon knocked out by direct hits.

THE ENEMY'S MAN-POWER. SOME MORE SPECULATIONS. It is estimated that the Germans since April 1 have brought 33 divisions against the Anglo-French. Fifteen of these were shattered and withdrawn after the battle of Arras, and at least 20 broken. Allowing tha-t the reduction of the strength of "each division since the autumn means 150,000 iron, whereof 20,000 are ]rrisoners, the casualties behind tho front line 7i)list have been tremendous owing to the weight of our artillery. Another notable fact is the number of youths captured. Half the prisoners from two divisions are youths of tho 1919 class. Their statements show that half the 1919 troops aro already .serving at tho front. The Germans appear no longer to employ their guards in solid divisions, but use regiments thereof to still'ei) the other divisions. Apparently the Germans, despite (ho lavish use of Iroops against tho British,- aro employing every expedient l-o make the most of the available, man-power. On the oilier hand, (lie Gorman artillery is greatly increasing. The British aWil/crv is as tremendous as ?iofore, but i\-e aro more economical of n rii.