GLORIOUS SPIRIT OF BRITISH TROOPS.
TIRED, BUT UNDISMAYED
NO SIGN OF FLURRY
FRENCH HELP PARTICULARLY
VALUABLE,
Afr ru, LONI?0N J March 27. «SL v +' wporttng on Tuesday, states: Yesterday morning the enemy continued his violent thrusts on oS line west of Bapaume and Peronne, while masses of troops, mostly Brandenburgers and picked troops, are making t£?* advance m the direction of h Ui waUrep^ S £ owards the lines we held before the Somme battles in 1916 lhe enemy has only paused since he hei ga-n his great offensive to bring up new divisions to replace those exhausted by the attack or shattered by our fire while the latter re-form, recuperate' and then come on again. Owing to the Z«T°Z n rceS at the enemy's disposal the Germans are able to pursue the advantage gained with fresh troops against our hard-pressed 'men, who I have been fighting without respite for sis days.
Despite the gravity of these hours there Jias never been a more glorious !££ am°n& th6 h troops in-our history. They withstood odds which were sometimes eight to one. Near Uroiselles nine divisions attacked three buch odds have not been known before' Ihe enemy dare not remain station! ary. Desperate little battles are gome on In these one or. two battalions hold up waves of Germans nntil their own line has fallen back orderly to defensive ground. I saw our riflemen yesterday at Pozieres ridge using the old trenches which were full of undergrowth, and shooting Germans as in the days of Le Gateau. I saw a sma U +Wy + Tf° wea^ ? f his endless tattle that they could hardly walk, even by holding hands like tired children, but their heads were held up gamely and they were undismayed. The whole movement of the British S;j a* or^l y as if the men weS in England. I can honestly say I have never seen an officer flurried' Transport lorries only leave' the road when »t is untenable owing to the enemy shell fire. Camps are packed and stores removed as the Germans are reported to be nearer, and the headquarters'staffs change their lodging to another chateau or cottage It is an amazing drama, because open warfare is a new thing. Though the menace of the enemy i s strong and serious, and retirement under the terrific pressure of the human avalanche is by no means pleasant, the BritislTarmy retains its self-control, will .power hopefulness and faith. p"vv«i, The Germans made no frontal attack y le» iglrt They «* -*— *« The enemy on Tuesday passed new divisions through the foremost storm troops and made further thrusts at Roye and Hattencou-+. but our army' is confident it will, defeat the enemy's plans or decisive victory The British generals have control of the war machine from one end of the line to the other. No British division has thus far been lost, however batwired by the heroic fighting The French divisions were'highlv welm% -?\ ej to? k the ?lace «f some of the Britishers who bad fought the long estand made the -reatest sacrifices French heln particularly valuable on Sunday, w hen the Brandenburgers sought to enlaro-e the bridgehead at Ham We fell back after a desperate battle.
We held Libermont canal that night Jt was a perilous winding line, but the French regiments came nn and mixed with our battalions, fighting in their midst and putting new heart into our men. « '
The Germans on Monday further increased the pressure on both sides of Wesle.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HNS19180328.2.23.2.1
Bibliographic details
Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 March 1918, Page 5
Word Count
579GLORIOUS SPIRIT OF BRITISH TROOPS. Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 28 March 1918, Page 5
Using This Item
See our copyright guide for information on how you may use this title.