THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE AT CAMBRAI.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1031, 6 December 1917, Page 5

THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE AT CAMBRAI.

GERMANS PROMISED PEACE IF THEY WIN THIS BATTLE. LONDON, Deo. 5. Mr Phillip Gibbs says: Throughout. Monday the enemy continued his thrusts -between Marcoing and La. Vacquerio, and flung in at least six divisions on a mu row front, not counting the cost, and never weakening 1 the pressure, even where ho made no advance. We have thus forced ujxm the enemy a battle more decisive than any preceding. In view of Germany’s weakening man power, the Germans seem to be forcing decisive - lighting in open country, possibly for political reasons. Prisoners state they have been promised peace it they win this battle. The struggle is as fierce as was the second battle of Ypi’CS. The memy has taken the offensive and is forcing the pace, and is fighting it out. Our men yield ground only after a butchery of the- Germans. The most desperate resistance is where a Igxly of Britishers get temporarily cut. olf or are outnumbered. I talked" to wounded guardsmen lying in trucks on the railway tarpaulins with blankets as their only protection against the frosty blasts. They told how they fought through houses and over broken walls and in dark cellars. In such lighting some bodies of troops are necessarily cut. off and must light to the last to enable others to fall, hack safely.