ARMY FULL OF OPTIMISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15932, 1 June 1915, Page 8

ARMY FULL OF OPTIMISM.

ADVANCE AT FESTUBERT.

COMPETENT NEW OFFICERS.

Times and SydnoS Sun Services. London, May 30. The Times' correspondent with the British Headquarters, in his story of the Festubert battle, says the operations commenced on the night of the 15th with an advance on the German lines between Neuve Chapelle and Givenchy. The result of a fortnight's fighting is that tho British have driven back the German front for more than a mile, and it now resembles a string of beads, each bead being a fortress, enfilading any further advance. It is necessary to destroy these piecemeal before any connected forward movement is possible. At the outset of the advance | the enemy attempted to form a barrage of fire behind the advancing British, making it perilous to send up men and munitions. The rain nullified the cannonade, numerous shells sinking into the earth and not bursting. The Festubert ad\ance was due to the magnificent initial work of the engineers, working under a heavy fire. The most important lesson of the present phase is the value of young officers. All battalions at Festubert except the territorials had been fighting since October, including the first fight at Ypres, where there were desperate losses, and the consequence was that there were many new officers. It seemed a risky experiment, but worked perfectly. The youngsters are popular, keen, and highly competent. The army is full of strenuous optimism, is unshaken in its confidence, and is determined to finish the job."