GERMAN THRUST IN FLANDERS ON A MAJOR SCALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16823, 13 April 1918, Page 7

GERMAN THRUST IN FLANDERS ON A MAJOR SCALE.

FULL WEIGHT THROWN AGAINST BRITISH ARMIES. MAGNIFICENT WORK OF SSTH DIVISION AT GIVENCHY. Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. LONDON, April 11. Mr. Philip Gibba writes: It is now clear that the battle around Armentieres is a new and formidable offensive with large objectives. It is certain that the German High Command has decided to throw the full weight of its armies against the British instead of dividing its efforts by striking also against the French. Their plan is to edge off as much as possible from the French, holding them in check by defensive fighting, in order to concentrate their men and guns opposite the British lines, hurling them in a series of blows, now on the right, now on the left, following up each success as far as it will possibly admit. This menace calls for a supreme effort by the allies. Yesterday the enemy made the flat ground opposite Ncuve Chapelle the centre- of the thrust. To-day the attack was on the Messines Ridge. He succeeded in pressing back parts of our first defensive systems, the attacks being most vehement in the neighbourhood of Messines. Our counter-attacks since have driven the enemy back part of the way. The bombardment throughout was pauseless. Our great achievement was the magnificent defence by the Lancashircs of the fifty-fifth division, who held our flank firm against fierce and repeated attacks, though outnumbered fourfold. Our line at Givenchy is still unbroken to-day, and the enemy's waves of men lie shattered before it. We hold 750 prisoners.

It is a tragedy that tho Portuguese suffered the heaviest blow. The bombardment annihilated their outposts, smashed their front line, and forced them to fall back to the second scheme of defence which was attacked by the enemy's assault troops. By 11 the Germans had taken Laventie. The German advance on Laventie put a severe strain upon the fifty-fifth division at Givenchy. The enemy attacked in crowds and captured the village in the morning, but were hurled out by bombers and riflemen, who regained half the village. Then tho Lancashire lads attacked and again drove the enemy back to his original positions. German prisoners are very crestfallen, particularly as a captured document showed that the German army orders read out before the battle stated that the fiftyfifth division was very weak and tired and that the capture of Givenchy would be no trouble.