ENEMY IN NORTH AIMING TO TURN LENS LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16824, 15 April 1918, Page 5

ENEMY IN NORTH AIMING TO TURN LENS LINE.

GREAT DEFENCE OF MESSINES BY SOUTH AFRICANS. I » TROOPS FIGHT DAY AND NIGHT WITHOUT RESPITE. Times. (Received 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 13. Mr. H. Perry Robinson writes: Prisoners and captured documents reveal that the attacking forces are in three groups. The northern, which is the weakest, consisting of six divisions, aims kto strike through Bailleul in the direction of Hazebrouck, protecting the centre operations, where 12 divisions have been instructed to penetrate from Merville to Aire, 11 miles due west. The southernmost attack was ordered to reach Bethune on the first day, thence to press on to Lillers, seven miles distant, spreading southwards over the coal area west of Lens and Bruay. Only the central thrust has so far realised its objective, and that much less rapidly than the Germans expected. On Saturday morning fighting was going on across tho Clarence. River in the direction of St. Venant, 4J miles south-west of Merville. The situation here is undoubtedly threatening. At Messines the Ninth South Africans continued their.magnificent defence, thrusting back the enemy repeatedly from the ridge and holding out against repeated counter-attacks. Equaljy fine fighting retook Ploegsteert Wood after the German penetration, though the southern retreat and subsequent evacuation compelled the gallant troops to give up tho bitterly-contested ground. After the Germans had entered and been driven out of Estaires they forced an entrance again in dense masses, and captured it after fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the streets. Below hero tho troops brought up to hold tho Baventie positions had an intense and incessant struggle against great odds under terrific machine and field gun fire. The Fifty-first Highlanders fought brilliantly on tho line of the River Lawo until tho sheer weight of numbers forced the abandonment of the canal. A party of tho Gordon Highlanders surrounded near Vielle Chappellb held out for 24 hours. There was another magnificent dofence of the narrow rivulet of Old Lawe below Lcstrem. The headquarters staffs of both brigades held the forward lines with rifles. When last seen ono brigade commander was rallying a small party of headquarters orderlies and others in a counter-attack against the attacking masses. Tho third brigade of the same division at noon to-day was holding tho enemy in tho regions just behind tho Fifty-first Highlanders. Tho field gunners continued firing until the enemy was close up, then falling back, leaving one gun to cover them and keep tho onemy at bay until all had got away, to renew tho same gamo in a nc" position. Further details of the Lancashircs' defence of Givenchy show that tho battle was of the fiercest nature possible, successive waves breaking against the apex of the lino. The Liverpools held an exposed angle for two days and nights against unceasing attacks and frequent hand-to-hand fighting. Violent fighting occurred along a little canalised stream between Lcstrem and Vielle Chappolle. The enemy attempt was made in the faco of troops lining the west bank. Successive waves were cut down in mid stream. Men said it was impossible to cross, and tho whole channel was choked with dead, the British deliberately allowing men to come so close that the rest was mere slaughter. Fighting in this zone was most severe throughout, frequently becoming a hand-to-hand struggle, and positions repeatedly changing hands. The enemy captured Lcstrem twice, also Estaires, but were driven out. The enemy's success at Ploegsteert permitted a northern advance, while southern fighting was progressing, and so endangering the Armenticrcs garrison. It was withdrawn first to Erquinghoin, and then to a line in front of Nieppe, which is still held. The Germans once reached Nieppc, but are now well east of it. Reutei. PARIS. April 12. The German attack on tho British in Flanders was originally intended as a diversion, but owing to its initial success it has been changed into an attack, and pushed through to the full with fresh divisions. Tho threatened objective is specially the raining district of Bethune. It is impossible to foresee the issue, but it should be contemplated confidently, for the British possesss a second very powerful line of positions, which, they have not yet reached, and on which their resistance would bo considerably facilitated.