GENERAL BELIEF THAT THE ENEMY RUSH IS STEMMED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16876, 14 June 1918, Page 5

GENERAL BELIEF THAT THE ENEMY RUSH IS STEMMED

COMPLETE FAILURE TO GAIN DESIRED OBJECTIVE. SEVERAL PICKED DIVISIONS CUT TO PIECES. * uter - (Received 8.5 p.m.) LONDON'. June 12. Router's correspondent at French headquarters, writing on Wednesday morning, says: The enemy's main effort on the line from Chevincourt to Macheniont to Bethaneourt was a complete failure. Under the fire of our marine-guns and artillery the Herman infantry waves hesitated and rolled back. In the centre the Hermans got momentary possession of Machemont, but were, ejected by a counterattack. It is now known that the Hermans began the battle with 14 divisions, which were all engaged on the first day. The attack in the centre along the valley of the Mat?:, which was the most successful, was entrusted to five divisions, including some of the enemy's best troops, including one Guards and one Chasseur division. The enemy's main objective on the first day was to block the wooded hills between the Oise and the Matz, which he turned by an advance down the Matz Valley. After three days of hard fighting he reached the first day's objective in this quarter. The second day's objective was the city of t'ompiegnc, which is still far away, and was brought no nearer by yesterday's fighting. The most memorable incident in the battle was the defence of Plemont, a mile south-east of Lassigny, by the cavalrymen. This hill, the main French observation post in the Lassigny sector, was defended by dismounted Cuirassiers, a few hundred strong. They held out against incessant attacks from four o'clock on Sunday morning until mid-day on Monday. The commander sent wireless messages every hour saying the defenders were still holding out. The last message, when the hill was surrounded, said, ""We are done for." The Cuirassiers succumbed to the twentieth attack in 32 hours. In the Matz Valley a crack Herman Chasseur division was cut to pieces. The t.i.ards also suffered exceedingly heavylosses. On our left the enemy divisions engaged in the three days' battle for the line of villages which are still in our hands must have left half their numbers on the field. We now hold some points on the original Herman lines. The general impression is that although the battle will continue for several days the enemy rush is stemmed.