STEADY MAINTENANCE OF AIR RAIDS INTO GERMANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16897, 9 July 1918, Page 5

STEADY MAINTENANCE OF AIR RAIDS INTO GERMANY.

MANY TONS OF BOMBS DROPPED ON RAILWAY LINES. MUCH WORK DONE BY MACHINES OVER THE FRONT.Australia and N.Z. and Renter. (Reed. 9.55 p.m.) LONDON, July 7. The Air Ministry reports: Our squadrons successfully attacked the railways at Metz-Sablons on Saturday afternoon and dropped 2i tons of bombs on this objective.- Enemy machines attacked our formations over their objective. One hostile machine was driven down. All the British machines returned safely- On Saturday night ' our machines successfully attacked the railway station and sidings at Saarbrucken, and the railways at Metz-Sablons. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Three German machines were destroyed on the front and one driven down out of control. One British machine is missing. Seventeen tons of bombs ere dropped on various targets during the last 24 hours. Earlier we Carried out a large amount of successful artillery work, and dropped 19 tons of bombs on selected targets. AUSTRALIAN ADVANCE ON SOMME COSTS ENEMY DEAR THREE DIVISIONS PRACTICALLY COT TO PIECES. COMMAND GAINED OVER LONG SECTOR OF VALLEY. Australian and N.Z. (Received 10.35 cm) LONDON, July 8. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: The Australian push on Saturday amounted to 400 on a mile front. Three German divisions were so cut up on Thursday that they were utterly incapable of a counterattack and had to be relieved to be reorganised. United Service. (Received 10.35 c m ) LONDON, July 8. Mr. H. Perry Robinson states: The advance on Villers Bretonneux gives the Australians command of important valley positions three miles in length. AMERICANS EAGER TO PROVE THEMSELVES IN RATTLE NAME OF THE LUSITANIA USED AS THEIR BATTLE-CRY Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, July 7. " Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: After the Australian attack on Hamel the enemy, whose guns had almost been silenced, shelled some of our new positions rather heavily, and made three counter-attacks in the evening on the Australian line, but they were feeble and unsuccessful. Groups of German machine-guns were established within 50yds of the Australians, who decided not to tolerate this close approach, therefore a number of Australians during the night drove back the German outposts and captured 50 prisoners. The Americans fighting were not many compared with the Australians, but these few companies were eager to meet the enemy for the first time, and proved their fighting quality to the hilt. The utter surprise of the enemy and the silencing of his guns made the battle less fearful than the Americans expected. The intensity of our gunfire was the most terrible feature. After the barrage passed the Americans and Australians found groups of strange uncanny creatures with gas masks on and hands up. Any who showed fight had not a chance of life. The Americans were not tender-hearted; they went forward with fixed bayonets, shouting " Lusitania" as their battle-cry. The shout seemed to strengthen the American souls and terrify the enemy. The Germans might well be terrified, for " Lusitania" is a call for vengeance.

LONDON. July 7.

Mr. H. Perry Robinson writes that the Americans at Hamel behaved magnificently. * If they had a fault it was excessive keenness, and they suffered some casualties in. pressing into their own barrage. A corporal aged 21, who was wounded three times, killed seven Germans, while a sergeant captured seven single-handed.