SURPRISE FOLLOWED BY UNINTERRUPTED ADVANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16926, 12 August 1918, Page 5

SURPRISE FOLLOWED BY UNINTERRUPTED ADVANCE.

INFANTRY AND GUNS OVER-RUN AND CAPTURED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Aug. 0.

Mr. Percival Phillips writes: Thanks to the almost ceaseless allied artillery firing the enemy for the most part was unable to develop any formidable system of defence such as we had to overcome on the Somme in 1916 and in. Flanders in 1918. The consciousness of this weakness was probably responsible for the recent withdrawals. The preliminary bombardment consisted of three minutes of' whirlwind fire on the front positions, then the field guns and trench mortarß began to lengthen out into a creeping barrage, whilst the heavy artillery continued to pound away on spots likely to prove troublesome. Hundreds of tanks advanced with the infantry waves, many crossing the Avre with gratifying ease. A large number of low-flying aeroplanes participated when the light broadened sufficiently, shedding a terrible hail of bombs and machine-gun fire.

It was so hazy when the advance began that the gun flashes were often invisible 50 yards distant. It was ju:. ihe weather for a surprise, and the advance was uniformly rapid everywhere except at Morlancourt, where the enemy's positions were well fortified. Fighting there was continuous throughout the morning. Below the Somme the men literally vanished into the fog of war, and it is difficult to piece together anything like a connected narrative because the fighting rolls away over a wide sweep of country and becomes impossible to follow, but prisoners are coming in in shoals, the trim condition of many of them indicating that they have been over-rua, surrendering without a fight.

One general, referring to the captures of guns, laughingly said: "It will take days to count them." A swiib surprise drive on such a length of front to such a depth gives the enemy no time to get batteries away or even destroy them. The infantry in many places over-ran our artillery support, but this did not matter because they had advanced beyond where any German guns were posted, and also because we had plenty of German guns to swing round and serve. Our own batteries advanced with wonderful smartness. In one instance a wholo field brigade got beyond the original front line and were in action 20 minutes after.

We were successful in getting two companies of tanks across the Luce River under cover of darkness, and they did invaluable work in clearing what was feared would prove a difficult situation owing to strong German positions in Dodo Wood and the neighbouring high ground. Such casualties as the tanks suffered were inflicted by gunfire from the south bank of the Somme. We therefore directed a converging attack against Bow Gressaire and Chipilly, securing large hauls of prisoners and field-guns in both places. Our men speak of the wonderful effectiveness of our barrage. The enemy machine-gun fire was less intense than was anticipated, doubtless owing to the smothering of the observation by the mist. The prisoners are a good type of soldier, but were depressed by the news of the Marne defeat.