ENEMY stands on OLD DEFENCES EAST OF MONTDIDIER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16927, 13 August 1918, Page 5

ENEMY stands on OLD DEFENCES EAST OF MONTDIDIER

STUBBORN FIGHTING ON LINE FRONTING ROYE.

RESERVE DIVISIONS THROWN IN TO STEM ADVANCE.

Australian and N.Z.

(Received 12.5 a.m.)

LONDON, Aug. 12.

The correspondent of the Morning Post at British headquarters states that the region fronting Roye, east of Montdidier, has become the scene of heavy and most stubborn fighting. Tt was expected that the Germans here would make a determined effort to stem the advance when they reached their old defences. These are largely derelict, but masses of rusted wire encumber the ground. The trenches are in fairly good condition, and vast underground galleries are still serviceable. Several concrete redoubts remain intact. The fighting on Sunday centred on this old battlefield. Many reserve divisions were concentrated, and every available man thrown in, including noncombatants, who Were impressed for the defence of the sector.

The Germans brought up guns of all calibres from Peronne, putting up a hasty barrage in the middle of Saturday afternoon. One of the most thrilling sights of the campaign was witnessed at four o clock, when large masses of British cavalry rode out against Damery Village, north-east of Iloye. They rode superbly through a hail of bullets, while the infantry cheered them. Nearing the village the cavalry encountered many machine-gun nests, while shell-holes, overgrown with weeds, increased their difficulties, and the cavalry were obliged to leave the task to the tanks. Meanwhile other units began to outflank Damery from the north.