THE FRENCH POINT OF VIEW.

Otago Witness, Issue 3342, 3 April 1918, Page 21

THE FRENCH POINT OF VIEW.

. *©— -—. (By Cable.) TRIBUTE TO BRITISH. From the Frenoh standpoint the battle opened on the evening of March 21, when several French divisions were rushed up in motor waggons to aid the British right, which was thus enabled to withdraw along the Crozat Canal (i.e., the Somme, between St. Quentin and Ham). Another French force reached Chauny, on the Oise, on March 22, their instructions being to keep in touch with the retiring British right. The Frenoh on March 24- repelled repeated German attempts to cross the Oise and to break the French line extending to Noyon Lassigny ',..,,,, . , .. Mow that 'the initial danger is passed, it can be said that the Germans came very near to/breaking the Allied front in this region on March 25. The pressure increased on Maroh 26 and 27, and 1 the French front jvas pressed back to the Ayre River, and then to Montdidier. The enemy pressure was tremendous. There had been only 16 German divisions on a 50-mile front before the battle, Hindenburg and Ludendorff commenced their great gamble with 38 divisions, v and by Thursday 87 had been identified, representing practically a million men, though this sector is only one-eighth .of the western front between the sea the Alps. French, war experts believe that Germans will bo unable to bring up more than 40 divisions more. ' , The slaughter of tho enemy is most ter-' rible. The x country roads are strewn with German dead, and great piles of bodies are collecte'd after each day's fighting, in order to keep open lanes for traffic. Only on Thursday and Friday (March 28 and 29) did the enemy begin' to burn or bury their dead. 'Previously they had not evdn time to remove all their wounded. This spectacle of slaughter has its inevitable effect on the f.resh German troops, many of whom are youngsters. . French officers speak in glowing terms of the stubborn courage of the British. One narrates that when General Petain thrust in his troops the British were outnumbered by four to one. The French colonels told their troops of the seriousness of the position, and that their brave British friends were in danger of being overwhelmed. The one anxiety of the Poilus was: "Shall we get there in time?" When they crossed the edge of the Oise Plateau the French found themselves amidst a hand-to-hand struggle between the Germans and the British. The new-comers deployed and got among the British. No orders were necessary. The Anglo-Frenofr charged, and, thougn sometimes the fighting- was against eight-to-one odds, they forced back the Boohes, and the Allied original positions were temporarily won back.

The Germans resumed the battle at 4 o'clock next morning, without any artillery preparation. Ten times ill rapid succession their waves swept forward, and 10 times they were hurled baok in disorder. Twice the British cavalry, who made a splendid spectacle, intervened, and charged the enemy masses, superb in their contempt of death. The horsemen broke up the German columns. The Allies had withstood terrible assaults, but at last they saw the French reserved coming on, full of magnificent ardour and eager for the fray. Prisoners desoribe the German losses as enormous, mainly due to machine guns. The Eighty-eighth Division was almost wiped out, and the 26th was very badly mauled. Correspondents state that all the dead found on the battlefield had been stripped of their clothes and equipment, which the Germans collect systematically and send to the rear, owing to the shortage of clothing and leather. The British and French uniforms, are evidently being collected for use in some deoeptive manoeuvre. l Prisoners aire astonished at the comparatively small number of British and French dead left on the battlefield. The German commanders 'Were astonished by the FrancoBritish resistance. They had tpld their men thai; it would be all over in a few days. . , J MR LLOYD GEORGE'S MESSAGE. BRITAIN CALM AND CONFIDENT. Mir Lloyd George has sent the following message to M. Olemenceau, French Premier I — ***» "Britain is calm and resolute, relying on the justice of bur cause and the- valour of 6ur men to.defend it. Our confidence grows as we watch the steady march of France's gallant army to repel the invader." Mr- Lloyd George has also issued the following statement: "During the first few days, when the Germans launched an attack unparalleled for its concentration of troops, the situation was extremely critical j but. thanks to the indomitable bravery of our troops, who gradually stemmed the advance until reinforcements could arrive, and to our faithful Ally entering the battle, the situation has now improved. The struggle, however, is only opening, and no prediction of its future course can yet. be made. The War Cabinet have been in) constant session since the first day, and are iii communication With our _ Headquarters and the French and American Governments, and a number of measures are being taken to deal with the emergency." , " The enemy had an incalculable advantage in fighting as one army, but the Allies had taken a most important decision to moot this. With the cordial co-opera-tion of the British and French Comman-ders-in-chief General Foch has been charged by the British, French, and American Governments to co-ordinate the action of tho Allied armies on the west front. " In necessary addition to the action taken to meet tho immediate needs of the moment, further action has been taken to bring into operation certain measures long contemplated should a situation like the prosent arise. " Whatever happens in this battle, the country must be prepared for further sacrifices to ensure final victory. I am certain that the nation will shrink from no sacrifices to secure this end. The necessary plans arc being carefully prepared, and will be announced when Parliament meets."