TRIBUTE TO BRITISH TROOPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3344, 17 April 1918, Page 14

TRIBUTE TO BRITISH TROOPS.

Router's correspondent reports: Throughout the 10th the struggle north of Bethune waxed and waned. An artillery duel developed southward, and the infantry battle - extended to the vicinity of Wytschaete. During two days' fighting the enemy pressed us back in certain places, necessitating readjustments of the line elsewhere. Our troops are fighting magnificently, and are well supported by the artillery. The enemy employed at least eight divisions. The spearhead of the enemy assault was in the centre of the Portuguese front. Owing to the thickness of tho weather considerable numbers of Germans trickled through the alarm was being given; consequently, attacked in the rear as well as by dense waves frontally, the Portuguese were foroed to retire. _ They brilliantly fought a rearguard action and averted a serious menace on this front, but a retiring movement became inevitable.Givenchy," which is valuable tactically, was captured by the enemy. A counter-attack drove them out, but this was not jn sufficient numbers to withstand the oncoming and earlv in the morning the Germans recarried Givenchy. Just before dark the Fiftv-fifth Division, consisting mainly of Lancashire Territorials, made a find' charge, again restoring Givenchy. The Germans are shelling all towns and villages a long way back, and also tho roads, with a 6teady insistence, employing to the utmost their great hauls of artillery from other fronts. The territory the enemy overran was very sparsely populated by civilians, and as regards the character of the country, it id barren of grain. . The enemy's communication has been lengthened across long clay tracks. The enemy, attacking in massed!

waves against Hollebeke over heavy ground, made a great target for our rifles and machine guns, and the execution was tefrilic. Comparatively few 'Germans got to grips, and eventually they were completely repulsed. Their' straggling retreat was followed by field guns until the enemy disappeared in the mist. The evacuation of Armenticros was conducted very successfully, the enemy not attempting to press our retirement while the place was a vast cesspit of mustard gas. Wo repulsed with immense enemy losses throe attacks launched in big waves near )Neuvo -Chapclle, and the ground in front of our lino was strewn with corpses. Further north our line was withdrawn to a moro advantageous defensive position about 1000 yards west of Beaupre, through Neuf Borquin, and thence in a north-westerly direction to Laverbier. Prisoners unanimously agree that the German High Command's objects are to swamp the British by sheer weight of numbers. The enemy made a determined attack along the Mcssmes Ridge, whero the South Africans were hardly, tested after their splendid share in the recent southern fighting. They did grand work in restoring the situation. The courage and endurance of our troops desorvo all praise. By the sustained pressure of dense masses, and constant blows of shock tactics, the enemy succeeded in advancing in . the centre of attack, ' but the flanks are holding firm. The enemy has extended a narrow nose salient in a way which nothing but immense superioi-ity of numbers could render tactically feasible. Tho enemy had 200 divisions at the beginning of the offensive on the western front-, of which 20 are believed to be practically unfit for the battle-line. Twenty have been thrown in twice since March _ 21, while over four times the number of divisions had been hurled against the British than against the French. The enemy's rate of spending man-power cannot be long maintained. Already a considerable portion of the 1919 olass is being sent to refit the battle-line divisions, while the calling up of the 1920 class began a. month ago. Our reinforcements are steadily coming

Tho general position at the moment seems to justify the hope that the Germans Veil! achieve no more towards a decision in Flanders than they have done in Picardy (Somme area) and Artois. The enemy has overrun a lot of territory and scored a series of tactical achievements; but the strategio position remains unaltered, the Allied armies continuing to face the enemy in an Unbroken line. The situation this weekend is steadily improving. Although the Germans delivered several heavy attacks on the 14th at various points, all were repulsed.. Our retaking of Neuve' Eglise may force the enemy to relax their effort in the direction of Bailleul (north-west of Armentieres). There is_ a tendency towards a lulling of the offensive, which probably means that the Germans are very tired. MAGNIFICENT REARGUARD FIGHTING. Reuter's correspondent at the British Headquarters, writing at 9.35 p.m. on the 14th, says: A bitter east wind is blowing, and visibility is very low. The situation generally is unchanged. .The enemy continue to employ fresh troops. We are steadily increasing our forces; consequently the battle is more stationary, although as intense as ever. The Germans' continuous heavy attacks during the past two days are undoubtedly based upon the calculation that the British are worn out, and that another smashing blow will finish us; but, with fresh reinforcements helping, the defenders flung back the attacking masses with terrible losses. Frequently the advance was checked by a barrier of piled-up corpses. Our rearguard fighting has been most skilful and valiant beyond _ praise. "While the machine-gunners holding a series of little posts have poured bullets into the enemy until their ammunition was exhausted, the main body has slowly fallen back upon a prepared position. Each backward step was made perfectly methodically and exacting the full price. Never haA 7 e troops fought with such superb courage and tenacity as ■they are now displaying. They have got their backs to the wall indeed, and Sir Douglas Haig's order vastly heartened them. The enemy is fighting desperately, with mechanical bravery and iron discipline. Mr Robinson, writing on the 14th inst., says: The second great German thrust has, I think, spent itself along the whole line. The enemy is beating against continually stiffening _ resistance, and the attacks lack their original momentum. Several counterattacks have definitely driven back the Germans. The progress made since Thursday has been comparatively trifling. The Centre attack beyond Merville is now making but little headway. Along the edges of the forest of Nieppe to Rusekk hard fighting continues; but the enemy's gain is Insignificant. Their losses are vastly greater than jours. That the second German blow has definitely failed to break the British defences is, I think, as certain as the failure of the first attempt. Mr Garvin, editor of the Observer, writing in that journal, says: "In the sternest orisis, our centurions—the Fifty-fifth, Fiftyfirst, and Ninth Divisions—have shown us how to 'stick it' in the old British way that always led from long resistance to final victory." After reviewing the position, Mr Garvin declares that tho fighting cannot be other than prolonged, wide, changing, and terrible, calling forth the Utmost faculties. _ Merely by playing out this campaign without suffering a catastrophe and maintaining an unbroken front, the Allies make absolutely sure of ultimate victory. Mr Garvin adds: "Two hundred thousand British troops have crossed the Channel since March 21."