BATTLE OF TANKS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14590, 27 April 1918, Page 3

BATTLE OF TANKS.

A CLASH IX OPEN FIELDS

THE FIGHTING AT BRETONNEUX

NIGHT ATTACK BUHPMSKB

ENEMY

DESPERATE STRUGGLE OX

KEMMEL HILL

OUR MEN FIGHTING IX GAS

MASKS

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

(Received April 27, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, April 26, 7.40 a.m. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: Villers Bretonneux is a substantial town of live thousand inhabitants, built mostly m brick, and laid out compactly m the form of a square, >vith> the Amiens main road as its northern boundary. On the south fields fall away to the river Luce at Hangard. Three miles away on the east is the village of Warf ustee. * On the Amiens side the ground -dips sharply and rises again' to a dense wood.

The Germans owed their initial success to gas shells. The first assault by two German divisions aimed at capturing the wood, but only forty men secured a foothold. They surrendered later.

During the first advance the Germans failed to make any headway against the Australians and JSaillyiex and gave up tlys ntfcsxcki Two nftore divisions were then thrown against Fillers. Our counterattacks at night were a complete surprise. The German gunners did not know what was happening, ami it was impossible for them to put up a barrage without destroying their own people. Rockets gave the Australians.. Berlishires, and Northamptons" enough light for bayonet fighting, though sometimes we were delayed' by the darkness. Our casualties were not light, but were nothing like so heavy as the Germans'. British and German tanks met for tue first time m battle. The victory was ours. They fought m the open fields around Villers. German tanks led -the attack, from the north-east and south, infantry,- following with machine-guns, mortars, and light artillery. The Germans used four or five tanks, bulky, ungainly, very dissimilar to the British, and equipped with a broad turret with Huickfirers. They crawled up m the thick mist behind the barrage -until close to our trenches.

The first intimation of their proximity was : when one dropped into a gully running parallel with the trenches, and turning, north flattened the parapets .and fusilladed' the infantry; ;

The British tanks then came up. The Germans, when they saw the British approach, advanced to engage them, concentrating their shell fire on, a single British tank, but the other landships crawled to the rescue. A brief duel followed, until one of the Germans was disabled. The others then scuttled.

Later some light British tanks:successfully engaged German infantry '-'which were massing for attack near Cachy. south-west of Villers. The tanks slid swiftly forward and returned with their sides covered with blood. They had charged the enemy repeatedly.'

The lesson of this first engagement is that we. have nothing to fear f rom enemy tanks, despite the size and weight of the machines and their armament.

The attack on Keramel bill was carpfully planned. It included four or six German divisions, whereof three comprised mountain troops. The . fighting continues. We still hold the Grand Bois, Wytschaete. Mountain troops at one time reached' the crest of Kemmel hill. Though tho French fought with their usual gallantry and determination the Germans assaulted from two sides, whereof one was swept bare of trees by. the artillery, the other being covered with broken trunks and branches. .The position was drenched with . gas. the timbered slopes holding ttl£ deadly fumes. The defenders had to fight- wearing gas miii-ks.