SITUATION IN FUNDERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14591, 29 April 1918, Page 3

SITUATION IN FUNDERS.

OBJECTIVES OF THE GERMANS.

DESCRIPTION OF ENEMY TANKS

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association) LONDON, April 27. Mr. Philip Gibbs, writing on April 27th, states; — „•■..,-..■■

A thick wet fog like London's particular at its worst, enveloped the Mt. Kemmel sector en Friday morning. Favored by the fog and the effect of their guns the attackers caused gaps m the A n gl°-French line and isolated the fVench on Kemmel Hill. Our, counter;- 1 >attack met with 1 « wicked* machine gun fire, and- we could not maintain our hold ion recaptured ground, though we did not Iqse all. ■ ~- ■< Tlie situation /m Flanders- is still 1 fierious. .The eneriiy may endeavdur to exploit his • advantage at Kemmel 'by agreat concentration of 1 sttength and 'more violent attacks, but the French army is now assisting the British, to bar the way, and "everyone ix fully confident m ■the result: « , a

I' The Australians at Villers have now joined up .the- gap which existed for a time m the. British line, and the' whole village is now m our hands. The loss of the-.enemy, if anything was underi estimated. ' <, ■ ■

■'.■ The Australians describe the German lanks as abdut 36 feefc long and 12 feet high, and broad, wifch a central turret.; Their caterpillar tracks.,.pass round several pairs of wheels, and they l'esemble «tTormous. turtles, . but are very slow. They are^armed, with two-inch guns and six machine guns, and are' -handled by Jjernich crews not specially trained. Two ibf them fled directly tliey encountered our tanks. • -

'■ It is 1 important to remember ■ -that though the Germans have apparently {'everted to- attacks with limited objectives, their : main' effort will probably nt.il! be jnade * between -Arras and "Amiens> and against the British » on the Somme and further • south. Huge Oerntan forces are-waiting m the liope that the Allied strength will be dissipated elsewhere, - ....

The object of the enemy is to uar up tho Allied - reserves. Ho ■ has still failed to separate the ' English and French armies, but a more formidable thrnst than any hitherto ,, has probably been planned m the direction of Amiens and' tne Somme estuary.