ENEMY GAINS NOT IMPORTANT.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 24, 26 March 1918, Page 3

ENEMY GAINS NOT IMPORTANT.

MAGNIFICENT DEFENCE. LONDON, March 24. Reuter’s correspondent at British Headquarters states that the offensive is proceeding. The weather is glorious. Definite details are still unobtainable. Despite our giving ground under unprecedented weight of men and guns, the enemy ’s gains are nowhere of real strategic importance. The withdrawal everywhere was,carried out in an orderly manner after exacting a fearful price. The airmen report that the ground in the enemy’s rear is strewn with grey corpses.

It has been noted that all the attacking troops are clad in new uniforms, and it is remembered horeanont that Hindcuburg boasted that he would be in Paris on April Ist. Anyway ho is certainly essaying to break through in record time, and as his divisions melt away under torrents of shells and bullets, fresh ones are flung in. Forty Guards, had been identified in the front line attack by last night. Already some troops have been relieved.

Responsible quarters are gratified at the magnificent manner in which our troops are withstanding the ordeal. Not a single division has failed or faltered. Against one sector of 10,000 yards it has been estimated that the Germans employed one gun to every fifteen yards, not counting trench mortars. It is noteworthy that some of the actual retirements were made only upon orders after the troops had held trenches intact throughout a whole day of violent assaults. The first dense wives of yesterday’s attacks were frequently held up by our wire. The Germans halted and hacked their way through, whilst our riflemen and gunners were making a veritable shambles of the ground. The enemy fought with sturdy valour, or they wore picked divisions participating. At one place eight German divisions attacked a front held by eight battalions. Our front lino hero had been destroyed by weight of metal, but the supports achieved a great defence. They not only held the enemy, but completed the withdrawal last evening of some of their divisions. The Germans lost a certain number of guns through entering our barrage. Gas shells have been largely used. We are employing projectors, neutralising whole batteries thereby. A correspondent writes: Nowhere were the initial successes greater than anticipated. Our machine guns and field guns decimated solid masses at close range. Eastward of Flesquieres the enemy’s attack was a total failure. South of St. Quentin one of our divisions beat off six divisions, and then withdrew reluctantly, the men worn out with the mere slaughtering. There was a scene of bloody fighting at De Criresy and Norcnil. Nine German divisions on a front of 12,000 yards succeeded in advancing 3000 yards, but suffered enormously. An adjoining attack was wiped out in No Man’s Land. Succeeding waves were also killed, when finally our troops fell back with the right, and continued fighting, holding the advancing waves in check. Our line, if withdrawn, holds absolutely firm on the whole front. There is not the smallest sign yet of any break through. The morale of the British troops is magnificent. The enemy’s losses are vastly in excess of ours. The Germans will, of course, trumpet a gigantic victory, but we are just as cool as when the attack began, and have left nothing undone to secure victory.