WAR CORRESPONDENTS’ OPINIONS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11613, 12 August 1918, Page 5

WAR CORRESPONDENTS’ OPINIONS.

A GREAT VICTORY

SEVEN MILES IN FIRST ADVANCE

London, August 11

Mr Percival Phillips says; It is a great victoiy The Second German Army has suffered a humiliating reverse. Much of its organisation, covering the open country before Amiens, has been practically destroyed. Ido not think the war has yielded such stories of rout and confusion of trained soldiers. The outstendng feature hvs been the complete success of the tanks, cavalry, and armoured cars. In delivering the first shock, the tanks and horsemen did amazing things. The tanks charged huts in which the headquarters of the 11th German Army Corps was stationed at Framervilie, and pursued the corps staff down roads and across the fields. From the forward machine gun nests to the snug headquarters at Framervilie, the fugitives left a trail of debris and booty, dropped pellmell in a wild desire to reach the Somme. The correspondent traversed eight miles of reclaimed country. Every yard revealed fresh proof of _ the enemy’s consternation and inability to check the panic of bis troops. TOfl Daily Chronicle’s correspou deut,£Mr Neviuson, says; The advance northward of the Somme continues to be slow. Morlancourt is still in the enemy’s hands. A strong counter-attack ’on Thursday afternoon xesulted in the Germans recapturing Gressairel Wood, southeast of Morlancourt, also Chipilly, from which he inflicted damage on our tanks and guns during their advance over the plain The Daily Chronicle’s correspondent says: Evidenced that our surprise has been startling is shown by the fact that'r«ined houses and dugouts were full |of personal belongings—letters,“official papers, photographs, books and clothing. Row upon row of dug-outs and caves had been constructed in the chalky cliffs on the Somme reminiscent of the Anzao precipice caves, but the Somme shelters were in the open plain, twenty and thirty feet deep. Colonel Repiugton says : The attach apparently struck at the point of junction between Prince Rnpprecht and the Crown Prince’s army gronps. There may be some delay in bringing up German reserves because it is always more difficult for them to reach the wings, but it is premature tofsnppose *we have finished the battle. Sir Douglas Haig has smashed eight German divisions, hut there must be nearly one hundred divisions at Germany’s dispos al, excluding seventy-four engaged on the Marne and those between Verdun and Switzerland. Twentythree of these divisions consist of goad storm troops not recently engaged. Loudon, August 11.

General Maurice says: I do not think tnere has been any battle in the West since trench warfare began, in 'which we, the Alllies, or the Germans ever before penetrated seven miles in the first advance. It seems improtabie that the er.emy will be able to maintain himself in the Seye-Montdidier sailent.* He certainly must ma’se a withdrawal comparable with tint on the Marne, if w*e captors the Chanlnes railway inaction. The best the Germans cin hope for is that their reserves will arrive in time to prevent such a disaster.

Mr Robinson states: The relatively great- number of German dead is the most striking feature cf the trrn battlefield on the sanrsrre Plateau. It is beyond anything I bare over seen. The losses in one right were ten times greater than ours, me completeness cf tne enemy's retie and'the overwhelming power ox cur artillery arc everywhere in evidence. Enormous masses of scattered material and arms were found, including whole deserted Vaster iss, amid piles of untonened aixmuition.