WITH THE AUSTRALIANS

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11615, 14 August 1918, Page 2

WITH THE AUSTRALIANS

.r A RAPID ADVANCE GERMANS SURPRISED IN CUBBY HOLES TAnst. and N.Z, Cable AfMociatioaJ "London, August 13. Mr Gilmour, writing from the , Australian headquarters on Satur- \ day, regarding the Australian ad- | vance, saj 7 s the first day there was not a rout, the enemy retiring steadily, but all semblance of order vanished by Friday evening. Latest | prisoners declare that they did not expect a further advance after first day and thought themelves fairly secure in little cubby holes dug

overnight. I saw scores of German dead round machine-gun posts, and many { Germans struggling painfully back to our lines. Our casualties are i 1 nothing like so many as in previous ■ battles. A little knot of wounded came straggling back across the j vast battle field, mostly suffering ! from machine gun bullet wounds. I Among our captures was the head- ! quarters of a unit, fitted in truly I German style, carpets on the floors, ; electric light, elaborate scheme of j telephones and dump, comfortable dugouts, where an enormous quantitygof documents and gear had been abandoned. Here we found la packet of 250 Iron Grosses ready for distribntinon The capture included gramaphones, bits, bedding, libraries and many personal belongings, proving the hastiness of the retreat. It is amazing to see the Australians swaggering round in German officers tunics.