SCOTLAND FOR EVER!

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16115, 25 April 1918, Page 7

SCOTLAND FOR EVER!

HIGHLANDERS’ GALLANT. FIGHT. FIVE DAYS’ REARGUARD ACTION. LONDON, April 5. Mr. Hamilton Fyfe (“Daily Mail ), describing a very gallant fight m the first days of the great battle, said that the 51st Highland Division held a line astride the Bapaume-Cambrai Road, including the villages of Boursies Diognies and Hermies. A gas-shell bombardment on March 21 caused them to think that infantry attacks were not intended. . This was followed by a high explosive deluge of shells, which blew off the gas fumes, and the Highlanders waited tor an attack, prepared to repel it at all points. They expected that it would be made frontally, and the men in the front line peered anxiously into the chilly, clinging mist. They saw no signs of an offensive, however, till at 9 o’clock the divisional headquarters received the startling announcement that the enemy was attacking battalion headquarters near Boursies. BLOW IN THE BACK. As the battalion headquarters were behind the lines the first blow was a blow in the back, and it was followed by a most dangerous thrust. The Germans pounred in behind the Highlanders, attacking the Seaforths’ headquarters. Said a colonel: “The first I knew they were machine-gunning me from behind. I was talking to a padre and a doctor, and I said, ‘You fellows had better clear out.’ They went, and running into the Germans arms, were taken prisoners.” A gunner officer telephoned, “Troops are moving behind u# I think they or* 1 Germans.” His next message was: “They are in my trench.” Then there was silence. The Black Watch, though surprised, fought like tiger-cats. The Highlanders were in a bad way, the enemy having uncovered their flank from the rear. They made the best of it, however. They had a good communication trench, seven feet deep, running at right angles to the line they expected to defend. This became the frontline, and enabled them to keep the enemy at bay for hours, inflicting bloody losses. Ono officer used 40 machine-gun belts. Finally he was carried off, shot in both legs. The communication trench was turned at 2 o’clock. The enemy kept pouring through the breach in the lines, westward of Queant and Pronvillo, too fast to be held, and the 51st were compelled to retreat. For five days the 51st fought a continuous rearguard action. They occupied trenches at Hermies on the night of tho 22nd. The Germans attacked on two sides, and were repeatedly beaten off. The capture of Monchies again brought the enemy in their rear, compelling them to retreat to a line from Ypres to Beugny, where the Gordons, pioneers, engineers, and everybody available, held a lino north of Beugny against repeated assaults. The colonel of the Gordons was twice wounded, the second time as ho was being carried off in a stretcher. The satisfaction of killing Germans kept the Highlanders going. It was the 51st which reduced a German battalion to 112. but numbers were exhausted at the end of the retreat, and walked reeling. Now they are rested they are as fit as ever. Tbej saved all their, aimsg