FLANDERS BATTLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12084, 13 August 1917, Page 4

FLANDERS BATTLE.

HOW ATTACK WAS LAUNCHED. ?Tr O. E. W. Bean, official correspondent with the Australian forces cabling from British Headquarters on-July 31, says :--- None of the. few spectators who looked down on tho commencement of this morning's tremendous battle ever saw a bombardment even approaching it. One of the most tremendous bombardments in history was that preceding our own battle of Pozieres. Another was the bombardment at Messmes. But tins one lasted over _ a greater space of time and ended with a more portentous deluge of artillery tire than any known battle. While it was still three days off its completion one entire. German division retired bodily, and was peremptorily ordered hack to wipe nut the stain on its honour by reoccupying what i< could of the old trenches. _ Every possible effort had to be exercised by the German officers to prevent the men, even in the .support trenches, from getting away to the rear on any possible excuse.

This morning, just as the hillsides overlooking!; the. "i'pres salient werg beginning "to shew grey, and the dark shapes of lives to appear velvet-black against the dawn, along portion of the horizon far to the north there showed a sort of chain of brilliant rose-coloured bubbles. J.t was the sign which gave the word "go"' to tho battle on the Flanders front. The Gorman staff had warned tho units that tho Allies might bo expected to begin the battle any morning, between three and live o'clock, but t.ill tha't moment everything was normal. Onlv near the fiooge and M'--nin raid, the scene of innumerable fierce conflicts during this loug three years, German flares were going up literally in sheaves. But even there, also, night seemed to have quietened down, when iliai sudden red glow appeared on the northern horizon.

The next instant ibc whole plain was' twinkling with flashes, like the lights of a great town seen from a svrittlypassing train. V.'liite electric flashes, sulphurous incandescent flashes, innumerabie vin-poiuts :md spees.of brilliant light, glittered around the whole great semi-circle of the Ypres salient. As far to the north a- the <>\o could reach the low<fr edge of tho soft grey clouds which overhung this grey morning nickered with a continuous running band of reflect ed light. Almost immediately there- rose fiorn the Germans green and red flares, until within three minutes f;om the. start the whole creat plain ralr.indod (inu irresistibly of one gigantic railway junction, with red and green signals crowded in from the horizon. Gradually, theso lights became fewer, but for fifty minutes the continuous drumfire of"the, guns seemed to show iittlo cessation. Then the dusfc and smoke of the battle gradually rose and sfified them. Through the haze no men or tanlka could be seen—only little pin-points of shrapnel, bursting out over the ground which had not 1.-cen trodden by British feet since tho historic days when thfi Seventh British Division fought its never-to-be-forgotten battles aloug the Menin Road. For on to that ground of imperishable memory British troops have broken to-day—grouw sacred to the memory of that little British regular army -which made its last and greatest sacrifice there. As I write tho British divisions are well out into that historic soil.

The in determining Upon. thc-ir Jines of resistance, decided upon putting their greatest fresh fighting strength in the main front position. Three days before the battle they relieved the tired divisions, sent entirely fresh troops to the front line, and 'brought the tired divisions out to hold the further lines. _ lii is through) the line of frosh divisions that ta4 British have already broken. In this great battle the Australian troops have played a small part, an<| played it thoroughly well. Some of the latest Australian units in France, on the fLank of the great attack, 'w©ff© given the task of capturing nearly® score of tough enemy outposts in froSa of his main line. These posts wer® taken at once. lam told that the Germans immediately counter-attacked, but were beaten back. Some Australian artillery was also employed in the battle. So was launched, this morning, what may be ttte greatest battle of the war.