WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7914, 4 August 1917, Page 3

WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.

COLONEL REPINGTON’S OPINION. LONDON, August 3. Colonel Repington says that considering the extraordinary difficulties of the terrain and its defences and the strength of the defenders the opening phases of the third battle of Ypres will always remain a wonderful achievement.

The British army objectives did not include the enemy’s main artillery positions. Therefore large captures of guns were not anticipated. The enemy was alarmed at his previous gun losses and kept his guns far back, saving them at the expense of his infantry, who fought less valiantly than usual.

Sir Douglas Haig employed merely a fraction of the troops at his disposal. As the reputation of the German command is at stake and the spirit of the troops cannot stand these continuous defeats and immense losses it must be expected that the German staff shortly will try to do something to restore its much-tarnished prestige.