ENEMY'S GREAT SURPRISE STROKE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17154, 4 December 1917, Page 5

ENEMY'S GREAT SURPRISE STROKE.

A BEWILDERING RUSH.

Received December 3, 8.3 0 p.m LONDON, November 2

Mr. Gibbs, describing the fighting round Cambrai, says: The enemy seemed to be apparently concentrating their efforts during the past week on the northern side of the salient, but meanwhile were secretly concentrating heavy forces on our right flank, intenidng to strike through the weakest part of the salient, hoping to cut off a great number of Britishers. Our forward lines on the right flank were held thinly, and when this sudden weight of men was flung against them they were forced to give way, and the enemy broke through the lines. The surprise was so great that our men in most cases were unaware of the break through until they saw the Germans swarming close to them. A gunner told me that when an officer shouted "Stand to the guns," he rushed to his battery and saw a great number of advancing Germans with machine-guns only 300 yards away. The surprise was stupefying. The guns were laid directly on the enemy's ranks and several rounds fired, which tore great gaps in their lines, but others filled them. The gunners were almost surrounded before they abandoned the battery and ran for their lives The gunners, joining the infantry, were given rifles, and participated in counteratta'hks, which recaptured Gozeaucourt and drove back the enemy.