OFFENSIVE SPIRIT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15130, 26 January 1917, Page 5

OFFENSIVE SPIRIT.

FIGHTING ON THE ANOEE. NEW RAIDING TACTICS. LONDON, January 14. Reuter’s correspondent at the British headquarters states that in the fighting on January * 10 and 11, near BeaumontHamel, an interesting departure from the usual tactics occurred. The trench raiding aimed at the mastery of positions and the damaging of the morale of the enemy, who had become expectant of a respite owing to the bad state of the weather. The raids resulted in depriving the enemy of the observation of a large area of our positions and the capture of 300 Bavarian and Prussian prisoners. Whirlwind bombardments preceded the infantry advances. French correspondents state that the two days’ battle was not an offensive, but it was more than a raid. Perhaps the culminating point was a series of coups de main, with which, at Ypres and on the Somme, the British demonstrated a determined offensive spirit. Without relaxation, day and nio-ht, they harrassed the enemy’s lines, depriving him of repose, learning his secrets, and wearing him out. These multiplied local combats occur in the most unexpected localities, while the artillery and infantry keep up offensive warfare along the whole front. Monsieur Andre Tudesq, correspondent of the Petit Parisien, says that the Bodies north of the Arcre considered their redoubts invulnerable. The British Tommies found most of the Germans undressed, and the officers had no time to pull on their hoots. The crest of the position was stormed on a front of 1200 yards, and four officers and 172 men were taken prisoners.