THE WESTERN FRONT

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13752, 27 April 1918, Page 5

THE WESTERN FRONT

THE GERMAtU OFFENSIVE MOST FIERCELY PUSHED. AUSTRIAN TROOPS ENGAGED. (United Service.) Received April 27, 12.40 a.m. LONDON, April 25, 11 p.m. Heavy fighting is proceeding round Villers Bretonneux, where Austrians are engaged. The Germans advanced on Dranoutre and stormed Kemmel. Counter-attacks are proceeding. A press correspondent at British headquarters states that the northern offensive is being fiercely pressed. The Germans advanced on the slopes of Mont Kemmel.

RECAPTURE OF VILLERS BRETONNEUX. ENCIRCLED BY AUSTRALIANS. THE GERMANS ENTRAPPED. SKILFUL AND DARING GENERALSHIP ATTACK WITH RIFLES AND BAYONETS. WITHOUT ARTILLERY SUPPORT. MOST IMPORTANT POSITION REGAINED. GREAT HEAPS OF GERMAN DEAD. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received April 27, 8.45 a.m. LONDON, April 26. Mr Philip Gibbs states that a couple of bodies of Australians encircled Villers Bretonneux, while the British fought through the village from the north, and the Germans were thui entrapped. The number of German dead exceeds Lagnicourt.

The Australian attack on Villers Bretonneux at 10 p.m. was a piece of skilful and daring generalship. The Australians, who were sent out in the darkness without artillery, relied on their rifles and bayonets, and recaptured a most important position. Great heaps of German dead now lie around the village. Mr Percival Phillips, describing the carnage of Germans at Villers Bretonneux, writes thai English and Australian officers agree that they have never seen the dead so thick on anv battlefield.

County Regiments' Terrible Ordeal. The English County regiments holding Villcrs endured a terrible ordeal of monstrous fire, which many say was the worst seen in the whole war. Fin T ally the enemy turned the western side of the village. Four German divisions, each of i2 regiments in full strength, managed to fight a way into the village. The Middlesex Regiment, West Yorks, and East Lancashires put up a great fight, but were compelled to retire to the edge of Yillers Bretonneux with men and machine-guns. The moon was veiled by a thick, wet mist. The Australian general decided that his men should go straight into the attack with bayonets and machine-guns without waiting for an artillery preparation, which would tell the enemy what was coming. The plan of attack was to push forward two bodies, encircling Villers, while the Northampton and other British troops in the centre fought through the village from the north.

This manoeuvre was carried out successfully owing to the magnificent courage of each of the Australian bodies. The Germans fought desperately when they found themselves trapped. They had nests of machine-guns along the railway embankment below the village, and these fired fiercely, sweeping away the attackers. Those who worked' round the north-east of the village also came under bursts of machine-gun fire from the ruins, but they fought the enemy from one bit of ruin to another in the streets.