THE STAND AT KEMMEL

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13753, 29 April 1918, Page 5

THE STAND AT KEMMEL

FRENCH GARRISON S FATE. ALL ENTIRELY DESTROYED. NEW BRITISH TANKS. (The Times.) Received April 28, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, April 27. Mr Ferric Robinson gives a vivid description of the fighting at Kemmel Hill. An intense bombardment comn<enced at midnight and continued till 4 a.m., when an attack was delivered on a wide front near Wytschaete, held by the British, along the front of Kemmel and west of Dranoutre, held by the French. Penetration seems to have been made at two points simultaneously. As the Franco-British junction east of Kemmel and through the French to the west. The enemy pouring in on both sides surrounded Kemmel and cut off the garrison. Fighting certainly continued on the hillcrest for seven to eight hours till the middle of the afternoon. The garrison had sworn never to give up Kemmel alive. One can only roughly picture the scene. As the Germans swarmed up the hill the Frenchmen, taken on both flanks and in the rear, fought with lessening numbers in a gradually reduced area. ! Finally only the hilltop, was crowned with blue as the defenders, facing all ways, made their last stand. When all is known I believe that the last fight of the French at Kemmel will stand as one of the most stirring episodes of the war. Kemmel is the first in a chain of isolated hills running eastward to Mont des Cats and Cassel, ■each dominating and giving observation over a wide area of country. Meanwhile our line has fallen back between Kemmel and the next height, Scherpenberg, tlienee north-east to Vierstraat, thence cast to Grand Bois, near Wyts. el'aete. From the left to here our 'ine is held under very hard fighting. The enemy had penetrated 1000 yards south-west of Wytschaete before the Royal Scots, who were in the front line, knew that the battle had begun. Futher north the Camerons held the line for nine hours of savage fighting till ordered to fall back to conform to the new positions. The Scottish troops, including the Black Watch, inflicted extremely heavy casualties and captured many prisoners. Mr Robinson states that our new light tanks were wonderfully effective. The crew of one got amongst two German battalvions and declare that they killed 1000. Their speed enabled them to run down and crush masses of the enemy.