Benner Collection, 18th April, 1918
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The Palestine News
The Weekly Newspaper of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force of the British Army
in in Occupied Enemy Territory.
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The Palestine News
The Weekly Newspaper of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force of the British Army
in in Occupied Enemy Territory.
WAR NEWS OF THE WEEK
GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE
THE SECOND PHASE. BRITISH LINE HOLD FIRM.
London, 13th. – (2 p.m.) - Heavy fighting developed yesterday evening in the
neighbourhood of Veuve Eglise and Wulverghem, and was still continuing late
last night. We advanced our line
slightly in the neighbourhood of Festubert, securing a few prisoners. The enemy launched a strong attack, preceded
by a heavy bombardment, east of Locon, and succeeded in entering our lines at certain
points, but he was driven out by a counter-attack. We beat off a second attack later in the
night, and also repulsed an attack west of Merville.
London, 13th. – (11.55 p.m.) - As a result of last night’s fighting in the
neighbourhood of Neuve Eglise, the enemy succeeded, after a prolonged struggle,
in forcing his way into the village, but our vigorous counter-attacks this morning
drove him out, and we took a number of prisoners, including a battalion commander. We successfully repulsed later an attack here
and also a number of other attacks at different points along the battle front
north of La Bassée Canal. Three separate
attacks on our line south-west, west and north of Mervill in each case were
repulsed after heavy fighting. We successfully
drove back an attempted attack south of Meteren, and also beat off four attacks
launched against our positions south-east of Bailleul and heavy casualties were inflicted on
the enemy. This afternoon a hostile
attack in strength developed between Beteren-Bacque river, south-west of
Meteren, and Wulverghem, and severe fighting is taking place on the whole of
this front.
THE
WAR IN THE AIR
London,
13th. – Atmospheric conditions were favourable for flying yesterday
and there was a great concentration of our aeroplanes on the battle front. Large numbers of low-flying machines were
employed in bombing and machine-gunning roads packed with enemy troops. Thirty-six tons of bombs were dropped and
over 100,000 rounds of ammunition were fired by us. Other formations flying at
a greater height engaged the enemy’s aeroplanes, which were extremely active in
this sector. Other machines reconnoitered
the battle are, bringing back information regarding the positions of our own
and the enemy’s troops. Forty hostile aeroplanes
were brought down and twenty driven down out of control. In addition two were shot down by our
anti-aircraft-guns. Three hostile
balloons were also destroyed. Twelve of
our machines are missing. Incessant bombing
was carried out all night long, over twenty-two tons of bombs being dropped on
different targets, including the Don and Donai railway stations, two important
railway junctions between Mezières and Rheims, and roads leading to the battle
front in the neighbourhood of Estaires.
OTHER REPORTS
London,
13th. – Field Marshal Haig’s grave and moving appeal to the
troops has profoundly stirred the nation, indicating that the struggle has
reached a point that may even prove decisive in the war.
Correspondents
add little to Reuter’s account of the heroic British fighting, but the details
they give emphasise the supreme courage
with which small bodies held on to outposts, sometimes isolated and sometimes
thinly in touch with other bodies, but all the time inflicting bloody
losses. The 9th and 51st
Divisions are prominently mentioned in these accounts. The feats of the Liverpool
battalions and other Lancashire troops, the Durham Light Infantry, the Royal
Scots, the Royal Scottish Fusiliers, the Black Watch and the Gordons, though
singled out for special mention are but representative of the conduct of the
whole army. Particular praise is
accorded to the fighting at Messines ridge of the Scots and South Africans. The Times
mentioning the latter in an editorial article says that their conduct on
Thursday was just as fine as it was on Wednesday when their counter-attack
recovered the ridge. Despite their
losses, on Thursday they thrust back the Germans from the high ground from the
ridge to the Messines-Wytschaete road and held the reconquered ground against
repeated counter-attacks.
THE
PALESTINE FRONT
April 13th. – The enemy attack on the Ghoraniyeh bridgehead
on the 11th April was repulsed with great loss. 307 Turks were counted in front of the
bridgehead defences, and many fresh graves were also seen. A total of 2 officers and 81 men were taken
during this fighting.
North of Kaikilieh two hostile aeroplanes were driven down
out of control.
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