German assault withstood

ON the New Zealanders’ front early on the morning of April 5, the enemy increased his artillery activity. He shelled our front line, searched the roads and battery positions, and bombarded the villages, in which many civilians are still clinging to their homes. Among the casualties was an old woman. A shell landed in her bedroom and blew off part of her leg and foot.

We were aware that the enemy had brought up against us the best part of a new reserve division, which had not been as yet in the great push, and his

artillery preparation indicated that he was about to attack. At 9 o’clock his advancing troops were seen through the drizzling rain and mist, advancing from south of the Serre road on a front of 2000 yards. They probably overwhelmed some of our outposts, which were held by only a few men.

At first the enemy came on in parties of fours and fives.

Immediately the New Zealand rifles rang out, and our machine guns began to stutter with deadly effect, and the German groups quickly melted away. These advance parties were followed by other waves, but they were met with withering fire, and nowhere did they get nearer than 200 yards to our trenches.

Not content with their machine gun and rifle fire, so eager were some of our men that they ‘‘topped the bags’’ and advanced to meet the foe in No Man’s Land. — Shrapnel.