The sun., 1918-05-30
100000 HURLED
AGAINST ALLIES
At Least 20 Divisions Used by
Enemy on Front of
30 Miles.
BRITONS' GALLANT STAND
German Attack Made on Forces
That Had Endured First
Offensive.
BRITONS' GALLANT STAND
BY PERRY ROBIN SON.

Special Cabie Despatch 10 TBE ScS from the
London Tim<s.
Copyright. 1918: oil viohn reserred.
BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE. May IS (delayed).-Yester-
days and to-day's German attacks were
made over front OF approximately
thirty miles, Of which twelve miles on
the right was held by British divisions
AS it Is evident that at least twenty
German divisions (24O.0o0 men) were
employed it Is easy to understand that
the strain upon our line must have been
tremendous.
The British troops seem to have held
their ground with the utmost stubborn
ness On the extreme left the British
line was compelled to swing back. al
though the action was methodical They
pivoted on the left centre. fighting hard
all the way The left centre and the
right up TO a late hour to-day held al
most their original positions. suose-
quen,ly falling back slowly In conform
ity to the movement on their left.
Field Marshal Haig bears eloquent
testimony to the fine character OF their
behavior. The significance OF the mem
ton Of these divisions will be under
stood when 1t Is remembered that all
four had been mentioned previously for
the gallant share they bore in this
springs offensive and that two. the
Twenty-first and the Twenty-fifth, had
been mentioned twice.
Eighth Divisions Record.
Tho E,Chth Division which was m
the Somme March ~, had to bear the
weight OF the attacks by the Branden-
burg corps. After suffering heavily in
that fighting the Eighth again bore the
brunt OF the German attack a month
later at the village OF Bretonneux.
The present struggle. in which this unit
Is holding the line of Berry-au-Bac, Is
the third time the division has been in
fighting Of the severest character in two
months.
The Twenty -irst Division received its
first mention on April 81 for its splendid
work at Chapel HILL Peizieles and
Epehy. 1t also was In the heavy fighting
at Voormezeele on April 2s. On April
80 It repelled a determined German at
tack southeast Of that place.
The Twenty-sixth Division had an ex-
| tremely trying time in the fighting at
Rapaume and the Cambrai road. The
division then moved to I1oegsteert Wood
and almost Immediately was called on
to stand second great German attack
on April 3. 1t shared in the glory OF
the German repulse on April 80.
The Fifteenth Division was mentioned
for the stoutness OF its fighting on the
Lys on April ?. 1t is tho third time this
been thrown against all the weight OF
the German attacks. tho heaviest attacks
beyond doubt ever delivered In war.
After considering this fact 1t is un-
necessary to say that these units must
have included considerable numbers of
new drafts and tho Germans doubtless
counted upon that fact.
With divisions OF which the older
parts had received such hammering and
the rest was made up Of new men. why
should not the enemy apprehend that
he would t,nd them easy to break? In
the face OF the facts II is evident that
all alike must have behaved supcrbly.
shelling In Various Sectors.
On the rest of the British front there
has been much shellinR In various sec
tors during tho last few days. There
have been some rains. but none OF mag
nitude. The weather all over the front
has been hne and the visibility good,
Yesterdays attack was upon such a
-------------------