The German tanks

The severe fighting in the Villers-Bretonneux area continued through the night. Yesterday morning, after a terrific bombardment lasting about four hours, the Germans attacked on a front of between four and five miles. The first attacks were beaten off, but later the enemy succeeded in forcing back the left of the British line and last evening saw them in possession of Villers-Bretonneux.
By noon today it appears to have been again in our hands. The attack which rewon the village was made by Australians, with some British battalions cooperating. Savage fighting went on in the streets and on the roads, and it is the kind of fighting at which one Australian is better than many Germans. We are closing in and reducing the last enemy nests in the village, and by evening I believe the original positions will be restored.

One interesting feature in this attack has been the first employment of the much-talked-of German Tanks. It is not known that more than five were engaged, but these assisted in the attack on Villers-Bretonneux. They came round on our positions in the village from south and west. Eye-witnesses say that they are bigger than ours, with large turrets. At least one passed clear over a trench held by men of the Middlesex Regiment, who fired at it with rifles and revolvers as it went. Four or five enemy Tanks fell in with two of ours, and the first engagement between land ironclads took place. One of our machines was crippled, when a third British Tank hove in sight and joined in the attack. The newcomer knocked out one of the enemy, and the rest appear to have made their escape. Elsewhere on the battlefield British light Tanks were engaged and did fine work, some of them coming back with sides splashed with blood, for, besides using their guns, they were able to ram the enemy, and managed in several cases to get into bunches of Germans.
Besides this severe fighting on the south of the British front, the Germans this morning began the long-expected renewal of their attacks in the Kemmel area. With other troops in reserve, they are in strength enough for very heavy fighting, but we have complete confidence in the French, who hold the most critical positions, and in the cooperation of the two Armies.