A SLEDGEHAMMER BLOW.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15872, 11 April 1917, Page 7

A SLEDGEHAMMER BLOW.

GREAT ALLIED OFFENSIVE OPENS

HAIG'S EASTER GIFT TO HINDENBURG.

NEW LINE THREATENED AT

BOTH ENDS.

WHOLE GERMAN LINE SHOWS

SIGNALS OF DISTRESS.

SIX THOUSAND PRISONERS AND MUCH

BOOTY CAPTURED.

(3rd TEAR—254th DAT.)

THE WESTERN THEATRE. GREAT OFFENSIVE BEGINS. HINDENBURG'S PLANS FRUSTRATED. LINE THREATENED AT BOTH ENDS. (By Cable —Frees Association —Copymg&t.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON. April 9. Mr Philip Gibbs, writing on Monday, says:— . •'At dawn to-day, our armies began a groat battle, which, if fate is kind, may be the beginning of the last of the .great battles of the war. "Our troops attacked on a wide front between Lens and St. Qucntuij including the Vimy Ridge, a grim lull dominating the plain of Douai and the German positions around Arras. "Despite bad weather at the outset, which did not afford our airmen the desired visibility, and obliged our troops to struggle ahead in a heavy rainstorm, the first attack was successful. The enemy lost much ground and retreated to strong rearguard lines, whero he is now fighting desperately. • "The attack covers a twelve-mile front south of Givenchy-en-Gohelle,-and is a sledge-hammer blow threatening to break the northern end of .von Hindenr burg's line, which is already threatened at St. Quentin. "As soon as the enemy was forced to retreat east of Bapaume and Poronne, he hurried up divisions and guns to counter our attack there, meanwhile preparing a new line of defence to the southward. Ho hoped to escape there before our new attack was ready. We, however, have been too quick, and his plans have been frustrated. Thus anoother titanic conflict, on which almost everything depends, was commenced today." THE ROAK OF DEATH. A DREADFUL EASTER EVE. GRAPHIC STORFOF THE FIGHT. LONDON, April 9. Describing the great offensive Mr Gibbs says:— "I have seen the fury of battle, but this was the beginning of tho most tragic and frightful sight men have ever seen. With infernal and indescribable splendour, the preliminary bombardment, which had lasted for several days, reached its height yesterday. In Arras it was hell itself. The enemy were flinging liigh explosives into tho city, clouds of shrapnel were bursting overhead, and scattered shells were exploding all round the country. Our bombardment swept Vimy from ridge to ridgo abovo tho ArrasCambrai road. There was one continuous roar of death. ■ Every battery was firing steadily. There was tragic irony in tho remembrance that tho evo of this new conflict was Easter Sunday: The church bells behind .the battlefield were ringing out the message of tho risen Christ, but there was no truco of God. As I went up tho road towards tho front trenches I saw lighting men stand | in a hollow square and bow their heads. I A chaplain was conducting an Easter service. Peasants within shelling distance were ploughing their fields. Elsewhere the only preparation for the advance was the vast concentration of infantry necessary to attack the great natural fortresses facing Arras, and defended by German massed guns. Our artillory supply columns moved up in an endless tide. At the roadsides men could bo seen, with stacked rifles, writing letters home. Before dawn they were in the midst of battle. SOMME BATTLE ECLIPSED. MAIN OBJECTIVE GAINED. TANKS CREATE CONSTERNATION. NEW YORK. April 9. Mr Simms, United Press correspondent with tho British forces ; states that the spring offensive is believed to have started with the Lens and Arras battle. The tanks are creating a consternation. The fighting is heavy, and the Canadians are involved. The main objectives have already been gained. Airmen hovered overhead rendering immense service, while marvellous work by the artillery protected the infantry, which struggled in the sleet against the German bombardment with great gallantry. Sir Simms expresses the opinion

that the present battle is greater in intensity than the Somme operations. YIMT RIDGE WON. SIX THOUSAND PRISONERS TAKEN. THIRTY SQUARE MILES GAINED. ("Tho Times.") LONDON, April 9. Vimy Ridge has been captured, with 6000 German prisoners. An area of 30 square miles has been gained, with a depth of 4000 yards, on a front of 12 miles. THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT. ENEMY DEFENCES STORMED TO DEPTH OF THREE MILES' CANADIANS TAKE VIMY RIDGE. QUANTITY OF ARTILLERY CAPTURED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Renter's Telegrams.) (Received April 10th, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Our operations continue successfully in accordance with our plan. The troops everywhere stormed tho enemy's defences from Henin-eur-Cojeul to the southern outskirts of Givenchy-en-Go-helle to a depth of from two to three miles, and the advance continues. "The enemy's forward defences on this front, including the Vimy ridge, which the Canadians carried, were captured early this morning. They comprise a network of trenches and fortified localities in the region of NeuvilleVitasse, Telegraph Hill, Tilloy-les-Mof-flaines, on observation ridge at St. Lau-rent-Blangy, Les Tilleul, and La Folie farm. "Subsequently we advanced and captured the rearward defences, including, besides other powerful trenches a»d systems, tho fortified localities of Feuchy Chapel, Feuchy, tho Hyderabad Redoubt. Athies, and Thelus. "Up till two o'clock this afternoon 5816 prisoners, of which 119 were officers, had passed tho collecting stations. Many moro hav© not yet been counted, and of these many belong to Bavarian divisions. "Our captures include guns, numbers of trench mortars, and machine-guns. [ "Further progress was made in tho neighbourhod of Haurincourt Wood. Wo captured tho village of Denicourt, and in the direction of St. Quentin the villages of Pontru and Lo Yerguier. "Aerial activity continued on Sunday with great energy. "Several successful bombarding raids were carried out, in which our machines co-operated with tho artillery with excellent results. Two enemy machines ■were destroyed and fifteen others brought down. Ten of our aeroplanes are missing." PROGRESS FURTHER SOUTH. SEVERAL VILLAGES CAPTURED. The High Commissioner reports:— LONDON, April 8 (1.55 p.m.). Sir Douglas Haig reports:— Attacking this morning on a wide front from tho south of Arras, southwards to Lcrs, wc everywhere penetrated the enemy's lines, making satisfactory progress nt all points. In the direction of Cambrai we stormed the villages of Hcrmies and Boursies, and penetrated Havrincourt Wood. In the direction of St. Quentin we captured Fresnoy-lc-Petit, and advanced our line south-eastwards of Lo Verguier. So far we have not estimated the number of prisoners, but a considerable number were captured. FRENCH ARTILLERY ACTIVE. (Australian and N.Z. Cab's Association.) (Renter's Telegrams.) LONDON, April 9. A French communique states:— In spite of bad weather, the artillery has been active in several sectors. German attacks north-west and eouth of Rheims failed. "We advanced somewhat in the region of Maisons-de-Champagne."

CONTINUES. MORE CIVILIANS KILLED. (Received April 10th, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 0. A French communique states: — "From the Sorame to the Aisne tlior© has been vigorous artillerying. The enemy particularly retaliated north o* the Aisne and against Rheiras, whicf> was intensely bombarded. There were many civilian victims. THE GERMAN ADMISSION. (Received April 10th, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. A wireless German official message states: — '"All day long there has been heavy fighting on both sides of Arras, the •enemy having penetrated parts of cur position." TERRORISING- TIIE PEASANTRY. SCENES OF DESOLATION IN FRANCE. MARK OF THE HUN EVERYWHERE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, April D. The newspapers publish some remarkable private letters describing the return of the peasants to tho re-conquered parts of France. All they say smells of the Boche; one cannot mistake the signs of his handiwork. It is awful, passing through the scenes of desolation to seo villages smouldering, churches blown up, cemeteries desecrated, and the peasants' furniture scattered outside their mined ootta.ges. All males between the ages of 15 am} 60. besides robust women, have been carried off. The men are compelled to salute Hun officers by removing their caps and lowering them to the level of tho elbow. There are frequent roll calls, and as each man answers he files past a Boche officer with his head uncovered 15 metres beforo reaching him and 15 metres after passing him. THE TABLES TURNED. HUNS COME BACK* AS PRISONERS. LONDON, April 9. The letters show that tboro nro lotft of Bocho babies about. Many women left with tho retiring Huns. Last night a party of Boche prisoners arrived at ono place. The news spread rapidly, and the villagers collected in a square and hooted and yelled at the Huns, shouting "Dirty Boches," "Murderers," "Incendiaries," "Robbers," "Assassins," "Pigo," and similar expressions. One old woman spat iu the faco of a particularly arrogant-looking Bocho officer, and exclaimed: "Dirty Bochel You 'told the truth for tho first time when you said wo should see you bock, and euro enough wo have." Thero was much merriment. j When a party of prisoners were told ' ofE to cloan up some filthy mess they had made, tho inhabitants gathered round, jeering.

" THEY'RE AWAY." THE ATTACK AT DAWN. STOLID BRITISH ADVANCE. GERMAN DEAD EVERYWHERE. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.} (Received April 10th, 8.25 p.m.) LONDON, April 9. Mr Philip Gibbs, in a second despatch. describes the first attack which took place at 5.30 a.m. Tho guns had almost ceased, and there was a strange and solemn hush. Then, with the cry "They're away!" the bombardment broke out with twenty times greater intensity than the Gorman shelling of Arras. Green lights aroso along the whole sweep of German lines, showing signals of distress. From Arras, the eastern suburb of Blangy. on the Douai road, was soon in our hands, and we were fighting forward on the higher ground beyond. The British advance was not hurried, though the enemies' shrapnel was searching the lines of tho attackers. Tho first prisoners came hack in fifteen minutes. Already tho British wounded reported that wc were through four enemy lines. German dead were lying thick everywhere, and tho living were surrendering in hundreds. The British went stolidly through the enemy trench system to Feuchy, in the marshes, below tho river Scarpe, four miles cast of Arras. The enemy's trench system south of Arras was enormously strong, but our infantry went, through without much loss, and, after heavy fighting, reached Observation ridge, whcncc the enemy for two and a half years have been directing artillery fire against the British and French positions. With tho holp of tanks, we took two formidable positions south of Tilloy, called tho Harp and Telegraph Hill. Wo captured the whole system of trenches from north of the river Scarpe to Whitehouse Wood. Further north the Canadians, along the Vimy ridge achieved heroic success by gaining this dominating ground, which has been tho scene of some of tho fiercest Franco-German battles and is the great wall defending Douai. Over 3000 prisoners were taken before noon. GENERALS AVOID ERRORS. CASUALTIES UNEXPECTEDLY LIGHT. SUCCESS EXCEEDS ANTICIPATION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, April 10. Correspondents at British Headquarters state that the British Generals commanding in the offensive avoided tho errors of Neuve ChappeUc and Loos. Owing to the splendid artillery preparations the casualties at the opening stages of the battlo were unexpectedly light. Tho majority of British wounded were shrapnclled during the German bombardment prior to the actual attack. It is too early to speak of a great victory, but the opening success is beyond expectations. The British have generally established themselves on the third German line. Tho day's fighting represents a minimum gain of 30 square miles. Tho Harp Redoubfc would havo been a difficult problem but for the tanks. These "seven o'clocks" calmly wallowed through the mud and shell craters to Telegraph Hill, whonce they exerted a powerful moral influence on the Harp garrison. There was very hard fighting at Arraß between the angle of the railway lines to Douai and Lens.

THE GERMAN VERSION. TAKING INTENDED COURSE. (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.) (Renters Telegrams.) (Received Ap>'ril lltli, 12.5 a.m.) LONDON. April 9. tireless German official rcpoi t states .—The battle of Arras, which commenced this morning, contninues. Thero have been minor engagements between Arras and the roads from Cambrai to Poronno. Those aro taking the course we intended. Seventeen enemy aeroplanes and two captive balloons were brought down on Sunday. TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. MR GERARD'S REVELATIONS. DOGS TRAINED TO BITE •PRISONERS. (Australian and Cable Association.) (Received April 11th, 12.55 a.m.) ■WASHINGTON, April 10. Mr Gerard, ex-American Ambassador at Berlin, in a spcech, said ho had seen German townspeople punished for giving water to a trainload of famished Canadian prisoners. "I have seen German boys shoot arrows tipped with nails at prisoners," said Mr Gerard. "Sheep dogs arc trained to bito the prisoners, and aro taken through the camps. "French and British prisoners aro housed with Russian prisoners infected with typhoid."