ENEMY CHECKED

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16267, 18 July 1918, Page 7

ENEMY CHECKED

ALLIED LINE HOLDS FIRM. GREAT BATTLE STILL RAGING. SUCCESSFUL NEW ZEALAND RAID. FOURTH YEAR—3slst DAY,

THE OFFENSIVE. GERMANS HELD. GREAT BATTLE PROCEEDING. The High. Commissioiier reports:— LONDON, July 15. A French official report states: — "The Germans are everywhere held. There has been intense fighting, with heavy enemy losses. The attack was not lenewed last night." (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z Cable Association.) (Heuter** Telegrams.)

LONDON, July 16 a a.m.). A French communique Btates: — j "The German attack commenced about 4.30 in the morning, and continued all day long, on both sides of Rheims, with unabated violence. "West of llheims there were furious struggles in the region of Rouilly Court, Hiezy, and Vassy, to south of the Marne, which the enemy succeeded in crossing at some points. vigorous American counter-attack drove back to the north bank enemy elements,. which had reached the southern bank to the west of Fossoy." j LONDON, July 16. A French communique says:— j "Between .Dormans and Rhoims the French and'ltalians are tenaciously .-e----sistrng on the line Chateau-sur-Marn*, Cauchery, Marfausa, and Bouilly. "East of Rheims the attack extended from Sellery to Main de Maasiges, and encountered an impregnable defence. "The enemy renewed his efforts against Prunay and Resmarquises, in the regions north of Prosnes an 3 Souain, but despite repeated attacks has been unable to broach the fighting position." (Received July 17th, 4.40 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. A French communique states:— "The battle continues. Towards the end of the afternoon and yesterday evening it redoubled in violence between I Chateau-Thierry and Rheims, the enemy accentuating his effor' -. to enlarge hi» gains. He launched ruinous attacks, | the fighting being particularly, violent j south of the Marne, in" the region of Chatillon. "The French and American troops resisted the enemy magnificently, and counter-attacked vigorously on. several occasions." "South of the Marne the Germans were unable to pass the line St. Agnan- i La Chapelle-Monthonon. j "In the southern confines of the Forest of Bouquigny we took a thousand prisoners. In this region we hold Mareuil."North of the Marne we held the enemy at the southern approaches to l

Chatillon and south of the eastern borders of Rodemat Wood. "The r e is no appreciable change on the rest of the line. '■'The enemy made no attempt during the night east of Rheims. | "The Germans, exhausted by the fruitless struggle yesterday, were un-' able to pass beyond our cover zone, 1 which runs through Prunay and the southern borders of the woods northward of the Roman high road as far as the Suippe region. j "North of Souain and Perthes our battle positions have not been en-; crouched upon anywhere. j "Prisoners report that the German losses yesterday were extremely high." THE GERMAN REPORT. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Heutei'a Telegrams.) Admiralty per Wu-eiesa Pims. LONDON, July 16. A German official message says:— "To the sou til-westward and eastward of iiheims we penetrated parts of the French positions."

AMERICAN TROOPS' GOOD WORK. (Australian and N.Z. Cabta Association.) (Reuter'a Telegrams.) NEW YORK, July 16. An American official message dated July loth, says:— "Eastward of Chateau-Thierry, where the enemy succeeded this morning in gaining some ground, we counter-at-tacked and drove them_ ( back to the Marite. We took 500 prisoners. "In the Vosges fivo trench raids were attempted by the enemy, and broke down." WASHINGTON, July 16. The Americans drove the Germans across the Marne in tlio Fossoy region. (Received July 17th, 5.5 p.m.)

LONDON, July 16. A message from Outer's correspondent at American Headquarters, dated Monday evening, states that the Americana in the river bend now command the river front. Therefore the German plan is here completely upset. A famous German division on the left bank attempted all day to cross, but all its assaults withered under the American firo, and not a single German crossed. The prisoners taken during the counterattack numbered between a thousand and fifteen hundred, including a complete brigade staff. The Germans retired hesitatingly at first, but soon many broke and ran, and within three hours the enemy was driven back from the river. The American machine gunners contributed most effectively to defeating the enemy plans. (Received July 17th, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. The American connter-attack on the Marne, in which a thousand prisoners were captured, was a most brilliant episode. The Americans held a fourkilometre front, where the bombardment was the heaviest to which the i Americans have ever been subjected. ItJ

lasted for ton hours, but they "stuck it" without turning a hair. The ferocity of the American response, and the machine-gunning of the infantry in the counter-attack, drove the Bosches to the river in such haste that many were drowned while attempting to cross. One artillery unit which was short of ammunition, called for volunteers to. travel three miles on a Bhell-swept road. Every man volunteered, and a number of picked men drove horses and caissons at a gallop through the shellbursts. When the horses were killed the men cut them out of the harness, and managed to bring up the ammunition.

THE GERMAN INTENTIONS

(Renter's Telegrams.) (Received July 17th, 5.5 p.m.) ; PARIS, July 16. Semi-official orders found on prisoners show that the Germans expected to i reach Epernay on the evening of July 15th, Chalons-eur-Marne on July 16th a . and Sezanne on July 17th. They em- ; ployed thirty to thirty-five divisions : Owing to heavy losses the shock divi- ■ sions, instead of being relieved in the • evening, were sent back during the morning to be reformed. Hundreds of German dead are hanging on the barb- , ed wire, and numerous enemy tanks • strew the ground. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association-) LONDON. July 16/ It will take three or four days to learn whether this is the final German attack. There are indications that Marshal von Hindenburg has not yet shown his whole hand. Probably the Germans themselves still do not know whether the attack has disclosed a weakness which will moke it desirable to launch the final attack. It is thus far certain that the attack is an atl tempt to capture Rheims by a converging operation east and west, thus straightening the German line by ]inkj ing the Marne salient with a line east of Rheims. General Foch has always been prepared for this move, which has I long been obvious. j Mr Philip Qibbs is of the opinion that Prince Rupert of Bavaria may be ordered to make a number of holding attacks against the British, and strike a number of hammer-blows with the object of keeping the British heavily engaged. Apart from the early morning fog the j weather was not favourable to the enemy. South winds prevented the use lof poison E as, and on the open moarands of the Champagne they were likely to blow back the fumes of their own shells upon the assailants: I

CORRESPONDENTS' DESPATCHES. (Australian and XJ&. Cahle Association.) (Received July 17th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. The "Morning Post's" Paris corres- • pondcnt says that the offensive has not I met with anything like the success , achieved on the first day of each of its i four predecessors. If t h e Germans relied on the element of surprise, they were woefully disappointed. They no sooner began their artillery preparai tion than masses of Allied guns took up i the challenge with such good effect that there is reason to hope that the Gerj mans suffered much more from our ! counter-fire than our infantry did from • theirs. The violence of th o Allied reply may be gauged from the fact that the sound of the guns waa sever'so distinctly heard in Paris, where windows rattled in every part of the city. This has not happened during the three previous offensives, when the guns were much nearer the city. (Received July 17th, 7.40 p.m ) NEW YORK, July 15. The *New York Times" correspondent on tho West front states that the Huns are using explosive machine-eun bullets. •

(Beater's Telegrams.) (Received July 18th, 12.15 a.m.) LONDON, July 16. Reuter's- correspondent at American | Headquarters, writing on July 16th. | reports that the whole battlefield indicates that except in a few minor localities the offensive has so far been a complete failure, the new prisoners saying the Germans are convinced they are beaten. An enemy carrier-pigeon was captured east of Chateau-Thierry with a message stating that the situation was and that there was no chance of making further progress in that locality. "East of Rheims early this morning we were not only holding up the enemy attempts to advance," flie correspondent adds, "but appear to have broken their spirit. In one place here l our counter-attack drove the enemy ; from his salient in the region of Fos- : soy. We improved our positions during the night, and drove the enemy across the river, taking prisoners." (United Service.) (Received July 17th, 11 p.m.) "LONDON. July 16. Mr Gerald Campbell reports that there had been no further enemy gains Our counter-attacks slightly gained ground on the Marne. The Germans admit the severity of the resistance, but claim that they have taken 13,000 prisoners. (Australian and 2?. Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 16. The Australian Press Association correspondent learns that the Germans pturtea the offensive on a big scale against the French in the early morn- i ing on a tliirty-mile front, between | Chateau-Thierry and a point four miles I aoutv-westward 0 f Rheims. The enemy I

penetrated for five thousand yards, and captured Chezy. Their line of advance has been along the Marne Valley. The Germans took Bouquigny, which is three thousand yards beyond the original French lines, also Orcourt (not Avocourt as cabled), and Chaumizy The Germans eastward of Rheims attacked on a twenty-five miles froftt between Prunay and Maison de Champagne, but were brought to a standstill in the French battle positions, where the situation seems satisfactory. Continuing, the correspondent 6ays: The enemy also advanced down the main highway by the Souain road. Details of the progress are lacking. The main thrust apparently was south-west of Rheims, wnere the advance was rapid. They crossed the Marne in a number of places before ten o'clock in the morning. The Germans apparently aim at isolating Rheims by attacking both sides, and also hope to take the hills southward of the city, known as the Mountains of Rheims, which are regarded as the. most important positions, but their ultimate aim appears to be to break through and seize the Chalons railway. The hills serve to protect the rignt flank in the farther advance southwest. It is not certain yet whether this is the main, blow, hut tho circumstanccs indicate that it is. It- is known that the Germans pared attacks at other points, notably on the Amiens front.

(Router's Telegrams.) PARIS. July 15. Router s correspondent at French Headquarters 6ays; "The offensive was commenced by the French guns opening at midnight on the whole front — Chateau-Thierry to the Main de Massiges ridges. The French so correctly anticipated the enemy's purpose that they began an artillery counter-preparation °P® i U T before the German batteries started to bombard. The infantry attacked at three in tho morning on the whole line, except round Rheims. The attack was compressed into two main sectors—one from Chateau-Thierry to e 'S? •' eT ? ce northward to the west of Rheims; the other from Fort de la Pompelle, east of Rheims, to de Massiges." The correspondent states that the enemy adopted no new methods. They advanced under cover of the mist, and relied on the usual filtration tactics, sending their columns along the small vallevs. The Germans are not using anything like one division to the mile, as in the previous attacks. The French Jaigner Command is most pleased with the situation. Latest reports, at noon on July 15th, show that on the Prunay-Main de Massiges sector the offensive was held everywhere except at Prosnes, while the a r£" P '. 6 l P 7-' nr, - v ' wh ' c h is half a , n "'° behind tho line of attack West of Khoiirm, the enemy progressed on a front on nn average of twp to three miles, the maximum depth SC and * h °"' at B * fral

GENERAL MAURICE'S OPINION.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) r , LONDON, July 16. Oeneral Maurice says that in view of * li that tho enemy took little trouble to conceal his preparations eastward of Rheims, the offensive may not be his mnm effort. Rheims is not more than a name, and it is certain that General Foch is ready to evacuate the awkward salient. Probably there are strong lines behind tho mountains near Rheims. Tho main object possibly is to use up our reserves, drawing them from the north, preparatory to attack'ng. Amiens or northward, or he may desire to widen the baso of the attack on Paris, or possibly his real effort is to defeat the largest possible portion ™ French Army. Without geographical objective von prepared ground elsewhere, an., can watch the present developments and throw in fresh troops to follow up this blow, or change his plans quickly. -SIDELIGHTS ON THE BATTLE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 16. The German attacks on the " Marne continue ineffectually. The Americans recaptured Fossoy and. Crezancy, south of the Marne. German airmen bombed an American hospital at Jouy, killing two. No British troops are yet involved in the offensive.

The French stopped the enemy eastward of Rheims by gallant counterattacks at nine o'clock in the morning. The greatest depth of penetration is represented by a line through Souain, Prosnes, and Prunay. The enemy advanced a depth of three or four miles between Pourcy And Baval. Though the opening bombardment was heavy, Rheims itself was unshelled. The enemy crossed the Marne at Dormans, Passy sur Marne, and Fossoy. The latest news contradicts the capture of Chezy, which the French held at noon. The Germans gas-shelled the back areas heavily and the whole front to a depth of eighteen miles. (Heater's Telegrams.) rw,, _ Later. The offensive is still held. The attacks nearly everywhere were repulsed with the heaviest losses. JCast\*ard of Rheims the front line entanglements H'ei'G covered with. German corpses. There were two evening attacks by i tanks at Souain and Prunay. At the latter a wood was captured, but elsowhere the attacks were repulsed. The lino of resistance, one or two miles o«~ hind the front trendies, is everywhere intart. The French authorities are satisfied with the position. Yon Below's and von Boehm's armies are continuing tho assaults, lhere are indications that this is the grand offensive and not a diversion as was intended. Thirty divisions have been identified, mostly Prince Rupprecht's. ' There were two main attacks westward of Rheims, one down the Marne and the other southward of Dormane. t. Normans threw six bridges across the Marne between Dormans and Romilly. A raptured aeroplane map shows the main attack down the Marne to Epernay.

(United Sorvies.l (Received July 17th, 11 p.m.) LONDON, July 16 (3.30 p.m.). The latest mews states that the Crown Prince continues a heavy attack east of Rhcims. The French ore resisting valiantly in battle positions two miles behind the front line. There i s similar pressure wost of Rboiois, Th© penetration nowhere exceeds four miles. Everything indicates that the enemy organised the attack on a great scale. The* troops include a large proportion of Prince Rupprecht's reserves. Therefore it is regarded as improbable that the enemy Tyill attempt a simultaneous attack on Amiens or in Flanders. Thus far the whole situation is distinctly good, but it is too early to claim a definite repulse. (Australian and Ciible Association.) (Reoeived July 17th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. Probably sixty German divisions aro engaged in the offensive. If so, it suggests that this is undoubtedly their main offensive. They launched their first attacks between 4 and 4.30 a.m., while the mist was hanging over the Marno valley, assisting the attackers. The bombardment, including gas shells, was most intense between Prunay and Massiges. It was reported at midday yesterday that the assaults were everywhere held up, except on the Souain road, near Prosnes and Prunay. The enemy westward of Rheims, at

midday, advanced to a maximum depth of from two to three miles on. a front of 20 miles. The Germans failed to gain the high ground eastward of Rheims, where the maximum depth of the advance was a mile and a half. They crossed the Marne under cover of a heavy mist, but found difficulty in advancing, owing to thick woods and deep gullies. There was adequate French reserves behind the sectors. PARIS. July 15. . The long-range bombardment of tie city was resumed on' Monday. LONDON, July. 16 "The Times" says: "We are witnessing the beginning of an enterprise which ultimately will surpass in magnitude the previous greatest battles. It may be assumed that the enemy hopes to reach effective bombarding range of Pariß. We are convinced that tho French Army will effectively counter the menace." NEW ZEAL ANDERS' SUCCESSFUL RAID. (Australian and N.Z. C»ble Association.) (Router's Telcgrami.) (Received Julv 17th, 7.26 p.m.) LONDON, July 16. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— "The New Zealanders made a successful raid in the neighbourhood of Hebuterno, and took over 30 prisoners and 12 machine-guns. "We slightly improved our line on the Villers-Bretonneux sector, after sharp fighting. "Hostile artillery is activo southwestward of Albert, and somewhat active at different points on the northern British front."