GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE BEGINS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3056, 18 April 1917, Page 7

GREAT FRENCH OFFENSIVE BEGINS

ADVANCE ON THE AISNE FRONT TERRIFIC BATTLE ON 25-MILE FRONT i (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). fcltec. April 17; 8.50 pvm.) ~, ,'„ . . . ~ x London, April 16. A French official communique' states.—'Between St. Quentin and the Uise, artillery fighting lias been continued. South of the Oise' we made fresh progress 011 the plateau east of the Barisis-.Quinov-Basse line. 'After artillery preparations lasting for several days, we attacked this r»oi mng between Soissons and Reims, the German lines on a front of about forty kilometres (2o miles). A desperate battle ensued along the whole front, where the enemy had collected the largest foices, with numerous "uns Everywhere the French overcame the, enemy's vigorous defence) and carried the first German position between Soissons and Craonne. East of Craonne we carried the second German positious south of Juvincdurt. Further south" we carried the line as far as the western outskirts of Bermiercourt, from pe Aisne canal, Between Oivre and Courcy repeated violent counter-at-tacks north of \ lllc-aux-Eois were hroken by our fire, with considerable losses to the enemy. The number of prisoners hitherto counted exceeds ten thousand. He also captured a considerable quantity of material. V,"Artillery fighting continues in the Champagne, and an intermittent cannonade on the rest of our front.''—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. • " DELIGHT IN THE BRITISH ARMY. ' (Rec. April 17, 6.1S p.'m ) -t. l 1 ■> L , „. ~ London, April 16. Reuters correspondent a British Headquarters states :-"Thc news that a great French offenswe bad stai ted this morning ran thtough our Army hke-wild-firc, and evoked the greatest cntliusiasm."-Reuter. WHAT THE GERMANS SAY. (Rec April 17, 6.15 p.m.) , •, r • , a. • , x , London, April 16 A German mrelro official report states :-"Thcre has been little fighting at Arras. A great French attempt, with a far-distant object, to break through on the Aisne, commenced after ten days' massed fire. A bitter fight is proceeding around our foremost position. The frontal attack extends along a front of forty kilometres (25 miles).''—Aus.-N 7/Cable Issn Reuter. ■ . ' ' FRENCH OFFENSIVE IN ALSACE-LORRAINE ENEMY'S LINE PENETRATED. 1 ~ _ London, April 16 _ A Fiench official communique states:—"After a violent artillery preparation our detachments penetrated the enemy lines at several points in Lorraine and Alsace. Our detaohments reachod the enemy's second line at six points on thp plain of Alsace, and inflicted serious losses. cjj. , continllei3 our destructive fire oh German organisations between St. Quentin and the Oise. The enemy made a livelv "reply in the region south of St. Quentin. We continued to make progress eastward and south of the Oisp. , On the plateau between Barisis and Quincv Basse we occupied a fresh enemy 'point d'anpui.' The artillery duel'was violent nt night 011 tho whole front, including the. Soissons-Reims fiont."— 4us -N Z Cable Assn.-Reutcr. " ' THE DEVASTATION OF REIMS. Eight thousand shells pour into , Reims daily. They caused twenty-five fires on Friday, and a similar number on Saturday. When a fire breaks out the Germans put an artillery barrage around the buildings to prevent the fire being extinguished. .