THE FRENCH BLOW AT CRAONNE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3073, 8 May 1917, Page 5

THE FRENCH BLOW AT CRAONNE

CONQUERED GROUND EXTENDED ENEMY'S DEFENCE SYSTEM MENACED • The High Commissioner reports :— London, May 6, 4.5 p.m. A French official report states':—"North-east of Soissons the Germans during the night made numerous heavy counter-attacks on the positions we captured yesterday. The fighting was specially desperate in the region of Laffaux, north of the Froidmont Farm, : north of Braye-en-Laonriois, and north of Cerny. Everywhere the efforts of the enemy were broken ; the waves of the assault were repelled by our fire or with' the bayonet, and we wholly maintained our gains. The sanguinary losses of the Germans in the combats yesterday, as well as in tbo counter-attacks last night, are confirm- , ed; the prisoners hitherto counted total 5800, including 150 officers. We also ' captured seven cannon, some of heavy calibre." CONQUERED TERRITORY EXTENDED. The High Commissioner reports:— London, May 6, 11.50 p.m. A French official report states: —"North-west of Soissons we completed yesterday's success, and extended the conquered territory, capturing many important supporting points' north of, Laft'aux Mill and Braye-en-Laonnois. There is a violent artillery action in the whole region of Chemin-des-Dames, where the Germans made strong counter-attacks on our positions at Froidmont Farm, Vanclere Plateau, and the Craonne sector. We maintained our wains everywhere, and repulsed "tho enemy with heavy losses. During the attack a German battalion fell back, leaving the greater part of its effectives on the ground. The total number of the prisoners counted is 6100. One French army corps itself took 1800 prisoners, and captured on a front of four kilometres (2J miles) almost the wholo of the Siegfried. line." MASTERS OF THE HEIGHTS OF THE AISNE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright). (Rec. May 7, 3.30 p.m.) , . London, May 6. A' French''official communique states:—"Generally speaking, operations which were carried out on May 5 and 6, in harmony with the British operations, rendered us masters of the crest on which the Chemin des Dames runs, over a front of thirty kilometres (about 19 miles). So far we have taken 5800 prisoners, including 150 officers, and captured seven guns. There were some heavy and violent artillery actions north-west of Reims and Champagne. We carried fortified points d'appuis west of Mont Cornillet, and repulsed two attacks on our trenches in the region of Monthant."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.

KEY TO THE AISNE DEFENCES (Rec. May 7, 6.45 p.m.) - London, May 6. The "Daily Chronicle's" Paris correspondent states: —"The Germans are still holding out round Fort Malmaison, the only part of the 'Aisne heights now in their possession. The. ground which has been captured by tho French at Craonne is most important to the enemy's scheme of defence, and they fought, therefore, with the utmost determination and reckless expenditure of life. Faced with a stern order to hold the first line at any cost, the, Germans in Craonne fortress had held out for a fortnight against a tremendous bombardment from a great crescent of hidden batteries. Finally a famous French corps surrounded Craonno village, its way across the Chcmln des Dames, and joined hands with - their comrades who had already established themselves at Hurtebise Farm." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE TACTICAL GAIN AT CRAONNE London, May R. Renter's correspondent at Headquarters says that the French successes at Craonne assure them,of tho definite possession of the long rocky crest dominating tho Aisne valley, and makes another breach in, the defences of Laon. The correspondent mentions that airmen, flying at a great height, see great numbers of German dead, which are quite a feature in the landscape.—Renter. ON THE BRITISH FRONT London, May 6. Sir Douglas Haig reports-.—"The. enemy last night, in a sharp fight, unsuccessfully endeavoured to re-establish himself eastward of Leverguer. We successfully raided a front of 1} miles north of Gonnelieu. The 'enemy again determinedly attacked our positions in tho Hindenhurg line, eastward of Bullecourt, but was entirely unsuccessful. Our artillery stopped the renewal of tho attack. This morning wo captured a section of trench south of the SoucheH River."—Aus.-N.Z. Cahle-Assn.-Renter. HEAVY ATTACKS ON BULLECOURT REPULSED (Rec. May 7, 8.20 p.m.) London, May 7. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"Later reports show that the German attacks on the Hindenhurg lino' eastward of Bullecourt ..were particularly severe. Tho enomy had thrown in heavy forces, which we repulsed, after fierce fighting. This morning wo repulsed two counter-attacks that, had been launched in an endeavour to recover the section southward of the Souchez River, which we captured last night. We drove off raids southward of Achevillo and westward of Hulluch. .We made a successful raid southeastward of Loos. We brought down eleven Gorman aeroplanes yesterday. Two of the British machines aro missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE AUSTRALIAN WEDGE AT BULLECOURT DANGEROUS SALIENT SURROUNDED BY HUNS. (Rec. May 7, 7 p.m.) London, May 6. The "Morning Post" says:—"The- Australian wedge east of Bullecourt is undoubtedly a dangerous salient. They have Huns to tho right, Huns to the left, Huns behind, and Huns in front of them, but they have stuck there in the deep trenches and concrete, dug-outs of von Hindenburg's fine

new fortress, which they hope to transform into a kind of jig-saw puzzle. When the Australians attacked Bullecourt- somo of their detachments actually drove the enemy into the open country around Rcincourt, but, they had to bo withdrawn in order to conform to tlie line."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THIRTEEN COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. (Rec. May 7, 7 p.m.) London, May 6. Keutor's correspondent at Headquarters says:—"A feature of the past twenty-four hours' fighting lias been a succession of intense German coun-ter-attacks in the vicinity of Bullecourt, where tbo Australians are tenaciously maintaining and extending the breach in tho Hindcnburg line. The lighting here has become a great bonißiiig match, in which the Anzacs excel. Tho German machine-guns at present dominate the ruined village of Bullecourt, and the struggle is ebbing and flowing, but our artillery is rendering the enemv's tenure of his position most costly. Tho Australians have, repulsed thirteen desperate counter-attacks since Thursday, inflicting tho heaviest of losses. One was delivered in four directions simultaneously, On one occasion a large party of Bosches who emerged from their_ dug-outs were blown up by another Boschc section that had been reduced to jumpiness V tho pressure 'of the Anzacs. Another time the Anzacs swept a German trench, and found a couple of minen werfers (mino throwers), with plenty of ammunition, which they effectively turned upon tho enemy. They also took over a. hundred prisoners.—Reutor. THE GERMAN REPORT (Rec. Mav 7, 3.30 p.m.) London, May 6. A German wireless official report states:—"We repulsed strong English advances southward of Lens, the Scarpa, and Queant. A fruitless attack by the British on a three kilometre front (about two miles) between Villers Plouich and Gonnelieu suffered heavy losses. "The French artillery on the Aisne developed the greatest power yet recorded, and after this preparation the enemy renewed his attack with fresh divisions yesterday morning between tho Ailotte and Craonne, on a front of thirty-five kilometres (about 22 miles). A hand-to-hand struggle continued until'late at niglit, and tho attack was entirely repulsed. We 6ecupy the northern slope of the Chemin des Dames. , Tiie French occupied Chevrigny and Win'terburg height, where our positions were completely destroyed. Wo took prisoner several hundred of the euemy. The French attacks eastward of Lanouville and south-west of Nauroy were unsuccessful. The enemy lost fourteen aeroplanes."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. May 7, 8.20 p.m.) .London, May 7. A German wireless'official message states: —"Contrary to to-day's report, Chevreux (? Chevrigny) remains ours." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reu-ter. . TO SMASH THE GERMAN ARMY THE MEANING OF THE WESTERN OFFENSIVE. London, May 6. A military expert, summarising tho results of the Western offensive, states that it is not at present a question of breaking through, but of smashing the German army. The plan of Sir Douglas Haig and General Nivelle is to wipe out the German reserve of a million men which von Hindenburg bad massed for a great German offensive in 1917. About half of it is already gone, and von Hindenburg's plan is spoilt. He was unexpectedly compelled to use tho reserve for defensive battles in France. The reserve represents the last fit men obtainable by Germany from any source except youths and the recovering wounded. If the persent rate of wastage is continued on tho West front, the last of the reserves will be used up in a few weeks— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.