COUNTER-ATTACKS GAIN GROUND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 7

COUNTER-ATTACKS GAIN GROUND

BRITISH HOLD STRONGER LINE :bgTAIIS OF ■FINE WORK BY OCR AIRMEN * The big 'budget of war news which has accumulated for publication to-day shows that the German offensive in the "Western theatre is at practically all points firmly held. A distinct break in the. continuity of the enemy's efforts is disclosed, and although in his latest communique Sir Douglas Haig speaks of a tremendous conflict along the whole battlefront, including an area east of Arras, to which fighting haa now,extended, he is able to report that tho British positions 'were, everywhere substantially maintained. In earlier fighting the enemy was heavily defeated in attempts to advance on Amiens from the east. The French are now heavily engaged on the' ; southern portion of the battlefront. The enemy has captured the railway junction .of Montdidior,. but there and in adjoining areas is solidly held. At some points the French have brilliantly recovered ground in counter-attacks. ' German divisions exhausted in the opening stages of the battle are again being thrußt forward, and there are, other indications that the enemy is already finding it difficult to maintain tho flow!of reinforcements. The possibilities of the situation are interestingly roviewed by the' British "high milifary authority" and others. The New Zealand Divi- \ sioii is now in position oil the battlefront, at Bucquoy, 11 miles south /■of, Arras. Heavy fighting is reported in that quarter.- In Palestine, British troops advancing east from the Jordan have reached the Hejaz- railway. A considerable success is reported, also in Meso- ' potamia, where three, thousand Turks have been captured as the sequel to an extended advance up the Euphrates Valley.