SITUATION MUCH LESS CRITICAL

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

SITUATION MUCH LESS CRITICAL

FRESH BRITISH RESERVES COMING UP EVERY HOUR ENEMY'S DIFFICULTIES INCREASING (Rec. March 28, 8.30 p.m.) London, March 27.. A high military authority says:—"The situation is much less critical than it has been for three days past. Broadly speaking, the enemy is definitely checked. North of the Somme the enemy has entered Albert. We are holding the railway embankment on the western outskirts. The enemy has been checked south of the Somme, but we may expect fresh attacks. Tho attacks round Royo and Noyon are likely to be renewed, but our fresh reserves are coming up every hour. Regarding 'the situation as a whole, /me cardinal fact is that the opposing forces are as nearly equal, as possible, and the cneiny, having takon tho initiative, got up his reserves first, but it does not mean that he may have more men. We require time to got up ours. Every day the enemy is checked or makes no material advance is of enormous (•alue to us. The Battle Far From Over. "In the present battle there were two critical moments. Tho first was on Saturday, when the enemy crossed the Tortille River, and there was danger, of his separating our (forces. The second was when Martinpuich and Courcelefcto were taken, but tho gap was filled and the line is now complete. The battle is far from over. I woulld not liko to say that we might not bo faced with a month's crisis, but time is on our side. As tho enemy gets further from the railhead the process of gotting up his reserves is becoming more difficult, while our reserves are nearing the battlefield. Remarkable Work of Our Airmen. "Tho most remarkable feature has been our airmen's work. They dropped 22? tons of bombs on tho enemy, causing enormous losses, without any resistance from enemy aeroplanes." Referring to the losses of material, the authority says:—"The enemy usually makes a high estimate. Our total losses of guns, captured or destroyed, is about 600. The same remark applies to the enemy's claim regarding prisoners. His claim to the capture of about a hundred tanks is probably true.'!—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Information Not Being Concealed. The writer emphasises that it is most harmful to suggest that information is concealed. "We are telling the people the whole truth. Regarding the speed with which the enemy issued the news, it must bo remembered that defenders cannot get news quickly owing to the removal of telephones ' and regimental headquarters, but news is given as soon as tho line is reestablished."—Reuter. . . , BRITISH COUNTER-ATTACK REGAINS FIVE MILES BOTH FLANKS STANDING FAST. (Rec. March 29, 5.5 p.m.) ■ . London, March 28. Analysing the latest information, "The Times" says:—"The British coun-tor-attack, by recapturing Marlancourt, regained five miles, and pushed back the Amiens thrust, which was previously twelve miles from the town. Another counter-attack just south of the Sommo regained three miles. It is noteworthy that both flanks are standing fast, and not giving tho enemy the slightest opportunity favouring a flank development. A long-range (nin has been bombarding Dunkirk for several days, and has fired about 50 shells. Five people have been killed. There is slight material damage."—"The Times.". FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORTS ENEMY WEAKENED BY HEAVY LOSSES . - London, March 27. A French communique states:—"Yesterday evening and last night the enoniy, who. was everywhere held, was obliged, by being weakened by his heavy losses, to slow down his effort. The gallantry of our troops, who are defending their ground foot by foot, is beyond- praise. We hold a line through L'Eohelle-St. Auria, Beauvraignes, north of Laisigny, and the southern approaches to Noyon, then along the loft bank of the Oise. We repulsed strong night reconnaissances which attempted to reach our positions north - west of Noyon."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. BATTLE CONTINUED WITH SUSTAINED VIOLENCE. (Rec March 29, 5.5 p.m.) ' ' . . London, March 28. A French communique states-.—"The battle was continued with sustained violence yesterday oveimig and during the night.' The enemy, on tho front from Lassigny to Noyon, and on the left bank of the Oiso, directed all his efforts on our left, and threw forward important forces in tho region of Moutdidier, where there- is unprecendentedly desperate fighting. Our regiments are struggling foot to foot and inflicting heavy losses. They havo never been momentarily weakened, and havo fallen back orderly to tho heights immediately west of Montdidier."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablq Assn.-Router. " A later communique states:—"The Germans are throwing into tho battle new : fresh troops. The' attacks to-day were redoubled iu violence east of Jfontdidier. Otir troops several times with admirable tenacity arrested the onemy onslaughts. The enemy succeeded' iu making progress owing to his marked numerical superiority. Equally powerful attacks in the region of Lassigny and Noyon were completely repulsed before the heroic resistance of our regiments."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asßn.-Reuter. WORST STAGE OF THE BATTLE PASSED FRENCH AND BRITISH RESERVES COMING INTO ACTION, (Rec. March 29, 5,5 p.m.) London, March i*. French opinion is convinced that' the worst stage of the battle has passed. The roads to Paris and_ Amiens are well covered with reserve troops. M. Clemeuceau, Prime Minister, adressfng the Army Committee, said the moment is at hand when French and British reserves' are coining into action Tho battle will then assume a new aspect.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. POWERFUL BRITISH RESERVES ARRIVING. . . • Paris, March 27. Tile Under-Secretary for War states that powerful British reserves are arriving on the battlefield. Only a few French divisions are engaged.—Aus.N.Z. Cable. Assn. . • THE BANKS OF THE SOMME A CHARNEL HOUSE (Reo. March 28, 7.80 p.m.) Paris, March 27. The "Matin's" special ■ correspondent describes the ferocity of the fighting all day and night long. "Constantly getting louder, the cannonading surpasses the most terrible experiences at Verdun. The French troops ad'yanced in perfect order towards the points from which the splendid British emerged under an avalanche of poison gas. The banks of the Oiso and the Somme are now one vast charnelhouse, in which the most famous divisions of the German Army are melting away. Glimpses of the battlefield picture showed the passing out of thousands of wounded, looking as if they had had a vision of hell, and horsemen galloping up abandoning their steeds. There were loud staccato orders, the roar of artillery, panting transport cars, and humming clouds of protectivo aeroplanes above. Further back were mournfiil groups of people taking refuge for the second time during the war. Old peasants were driving a weary flock of herds, and women with weeping children were pushing ncety carts, carrying their poor household effects."-"Tho Times.'" GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT "OUR ARMIES SLOWLY PROGRESSING ON THE SOMME" (Rec. March 28, 8.15 p.m.) London, March 27. A German official report states: "The English arid French yesterday tried to arrest our advance on the Somme. Our attack biok-j through the enemies' lines early this morning on wairds. The enemy retreated on a wide front on both sides of tho Somme. Our sharp pursuit overcame the stubborn resistance of the enemies' rearguards. We havo crossed the Ancre northward and southward of Albert, which fell this evening. We drove, back the onemy in violent fighting southward of the Somme, via Chaulnes and Lihons. Wo fitormed Roye and cleared out the enemy from TToyon. In bloody, fighting we crossed many of our old positions beforo the 1916 Somme battle. The number of prisoners is growing and the booty increasing. There are artillery battles in Flanders, at Verdun, and b Lorraine."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. -Reu tor. ' . (Rec. March 28, 10.40 p.m.) London, Ma?ch 28. A. Gorman official report states: "Our armies are engaged and slowly progressing in an attack on both bankii of tho Somme River." —Aus.-N)Z. Cable Assn.-Reutor. STATEMENT BY THE GERMAN CHIEF OF STAFF "THINGS ARE GOING EXACTLY' AS WE PLANNED." Amsterdam, March 27. , German correspondents interviewed General von Ludendorff, who stated: "Wo have prepared for this battle strenuously for throe months. Tilings are going exactly as wo planned. Our troops show groat clan in tile warfare of movement which has replaced the warfare of position, although tho Germans are handicapped and the enemy ha« the advantage of powerful defensive works. The British aro stron» and determined, and aro using very skilfully machine-guns posted in places which the Gorman artillery is unable to reach." -Ho added: "The devastation ikoply impressed the Kaiser, who remarked that we should ho glad that our country had cscapptl these terrible things. Why did we succeed in keeping tho fighting outside oivr frontier? Because, before the war, we always insisted on armaments corrcsirondinj to the utmost requirements."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asßn. . (The latest war cable messages wilL be found on page 8.)