A SLACKENING IN THE FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 166, 3 April 1918, Page 5

A SLACKENING IN THE FIGHTING

OOUNTER-ATTACKS REGAIN GROUND SOUTH OF THE SOMME POSITION UNCHANGED IN THEo NORTH By Telesraph-Press Assoclation-Copirißht _ • London, April 1. Sr Douglas Haig reports:—"\Vecompletely repulsed two attacks westward »of Albert yesterday evening. The enemy persisted in his" attempts to ' advance along the val'eys of the juuce and the Avre, but made little progress. Attacks and counter-attacks lasted all day in this sector, with varying success. The fighting is .expected to continue."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Ussn.-Rteuter. . : (Rec. April 2, 7.40 p.m.) London, April 1. Sir Haig reports at 10.25 this evoning "The day has 'been tomparanively. quiet. We repulsed small local attacks this morning in the 'Beigkboushood of Albert. There was local fighting at Moreuil and Hansard, where we gained ground by successful ' counter-attacks."—Aus.-N.Z. ;<Jable Assaa.-Reuter. London, April 1, 1.50 p.m. The High Commissioner reports:— Sir Haig reports: "At Serre, 100 machine-guns have been cap- ' tured." ' .GOOD WORK BY BRITISH AIRMEN (Rcc. April 3, 1 a.m.) k _ London) April 2, 0.5 a.m. Sir Haig reports: "Our aviators dropped bombs on a large column of troops. south of the Somme, and also attacked them with machinefuns. Wo. brought down three enemy aeroplanes. Four of ours are missing. 1 'our previously reported missing have returned. In night attacks our ma- ■ chines dropped, twenty-four tons of bombs on the railway stations at Douai, Cnmbrai, Jtapaume, llosieres, and Thorout, and on the docks at Bruges. They attacked itroops and' transports with bombs and machine-guns in the neighbourhood ,-of Bapaume and Chaulnes. All returned."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Renter. RE-ENTER MOREUIL. ■ London, April 1. The Germami: have entered Moreuil, but the British and French brilliantly pushed back tjia Germans west of Hangard-en-Santerro, and recaptured the latter place. [Hangard is ;fe village on the Luce River, four miles north of Moreuil.] BRITISH CAVALRY RETAKE THE WOOD NEAR MOREUIL FRENCH &EAT OFF AN ATTACK TO THE SOUTH. (Rec. April 2, 7.40 p.m.) ™ ™ m London, April 1, 9.45 p.m. j The War Office jreports"The situation north of the Somme is unchanged. There has been hard fightiug south of the Somme, in th© neighbourhood of Moreuil',. • British cavalry, brilliantly counter-attacking retook tie wood between Mareuil and Hangard The French beat "off an atta°ck south bf Moreuil. —Aus.-IH.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. CIVILIANS EVACUATING AMIENS AND COMPIEGNE. , . . London, April 1, Civilians have evacuated Amiens and Compiegne. [Amiens (populatSon about 95,000) is about 12 miles west of the battlefront. Compiegne, oni the Oise, has about 14,000 inhabitants. 'It is about 14 miles south of the frcijnt.] POSITICfNS RECAPTURED BY THE ALLIES. (Rec. April 2, 11:30 p.m.) .. . , ' ' , , London, March 31. ■ The French have Recaptured Ayencourt. Ihe British have recaptured German positions west),(? east) of Arras.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ESTIMATE OF GERMAN LOOSES. * (Rec. April 3, 1 a.m.) . . Washington, April 1. An official French (dispatch estimates Germany's losses in the present offensive at from 275 s 300,000. A HIGH MILITARY AUTHORITY PREDICTS THE COLLAPSE OF THE OFFENSIVE ; "THE GERMANS ABIE FAST U&ING UP THEIR RESERVES." (Rec. April 2, 9.30 p.m.) New York, March 30. A high military aulShonty,_ interviewed in Paris by an American pressman, stated that the cardinal factor in the situation was that the enemy could not afford dWay. "I expect thero will be one last desperato effort, and then the colla B'Se of tho offensive. The Germans are fast using up their reserves, and wiltl be unable to resist General Foch's counter-offen-sive." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn: HII&DENBURG HESITATES GERMAf ARMIES BADLY MAULED. (lfiec. April 2, 9.35 p.m.) London, April 1. The United Press correspondent states that Von Hindenburg is hesitating. His generals have Obviously reported that the armies are too badly •mauled to undertake a general forward movement until they have rested and are reinforced and backed by ample artillery. ■It is estimated that of fifty divisions engaged between Arras and Moreuil, fifteen had such a drubbing that they will be unfit 'for immediate use. The bulk of the Germans aro still northward of the Somme. A second blow against Arras and Vimy is likely, but the most severe fighting is coming towards_ Amiens. ' In the meantime the Germans are Sparring for positions and gaining time in which ■to replace their groggy divisions. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.