PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 176, 15 April 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

The position now reached in tho battle in Northern franco and flanders is that the line runs generally south-west from the southern flank of the Messines Ridge, passing south of Bailleul junction (about eight miles west of the line on which the battle opened), and reaching tho Lys west of Mcrvillc, about a dozen miles west of Armcntieres. from this point tho line curves round to tho south-cast, joining the old battlefront cast of festubert, a milo or more north of tho La Bassce Canal. The enemy has created a big salient, but as reports stand ho is firmly held not only on both flanks of his advance but in the areas where he has made most headway. The, exact position on the Messines Ridge is uncertain. _ In a late report the Germans claim that they advanced from tho ridge and crossed the Steenbeck, a little stream which runs parallel with it on tho west. Since a "high authority" is quoted in a London message as stating that the Germans have captured Mcssincs, the enemy's report is possibly accurate to the extent that lie holds this village, and therefore the crest of the ridge at its southern end, but even this is by no means certain. Tho Daily News is quoted to-day as stating that the Messines Ridgo has been turned, that the flank of the British northern army is in the air,_ and that its communications are in the gravest peril. These dangers are, of course, in sight, but tho state' of affairs described has not yet been reached. The latest available news suggests, indeed, that the enemy is at all

points; firmly hold, and certainly his attacks on many parts of the front have, been lmavily defeated.

To-day's reports leave no room for doubt regarding the position reached in aerial warfare. In Iho northern battle tho enemy has concentrated large numbers of aircraft, but his losses have been in proportion to tho numbers employed—in one report Sin Douglas Ha id mentions that '10 enemy aeroplanes were destroyed and half as many more driven down out of control. The British aircraft are actively engaged not only in assailing those of the enemy, but in attacking German formations on land and in bombing raids on an important scale. Conditions of clear weather, which may be expected to continue and become more- settled' as time goes on, arc facilitating their operations. From every point of view this is important to the Allies, and not least in facilitating observation of the enemy's dispositions.

Souk time ago an unconfirmed report credited the Germans with the capture of Achicourt on the southwestern outskirts of Arras, and another message spoko of fighting west of the latter place. Uncertainty thus arose regarding the location of tho British line in this quarter, but tho matter is satisfactorily cleared up in ono of Sir Douglas Haig's reports to-day. He speaks of the defeat of enemy attacks in the vicinity of villages which stand respectively a mile and three-quarters south-east and three miles south-south-east of the outskirts of Arraß.