OFFICIAL REVIEW OF THE BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 182, 22 April 1918, Page 5

OFFICIAL REVIEW OF THE BATTLE

SUPREME VALOUR OF THE ■ BRITISH. His Excellency tho Governor-General lias received tho following telegram from the Secretary of State tor the Colonies, dated London, April ]!), reviewing tho operations during tho week ending April

"The Lys battle absorbed almost the ontiro German enorgies, straining at the same time tho British defence to a point at which only tho knowledge of tho stake at issue could t.nnbie a successful resistance to be maintained. Tho enemy's advanco had been diverted.from.tho south by a solid wall oncouutered at Givenehy, and tho westward pressure was being gradually removed to a front on tho north flank of tho attack. Armcntioros was evacuated <o avoid an encircling movement, after which the two German armies north and couth of that front joined hands. The British divisions on the north and south flanks remained firm, but attack in tho centre was continued till tho Germans had crossed the River Lawe, captured Merville," Merris, and iN'cuvo Eglise, after which the advanco appeared to havo been checked. Tho struggle .narrowed itself down to ono for three points—Bailleul, Nicppe Forest, and Mont Kemmel, with its objective, tho capture of Hazebrouck.' During tho week's fluctuating fighting villages changed hands, but at the end Bailleul Ml, and tho <memy occupied Meteren, Wulverghem, Wytschaete, and practically tho whole of tho Messines Ridge fell to him. The forward line eastward of Yprcs then became untenable, and was abandoned without knowledge of tho enemy. All Efforts Vain. "The fighting at every point was of the most desperate kind, bus; the enemy realised that there was little chance of any further exploitation of his successes in any direction but north and northwest, where, discovering a weak spot, he concentrated his full attacks Nevertheless, the net result to him was a small gain of territory which cost him severe losses at a critical moment. The situation, though serious, gives grounds i for confidence, but fighting must continue long, while German reinforcements aro being exhausted. The enemy reckoned by. an imperious rush of highly-trained troops to smother the British lines and shatter tho morale of the whole of the Entento resistance. Ho concentrated on the British line alone, _ because tna manoeuvring apace to thoir rear was so restricted, also because the decision would give him the coast. Ho also expected thereby to affect tho French morale, to which he had been exorcising his whole ingenuity of propaganda by calling into question their mutual loya'ty. But tho Allies, having decided on a French commander in whom • they havo implicit faith, aro now willing to face all losses till the time has arrived for a counterstroke, Since tho enemy has selected tho British for attack, the British must bear tho hrunt for a time. Neither inevitable losses nor tho yielding of unimportant ground has succeeded in shaking tho Allied confidence in tho troops or their leaders. German methods of trying to rush soldiers hi to precipitate action and trying to undermine the patience and confidence of tho civilian population is well understood.

Our Supremacy in the Air,

"During the earlier paj't of last week the weather conditions oT tho Western front have been unfavourable for hying. Our aircraft, however, though compelled to fly an low as two hundred feet, havo maintained a continual ■ watch on the enemy's line and attacked troops and transports with bombs and machine-guns wherever possible. Statements of prisoners confirm tho report that heavy casualties and confusion wero caused by those, tactics at all stages of the battle. Tho weather improved on April 12 and gavean exceptional opportunity to the Royal Air Force, which surpassed all previous records. Over threo thousand photographs were taken, in spito of tho onomy's aircraft. Forty hostile machines were brought down, and twenty driven down out of jontrol. From the statements of prisonors und tho observations of our pilots it is manifest that these heavy losses aro draining tho onomy's aviation resources, with which his reservo parks find it increasingly difficult to cope. On tho samo day 55i tons of bombs were dropped on the baitlefiold."

(The cablo news in this issuo accredited to tho London "Times" has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly stated la suoh news tho editorial opinion ol tho "Times")