THE BATTLE REVIEWED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 188, 29 April 1918, Page 6

THE BATTLE REVIEWED

OFFICIAL SUMMARY OF THE . OPERATIONS BALANCING THE ODDS His Excellency llio Governor-General lias received the following telegram from the Secretary of State for the (Monies,covering a review of the operations on the Western front up to April 25:— "Raids have been carried out on both sides, chiefly for identification purposes, and the artillery at times has ten very active. A new- offensive began ou the night of April 23. After an advance westward of Hazebrouck was definitely checked, the enemy still made very serious endeavours at different points to reach objectives <f tactical value, and just as he made one final desperate effort in the Snmmo offensive, before transferrins his attack to the north, in this case also he accepted rebuff for the moment and centred his energies on the next operations. .. "After artillery preparation on April 23, infantry attacks were launched by the eiiomy at dusk northward of Albert and in the 'neighbourhood of Dranoutre, which were broken up. After general artillery activity during the night of Apnl 23, strong hostile infantry attacks developed between Albert and Avre. ine enemy made Home progress, capturing, the villas of Tillers Brotonneux from tne British, and a small wood northwards ot Uangard from the French. Counter-at-taclcs deprived him of the greater part of his gains,.including Vitters Bretomeus, ami his resumption of the fight tor Amiens has not yet developed. Jho enemy had only set himself limited objectives'and aimed at points favourable, for further exploitation. The use of tanks by the Germans for the first timo in attack gave the impression that operations, were experimental. In this ease he aimed at Oachy Fouilly road, about two miles westward of his former portions. In tho renewed iigutmg on April 21 the Trench were gradually driven back a short distance from Hangard, which had already changed' hands frequent y, but they retained possession of HaiUes and Senecat Wood. Although the Ireneh are involved in this fresh 11 ? 6 blow is still directed against the Britisii. The Results Summed Up. "The enemy, who has now launched Mj new offensive after -a .pause wherein he was ablo to some extent to rest hie tired troops and organise his supply, has on the battlefrouts some 130 divisions. There are in addition some other exhausted divisions.and also fresh divisions in reserve, but it is doubtful whether he can effect the same concentration as on March 21, partly because of tho exhaustion of many units, but chiefly because of the dispersal of the effort. By withdrawals from the East he now, however, has acquired a numerical -preponderance over the British and French m the West. He also has the advantage of interior linea and initiative, and can, therefore, obtain local superiority; and it is tne Allies' object to wear down his numbers by dogged defensive methods. J- his local superiority is all tho greater now that he has singled out the British Army for destruction, but so far, although our reserves have naturally been dTawn on, and the French havo shouldered their share of the burden, ho has neither worn down the British .nor used up strategic reserves as he hoped. The Air Warfare. "The activities of Royal aircraft wore hampered in tho week under review by adverse' weather conditions, and aerial operations were consequently greatly restricted, it being impossible to undertake long-distance- raids into Germany. During tho operations on April 17 at Metercn and Wytschaete our airmen continually attacked enemy's infantry, guns and transport. They dropped over 500 bombs in this neighbourhood and Ijred large quantities of ammunition at diiierent ground targets, with excellent efiect, Night bombing squadrons, whenever weather ■permitted, continued to harass the enemy's communications, and hamper the" bringing up of vitally important supplies, allowing troops who had been withdrawn to billets no rest. Aerial combats were few, but the enemy suffered irreplacable loss in the death on ■Vpril 21 of their foremost fighting .pilot, Von Eichthofon, who was brought down as a result of a fight between our own and the enemy's scouts in the somrne area, constituting a. heavy blow to the morale of the enemy. "The weather ia Italy has been unfavourable, but on April 17 British airmen brought down eleven machines, and drove down another one. in addition to those brought down by tho Italian '""At Aden the value of. aircraft in oiitlyiii" theatres has been strikingly demonstrated". Tn consequence of our aerial activities the enemy has been compelled to scatter his camps and hvo largely in dilg-outs."