TERRIFIC ATTACK BREAKS DOWN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 190, 1 May 1918, Page 5

TERRIFIC ATTACK BREAKS DOWN

■WITH FRIGHTFUL LOSSES UNEASINESS IN GERMANY V The news to-day is good. The Germans, following upon an inter.se bombardment right along the line, have launched a terrific infantry attack, a.nd after a day's fighting have gained nothiDK and suffered frightful losse.s. It is a disastrous repulse. Tho first phase of the battle, states the news, lias ended in our fnvour. Fighting continues at certain points, but the Allied lino is in.liict, and there is n, buoyant note in Ibo dispatches from the war correspouaents. Round about tho chain of hills of which Mont Bouse, Ifont A'oir, and Schypenberj; are tho principal heights tiie fighting iws very severo indeed, and tho German, dead lio thick upon tho ground. Public uneasiness in Germany is crowing. The situation in Eussia is still much the same, HEAVY ATTACK FOLLOWS' A TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT '" ENEMY REPULSED ALL ALONG THE LINE FRIGHTFUL LOSSES INFLICTED ON THE GERMANS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Kec. April 30, 10.30 p.m.) q- -n i TT • l m London, April 29, 11.20 p.m. Sir llouglas Haig reports:—".Following upon an intenso bombardment strong enemy forces violently attacked the French and British positions from the neighbourhood of Meteren to Zillebeke. The enemy also attacked the Belgians loiHii ot lpres. Most-severe fighting then developed along the whole of the Allied trout Tiie 2oth, 49th, and 21st British Divisions completely repulsed all attempts to enter their positions, in spite of a constant succession of determined attacks in great strength, maintaining their line intact. Tho enemy's looses SJ"' 3 ' JT'i J 1 ' 6 l?n u h ™P"lsed heavy attacks on the hills about Scherpenueig and Mont Kouge. At points where the enemy penetrated a short disnnce they were quickly driven out, and the greater part of tho ground regained oy counter-attacks. The Belgians repulsefl all .attacks after sharp fighting inflictmg severo casuallies. Fighting continues at certain points alon- tho Allied front. Uwing to bad weather our aeroplanes dropped only a few" bombs ou various turgers."-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Iteuter. .

STORY OF THE BATTLE DESPERATE INFANTRY ADVANCE FOLLOWS INTENSE . BOMBARDMENT (Bee. April 30, 7.25 p.m.) n <. . , , , -r, '~ , London, April 20, 3.10 p.m , Eeuters correspondent at British Headquarters writes:-"Last niehi there wis almost ceaseless hostile bombardment in the north. Groat concentrations of howitzers mill held batteries maintained hurricane bombardments on wide sectors practically all tho way from La Basseu to south of Jlouthulst Forest The Germans also kept up a furious firo lor nearly three hours on the front from Vimy to Lens. In the morning the bombardments were renewed on our lino south of Voormozeele and the .French positions in tho vicinity of Lowe were plastered with high explosives and shrapnel. Our troops around Ypres several tinies signalled for artillery support. After dawn (here was a tremendous bombardment, which points almost with certainty to a German attempt to advanco Here. Yesterday enemy airmen were very active ever Mont Rouse, from which it seems certain that the Germans intend trying lo push to the west from Kenimel.A "Crab-Claw" Attack. In an evening dispatch dated -April 21). the correspondent states—"The enemy's infantry attack developed over a wide front, extending from north of Voonnezeele nearly lo Metcren. His Ftratcgic object was apparently a crubclaw movement converging upon the hill chain towards Mont Deseals. This front was held by the French in the centre and our divisions on the flunks. The enemy's failure to make progress at Loerc undoubtedly influenced his resort to crushing ladies, hut the news so far is eminently satisfactory. Up to this afternoon Ihe day was in our favour. Tim infantry attack began at .six o'clock with nn atlemnt lo advance towards ScherpenWg.. This was completely held up. Luring tho morning the battle was extended nbnvo Voormezcnle. ThoiHi Ypres was not attacked, the bombardment extended lo the town. The enemy reconnaissances in force against the Belgians were repulsed. Everywhere on the biittlefrout terrible punishment is being inflicted on tho enemy, wlio lias thrown in divisions with a lavish disregard of merifieps, onue again paying the full price for no Tesiilt. The Germans, realising that they are making no'progrcss, have modified the crab-claw idea, and the fighting has developed inlv> a direct attempt awinst Snherpcnbnrg and Mont llongc. The Germans are makin* intense use of their great artillery strength, but Use French garrisons on tho hill? have splendid cover. Their seventy-fives and our field-Kims furiously vp!y. The air is full of aeroplanes, mostly observing. II: is abundantly flour that the day's slorv, when (old. will bo nil tn llio glory-of tho I'j-pnc!; 'and British arms "Tho balde i.s not yet over, but for t!i<? attack which has now been in progress for seven or eight hours without making headway it is not premature lo say that it has failed, Inn-German army will bo weaker by many thousands by -iiiii!:el-tu-di!.v.fnr!iipy J:ave been lifiMii.'? all day in th« open.' while !ho French and British scarcely anywhere linvc lofj thpir propnrod dnfonccs."—Renter. INFANTRY ATTACK DIMINISHING IN INTENSITY (l!ec. April 30, !).2O p.m.) London, April 29. .1 lie United Press correspondent states:—"Tho German artillery is roaring along the line from Ypres to Meteren,'but reports by orir low-flying aeroplanes slate that Ihe infantry attack is less furious than it was this morning, when wave after wave broke against the Allied resistance. The German High Command had ordered the capture of tho nest of hills running from KemmoJ lo Mont Deseals, and also of Ypres, at all costs, but Iho French and British have not yielded ground. The German dead lie thick around Mont Kongo Mont Noir, and Scherpenberg. testifying lo the tenacity of tho French. Similarly, further to the north, the British took terrible toll of llio attackers around Yoormezeelc. Tho i Belgians also threw back an attack o"h (heir fronl."--A'.is.-N.X. Cable. Assn. " FIRST PHASE DECIDED IN OUR FAVOUR " . ENEMY HAS SUFFERED A DISASTROUS DEFEAT. (Bee. April 30, 9.50 p.m.) London, April 29. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes:—"The battlo continues, but (ho first phase has been decided in our favour. The Germans have slill many unused divisions, Tsut if these are spent us the others wero to-day the enemy's plans for a decisive victory will be thwarted for ever. Surely to God, the German people will tiro of making the fields of Franco and Flanders a graveyard for their youth!" Mr. Gibbs, in a later message, writes:—"lt becomes clearer every hour that the endmy has EiiiTercd a disastrous defeat. Our artillery and infantry smashed uttack after attack. Tho enemy did not canlnro a singlo foot of ground."— Aus - N.B. Cablo Assn. ■ • FURTHER READJUSTMENT OF BRITISH LINE EAST OF YPRES . (Bee. April 30, 9.30 p.m.) London, April 29. Apparently there'has been_ a further readjustment of the British position eastward of Ypres. A Paris military expert states ihafc the enemy is now (wo miles east and two miles south of Ypres. The front runs from Laiigemarck to the western bank of Stcenbcek, via Verlorenhoek, Hooge, Zillebeke, and Voormezeele—United Service. a AMERICANS NOW IN THE MAIN BATTLELINE HOLDING THE SECTOR EAST OF AMIENS. (Rcc. April 30, 7.30 p.m.; New York, April 29. The United Press correspondent on the American front in Picanly states:— "The Americans have taken over the sector east of Amiens. They entered their now positions at nightfall, under lieavy firo from the enemy. The, French general issued an Order of llio Day stating: 'We congratulate the Americans, who are now writing their first page in tho history of the battlo of the nations. America will play a glorious part in the battlo for tho triumph of liberty.' "—Aus - N,K. Cablo Assn.

ISSUE DEPENDS UPON MAN-POWKR. Washington, April '.!!). Tho War JDopiiil NiPtiL's wpokly sunimnry Bays:—"ln addition in American Irnnps trained unil in f ruining, very large, quoins nrn required in ll\o imracdirilo fiitiirn to fill gaps mi tho West front. Tim resirlL of (lio present battla depends vij>oll man-power."— A us.-N.Z. Cable Msn. ON THE FRENCH FRONT GERMAN ATTACKS ON HANGABD .REPULSED. London, April 2!). A French communique stoles:— "J lie Germans during Iho night attempted several attacks at Hnnsurj Wood. Our fire stopped all the attempts. There is great reciprocal artillery fire from Villera Bretonnoux to the River Luce, and between Lassigny and Noynn. Detachments penetrated tho enemy lines at Roteion, Corbcny, towards Courcy, on tho right bank of tho Mouse, nnd in Upper Alsace. Tho artillery is very lively from the Fosses AVood to tho Caurieres Wood."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rcc. April ■■», 30.30 p.m.) London, April 29, 11.20 p.m. A French official communique states:—"Thero is reciprocal artillery activity north and south of tho Avro and in tho region of Plemont. An enemy detachment attempted to cross tho Oiso east of Waresnes, but was caught by our firo and dispersed."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assu.-Keuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT (Rec. April 30, 0.40 p.m.) London, April 30. A wireless German Official tvnort states:—"The total number taken prisoner at Mont Kemmel was 7100, with" 53 guus and 233 machine-guns."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. GERMAN BOAST: PRESENT OFFENSIVE TO BE DECISIVE. London, April 29. The "Daily Telegraph" Milan correspondent states:—" According to the Stuttgart "Gazette," tho new German offensive will be decisive. Von Ludendorff and A r on nindenhurg are prepared to sacrifice one-third of tho available German armies in order to break through tho Franco-British front."—Aus.-N.Z. CaHo Assn. BERLIN SUFFERING FROM "NERVES" . UNEASINESS OVER THE WESTERN OFFENSIVE. ' London, April 29. The Amsterdam correspbndent of tho "Daily Express" states that Captain von Salzmaun, writing in tho "Vossische Ze'itung," reveals that Berlin is suffering from ,an attack ot nerves regarding the situation in the AVcst. The writer mentions a few of the rumours current in Berlin, such as that tho Western offensive is getting out of control, that the enemy is stronger than was anticipafed, that tho Germans have no foices with which to continue the fight, that tho whole country round Yprcs has become an impassable lake, and tho country between the Amiens front and Paris is mined. The writer adds that the people are beginning to lose nerve. Ho protests against members of tho Reichstag starting rumours whenever thero is a pause at the front. They havo forgotten their duty to the Fatherland.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. HELP FROM CHINA IF WANTED New York, April 29. Admiral K. H. Li, a member of the Chinese AVar Mission, in an interview, etated that China was ready to send a large army to France if the Allies would eupply transport.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.