BRILLIANT SUCCESS BY TEE FRENCH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 191, 2 May 1918, Page 5

BRILLIANT SUCCESS BY TEE FRENCH

ENEMY PUSHED BACK ■ NEAKLY A MILE ANOTHER ADVANCE IN MESOPOTAMIA . TURKS AGAIN PUT TO FLIGHT Another lull has followed the disastrous attempt by the Germans on the Allies' northern liont in Flanders. There is a general consensus of opinion that the German failure cost the enemy terrible losses. The French, by a brilliant counter-attack, ho.vo not only cleared the enemy out of the village of J.ocre, hut have also pushed him hack ovor a distance of 1500. yards. There aro persistent reports of a counter-revolu-tion in Russia, bit as jot nothing of -a. definite nature has leaked out. It is stated that the Russian Executive Government hns decided to reorganise the army on the basis of conscription, which, it is considored, will enable her to le-enter the war in about ten montiis. The British have initiated a new offensive movement in Mesopotamia, aimed B.t Mosul, and already have captured many prisoners and much booty. LULL .IN TEE MAIN BATTLE FRENCH RECAPTURE LOCRE A DASHING PIECE OF WORK '• By Tclegraph--Press Association-Copyright. London, April 30. Goneral von Arnim threw in five fresh divisions, and the onslaughts continued far into the night with great slaughter of the Germans everywhere. Tho Allied lines are intact. The Allied line has been advanced'between La Clytta and Kemmel. Some progress has been made in the 6outh.—Aus.-N.Z. Cahle Assn. "BLOODIEST DAY OP THE WAR" London, April 30. Correspondents agree thai the Germans suffered nothing less than a disastrous defeat in tho first phase of the battle, consequent on their desperate attempt to capture tho line of hills, the Allied hold of which endangers their possession of Mont Jtemmel. They probably used thirteen divisions from east of Ypres southwards, and two more to the north. Tho violence of gunfiro on both sides was never greater. Tho successful defence made the day the bloodiest of the war for the enemy, as attack after attack was smashed. Tho Germans had already suffered heavily on Sunday, when concentrations of troops were caught and shattered by gunfiro. Their waves yesterday wero . mowed down, and the British wings and the French. centre neither broke nor bent.— Reuter. LULL AFTER THE STORM BRILLIANT WORK BY THE FRENCH. (Rec. May 1, 10.35 p.m.) London, April 30. Reuter's correspondent at British Headquarters, writing on tfie evening of April 30, states: "To-day all was quiet in Flanders. The French oounter-attack last night was brilliantly bucoessful. Not only did they recover the ground on the southern slope of Scherpenberg, but they advanced the line to a depth of fifteen hundred yards astrido the Dranoutrs road. Locre changed hands several times, but finally the Germans were pushed well beyond the eastern fringe of the villago. Desperate struggles occurred among the ruins of the village between small parties, and there was much bayonet fighting. A fine bayonet chargo was made by one of our brigades just as the enemy was wavering in the face of a furious fusillade. A brief rout ensued. The French and the British took a large number of prisoners during tho day, but there were fewer than the magnitude of thS struggle would lead one to expect, owing to tho desperate character of tho fighting. '—Reuter. 0 ' SIR DOIUGLAS HAIG'S REPORTS London, April 30, 12.35 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "French counter-attacks yesterday afternoon and evening drove tho enemy from the remainder of the ground he had gained in the morning in the neighbom'hoqd of Locre, and took a number of prisoners. The French secured the whole village. After the heavy ropulse inflicted on the enemy the night was comparatively quiet on the northern battlefront. Our line was advanced slightly during the night cast of Villers Bretonneus"—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn., (Rec. May 1, 10.35 p.ui.) London, April 30. Sir Douglas'Haig reports:' "Tho French took 94 prisoners in last night's coun-ter-attack at Locre. Further reports confirm the previous statements that the enemy's losses were very heavy in yesterday's successful attack. Thjre was no infantry action to-day except in local fighting. Our patrols brought in prisoners south of the Somme."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A&sn.-R-euter. GOOD WORK BY THE AIRMEN. • (Rcc. May 1, 9.25 p.m.) London, April 30. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states: "Our airmen dropped 275 bombs on the enemy's troops eastward of Locre, and also attacked lliem with machineguns. Wo brought down eight of tho cneiny'c machines. Two of ours aro miss-ing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reutor. NEW ZEALANDERS' STAND AT HEBITTERNE. ' London, April 3D. Mr. H. P. Robinson writes: "Largely owing to tho New Zealanders, tho enemy totally failed to advance at Hebuternc, and was scvoral times beaten olf with vory heavy casualties."—"The Times." ON THE FRENCH FRONT . (Rec. May 1, 8.10 p.m.) London, April 30, evening. A French communique states: "A violent artillery duel is in progress north and south of the Avre, on the sector at Noyon, and on the 60uth bank of the Oiso. Our patrols are activo on the whole of this front. "Wo repulsed the enemy's detachments on tho right bank of tho Meuse and in Upper Alsace."—Atis.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. THE GERMAN REPORT (Rec. May 1, 10.35 p.m.) London, April 30. .A wireless German official report states-. "Wo captured several of tho English trenches north of Voormezeole and Vicrstrnat. The French havo rccaptured Locre."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Asan. ' ' GERMAN CAVALRY ON,THE MOVE. Amsterdam, April 30. Strong detachments of German cavalry wcro observed in the neighbourhood of Ksschen, a small town in Belgium, almost on tho Dutch frontier, 17 inilos north of Antworp.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. PARIS AGAIN BOMBARDED. Paris, April 3U. The long-range gun is again bombarding the city.—Renter. AMERICANS DECORATED FOR BBAVERY. ' New York, April 30. Correspondents on the American front report, thai. 122 Americans have, been decorated, with the Croix de (inorro for bravery at Aprcmon) (St. Miliiel front).— Aus.-N./i. Cablq Assn. A RIDICULOUS GERMAN LIE London, April 30. Swedish papers print n telegram emanating from Berlin stating that the entire fleet of British transports is waiting in the Channel to bring the British Army home in caso of need. The Admiralty has informed Reuter's Agency that the statement is absolutely without foundation—Reuter,