THE WESTERN FRONT,

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1918, Page 3

THE WESTERN FRONT,

VIOLENT ENGAGEMENTS. FRENCH OBTAIN A FOOTING. f"AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION & BEUTEB,.] LONDON, February 14 th. ' A wireless German official state,s that the Anglo-French continued reconnaissances'at many points, resulting in violent engagements northwards of Lens and Champagne. The French obtained a foothold in the salient .southwards of Tahure. ■ j A FRENCH SUCCESS. AN EXTENSIVE RAID.

fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION 1 & REUTER.] LONDON, Feb. 14. * A French communique says:—ln the Champagne we made an extensive raid south-west of ' Mutte\de Misnil, on a 1,200 metre front, and pentinted the enemy ijositions as far as the. third line, .shattered his defences and destroyed a number of dug-outs. American batteries most effectively aided in tho raid. We organised the captured positions. Twenty-eight enemy aeroplanes were, downed between the Ist and 10th February, whereof fourteen were entirely destroyed. A French communique states: —There ; is considerable artillery activity in the iregion of Pinon and north-west of Rheims. We made successful raids east of Auberive and in the Vosges, Enemy aircraft dropped bombs on Nancy. Civilians were killed and five in- | jnred.

GERMAN CONFIDENCE

' IN COMING OFFENSIVE

(Received This Day at 1.20 a.m.) ROTERDAM February 14

The “Vossiche’s” military critic, boasting of the German strength on the "West Front, says the German advance was stopped at the Marne by the Russian intervention, not by France, The fearful events of the past three and a half years will only prove a tremencfous intermezzo between the early events, and the still greater events before us. The present situation raises

tremendous confidence in German hearts. This confidence concentrates upon the Hindenburg line and Ludendorff. The paper asks who will dare measure strength with this army ?