UNITED PRESS REPORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1918, Page 2

UNITED PRESS REPORT.

THE WEATHER. CHANGES.

GERMANS HAMMERING AWAY

LONDON March 29,

Tho United Press correspondent states that despite the sudden change in the weather, with rain and a gale sweeping the battlefield, fighting is uninterrupted. The Germans, with oxliko perseverance, are hitting away against the British line and slightly progressed in "the Arras region, occupying our 1 front line of trenches at Orange Hill, also at Neuville and St Bassee. Tho cold, stinging rain made night fighting difficult. The moon, which throughout the offensive, had turned night into day, was obscured, rendering night darker and therefore producing a comparative lull in the Ancre Valley, and astride of the Somme following on a hard day. Though brilliant flares in suspended from parachutes, our outposts and patrols dashed in constant manoeuvres for an advantageous getaway at dawn.

FRENCH COUNTER-OFFENSIVE. LONDON March 29. The Press Bureau states this evening that the situation is: We maintained all positions northward of tho Somme, where no serious attacks have taken place.

During tho day there was heavy fighting southward of tho Somm©. We have been pressed back to our line westward of Hamel, Marceleave, and Demum.

The French line, southward of Demum now runs by Messieres, Dameuviddesire and Cratebus to just westward of Montdidier. There has been further heavy fighting to-day on this line. The. French counter-offensive between Montdidier and Lassigny continues. Fresh French troops have arrived.

The French line eastward of Lassigny is unchanged.

THE ENEMY FOILED

LONDON March 30.

The United Press correspondent writing on the 29th. believes that during the last 48 hours General Hindenburg’s hordes have been brought practically to a standstill. From carefully sifted information and from widely different sources, be is convinced that the battle plans o l ' the German War Lords have signally miscarried.

The present spasmodic thrusts are due partly to a recomposition of the enemy fighting forces and a re-adjust-ment of the scheme of the offensive.

Prisoners, intimate with the German plans, Btate that, they were expected to occupy Amiens on the fifth or sixth day and- to cut off Paris-Calais railway, yet Amiens still stands. Similarly Arras, which was yesterday their immediate objective, coupled with an effort to capture Yimy by a flanking movement.

Withering machine-gun and artillery fire checked the Kaiser’s storm troops. Further cyclonic fighting is expected all along the line, but the first flash of the enemy’s enthusiasm has passed. Prisoners say the offensive is not going as well as expected, while the losses are high. However, the German decision is undoubtedly to continue j the offensive despite the lower spirits of the troops. '

Eighty divisions have already been badly mauled, and many are unfit to return to tho firing line before the tide is definitely turned; but fresh divl. sions ar© being hurried up and the tired enemy is trying to advance everywhere possible, particularly southward of the Somme.

In his effort to reach Amiens, the enemy is steadily losing headway.

BRITISH CAVALRY.

DO GREAT WORK. LONDON, March 31. A correspondent at Headquarters states that in the evening there was a comparative lul in the fighting at tho week end, and it was able to allow 'lie disposition of our troops to proceed smoothly. The weather was very unsettled after the rains, which made the country heavy. Referring to the cavalry, he says that the enemy, having secured a large .toad north-east ot Morcuil, at dawn our cavalry was thrown into it, before the Germans had consolidated, and they drove back the enemv into the open, with severe casualties. The cavalry’s work in this open fighting was beyond praise, splendidly justifying the existence of this arm of the forces.

After the capture of Marcelcave (already cabled) the Germans in considerable strength attacked between the Somme and the Ancre. They were covered by many low-flying aeroplanes, which were promptly attacked by our airmen. This attempt was completely

repulsed. In the morning the Germans attacked determinedly near Arras, hut were repulsed after fierce fighting. Receiving reinforcements, they again attacked, blit were again rcpulsad. At two o’clock to-day we assaulted tho enemy positions' near Lasyd Farm, and after a short obstinate struggle we returned to our own lines, with over two hundred prisoners, and forty machine gttn*.