FROM OTHER SOURCES.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1918, Page 2

FROM OTHER SOURCES.

TWO DESPERATE ATTACKS

enemy MAKES PROGRESS

LONDON, April 27

A British Headquarter’s correspondent says that yesterday’s fighting was the heaviest in Flanders since the present offensive commenced. The enemy . developed two great thrusts, the first being a continuation of his efforts against Kemmel and the . ground westward. The second being a new attack between Laclyttc, which was a kilometre north-east of Rcherpenberv Hill, and a. spot whcio Ins line crosses the Ypres-Commincs Canal, Later his second attack extended ' southward and linked up with the battle proceeding around Drancourt, thus forming a continuous struggle on a front of ten miles.

The enemy is determined to win at any price. He continued pushing forward fresh formations from his reserves.

Wherever the front threatened tho Germans can certainly show considerable gain in territory, but they have paid the full price for every yard.

It cost him three attempts in mass formation to get into Locre, and four attempts to carry the brewery south of Yoormezelle. >

POSITION SERIOUSLY WORSE

LONDON, April 27,

Commenting on the position t Reuter’s Correspondent! says:—lt is admitted that the situation in the north lias become seriously worse with the result of th© past two days’ 'fighting, as the enc has not merely held Kemmel Hill, the best observation post on the British front, but has spread westwards, while he crept nearer Ypres on both sides of the canal south-east of the town. Northwards, however, in the neighbourhood of Loclyt-te at Scherpenberg, bis attacks have been held and his positions are not yet established. The severity of the German losses has not- vet compensated him byjiny strategical success. Even if a further withdrawal from Ypres is considered advisable, this will not make any immediate difference to the Channel ports. ft is important to remember that though the Germans haw apparently reverted their attack? to limited objectives, their main effort is probably still to be made between Arras and Amiens and against tlio British on the Somme and farther south. Huge German forces are waiting in the hope that th? Allied strength wilt })£- dissipated elsewhere.

It is the object of the enemy to use up all tho Allied reserves. He has still failed to separate the British and French Armies, but a more

formidable thrust than any hitherto, is probably being planned in the direction of Amiens and the fvoinme estuary service.

THE GERMAN TANKS

LONDON, April 26,

The Australians at Villers have now joined up the gaps which existed for a time in the British line.

The whole village is now in ; our hands and the loss the enemy sustained, if anything, is underestimated. The Australians describe the German tanks as thirty-six feet long, twelve feet high, and broad, with a central turret. Their caterpillar tracks pass round several pairs of wheels, and resemble enormous turtles., but they are very slow. They are armed with twoinch guns and six machine guns, and are handled by scratch crews, not specially trained. Two fled directly they encountered our tanks.

APPEAL TO AUSTRALIA

/ A CRITICAL POSITION,

LONDON, April 27. Mr Murdoch, in a special article, says that many are asking anxious questions “ Can the Ypres salent be hold?” but. there are many stout hearts faeng the grim prospects 'Confidently. The loss if Kemmel threatens but does not destroy our commuunications with Ypres. Its loss is less noteworthy than the fact of the fury of another week’s great battle has brought us a step nearer the grave moment when the exhaustion of either side will begin to be manifest. The prospects of the Germans rendering the. British and French asunder is unlikely. The great question is one of manpower aud the quick movement of reserves. Reliefs ’are being worked as far as humanely possible. A marked capacity is shown by the British comma,ndecs! in sparing men and relieving them before the breaking point is reached. / The British Divisions are fighting magnificently. On the other side the Germans are fighting with a spirit, high enthralled, by their advance.

At last reinforcements arrive, and the crisis is irrevocably averted by the arrival of an Australian force.

Our casualties are not’ really high compared with other battles, but we have lost more than ten thousand lately. Let the news sound throughout Australia that a crisis was averted when their forces arrived.

Many strange stories have been cabled that recruiting in Australia had been affected by a statement that England was keeping an army of one million in Britain. These are lies. England has been/drained and .Scotland’s trusty sons have long since gone eri masse to the battlefield. Our own depots and bases have been tooth-combed of fighting men. ENEMY HELD EVERYWHERE. LONDON, April 27. The British retained Foormezelle after bitter fighting. The French recaptured positions west of Kemmel.

The enemy advance is held everywhere.

Sir Douglas Haig reports:—“We have cleared out posts south-eastward of Villers-Bretonneux. The enemy has gas-shelled this area.

ATTACK lon KEMMEL.

LONDON, April 26. A high military authority states that the situation in the Lys sector between Givenchy and Merville is highly satisfactory for us. We regained several important positions.

The enemy sustained heavy losses and gained nothing. The balance, in wear and tear, went against the Germans. >

The enemy now heavily attacked the Kemmel Front and made considerable progress in the sector chosen for the attack which involved both the French and the British troops.

Latent information, thougfP ‘ incomplete. shows he occupied Kemmel Hill gaining about two thousand yards on a front of twelve hundred yards. This is serious, but not decisive. The hill is tactically important as an observation point. Our line to the north is all right and it is perfectly possible to hold Ypres, but it might not be convenient.

Still, we must not regard Kemmel as definitely lost. GREAT OFFENSIVE EXPECTED BETWEEN ARRAS AND AMIENS LONDON, April 2(3. A high military authority, writes that on the southern front the situation at Villers-Bretonneux is satisfactory. We regained all we lost, and hold the village. Wo captured considerable prisoners.

The. village is important tactically. Both in the northern and southern attacks the enemy is striking at the junction of the British and French Annies which are naturally the weaker spots because it is more difficult to arrange supports of artillery and reserves, where two 'commands, of different nationalities meet. Speaking generally, it is the aim of the enemy to fight the British Army by itself. This lias been countered by the transference of the French northwards. i The great offensive may still be expected between Arras and Amiens. So far the Germon gains have only been tactical. The enemy may bo expected to con. tinue liis plan to try and break up the British throughout the summer and in the end it will be a question, of who holds the last reserves. So far, General Foch has only used a small portion of his reserves, which is a good augury for the future. A long drawn out struggle will be a test of endurance. It is therefore imperative to get every man possible to support the battle front.