WAR OPERATIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1820, 30 April 1918, Page 3

WAR OPERATIONS.

MESSAGE TO GOVERNOR-GEN-ERAL. His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral has received a telegram from the Secx-etary of State for the Colonies, covering the war operations for the -week to 25th April. ■ The message covers the nature of the fighting on the -whole front, and details the course of the campaign, and proceeds: — “The enemy, who has now launched his new offensive after a pause whei’ein he was able to some extent to rest his tired troops and organise his supply, has on the battle fronts some 130 divisions. There are in addition some other exhausted divisions, and also fresh divisions in reserve, but it is doubtful whether he can effect the same concentralion as on 21st Max’eb, pai’tly because of the exhaustion of many units, but chiefly because of the dispersal of the effort. By withdrawals from the East he now, however, has acquired a numerical preponderance over the British and French in the West. He also has the advantage of interior lines and initiative, and can, therefore, obtain local superiority; and it is the Allies’ object to wear down his numbei’s by dogged defensive methods. This local superiority is all the greater now that he has singled out the British Army for destruction, but so fax’, although our reserves have naturally been drawn on, and the P’rench have shouldered their share of the burden, he has neither worn down the British nor used up strategic reserves as he hoped.

“The activities of Roysvl aircraft wei’e hampered in the week under review by adverse weather conditions, and aerial operations were consequently greatly restricted, it being impossible to undertake longdistance raids into Germany. During the operations on 17th April at Meteran and Wytschaete our airmen continually attacked the enemy's infantry, guns, and transport. They di’opped over 500 bombs in this neighbourhood, and fired largo quantities of ammunition at different ground targets, with excellent effect. Night bombing squadrons, whenever weather pennitted, continued to harass the enemy’s communications, and hamper the bringing up of vitally important supplies, allowing troops who had been withdrawn to billets no rest. Aerial combats were few, but the enemy suffered iiTeplaeeable loss in the death on 21st April of their foremost fighting pilot, Von Richtofen, avJio was brought down as a result of a. fight between our own and the enemy’s scouts in the Somme area, constituting a heavy blow to the morale of the enemy. “The weather iix Italy has been unfavourable, but on 17th April British airmen brought down eleven machines, and drove down another one in addition to those brought down by the Italian pilots.

“At Aden the value of aircraft in outlying theatres has been strikingly demonstrated. In consequence of our aerial activities the enemy has been compelled to scatter his camps and live largely in dug-outs. “The congestion on the railroads tends to throw-a greater burden on transport by road and canal, and the depleted man-power increases the difficulties of the railways. The Board of Trade is tackling both problems through the Canal Control Committee and Bond Transport Board by promoting most economical use of boats and vehicles to meet requirements of food and munition transport.

“The Pood Ministry reports that the national meat rationing scheme is working as smoothly throughout the country as the local scheme previously worked in London and Home counties, and the rationing of tea is under consideration. The improved weather encourages hopes regarding Home meat supply, and the improved milk yield is satisfactory, enabling greatly needed increased ration of fats. The improved sugar imports are being utilised as stocks against winter period of short supplies. There has been no increase in bread consumption, but increased imports of cereals are urgently needed, and also cheese.”