WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 December 1917, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

WAITING FOR NEW DIVISIONS. LONDON, Dec 5. The United Press headquarters correspondent reports that prisoners state that two new German divisions coming up will be thrown in shortly. Meanwhile there is a lull in the enemy attacks. British artillery broke an attempted attack round Moeuvres. The enemy massed for an attack between La Vacquerie and Gonnelieu, but our gunfire smashed them before the kick-off. THE GERMAN STORY. LONDON, December 5. A German official message "says: "Enemy attacks south-west of Moeuvres broke down. We drove back strong enemy detachments which reached the west shores of Lake Ochirda, on the Macedonian front." ALLIED GENERALISSIMO WANTED. PARIS, Dec 5. The Press is disappointed that the Conference has not settled the continued demand for the apointment of an Allied Generalissimo to pit against M. Clemenceau promises ftf make a definite statement in a fortnight.

GERMANS CHECK .BRITISH ADVANCE. LUDENDORFF'S SUCCESSFUL STROKE. LONDON, November 5. A high, military authority writes: There is little doubt the enemy's attack on Cambrai was planned and our attack which broke through the famous Hindenburg Line, which Ludendorff designed. The latter declared that if it was ever broken through he would begin battle manoeuvres which would be successful LudendorfPs plan was a thoroughly good one, as are most of the German plans. He carried out a simultaneous attack on both sides of the salient with a massed attack on the centre. The attack on the Bourlon-Moeuvres front and the centre failed completely. Although the enemy losses on these failures were extremely heavy, we could not say they had not made substantial gains, because, a bit of our flank having gone, supply" to the men on the front became difficult, necessitating some adjusting of the Poss*rtery a slight withdrawal on the northern front may be necessary. The Germans may fairly claim to have cheeked our advance. The' Germans claim that they -captured a hundred guns and 6000 prisoners may be taken with a grain of salt. ,Wo have altogether 650 Genman guns, of which 510 were taken in 1917, including 138 at Cambrai.

ENEMY PRESSURE STILL VERY STRONG. LONDON, December 6. Mr. Phillips writes: Pressure on our Cambrai front is still very strong. The enemy are determined to recover their lost prestige of the Hindenburg Line. We must expcjfet further efforts, perhaps further fluctuations on the battlefront, but owing to his heavy losse3 and our increased gun-power the Germans 'more ambitious encirclement scheme cannot ]*c attempted. Further levies from Flanders and Russia are being -brought up for slaughter. The enemy have little cover for their reserves where we hold the Hindenburg Line.

Mr. Robinson writes: The Germans make concentrations at Cambrai, but each day strengthens us. The Germans will never convert our Victory into a defeat.