WESTERN FORNT.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FORNT.

r •: ; DABS ANYHOWi THE FUTURE OF GERMANY. -.' ■ COPENHAGEN, April 9.The Vorwaerts, commenting on President Wilson's speech says: "If Germany does finish the war by military means her future is in darkness. It does not look bright even if we succeed in finishing the war by the spring. v or summer, therefore there can be no * other solution but complete victory. WON A BATTLE. ■* BUT NOT A CAMPAIGN. NEW TORV, April 9. Mr. Frank Sirnonds, in an article in the New York Tribune commenting on the western front, says: "The" Germans have won a battle, but not a campaign, and their chances of winning the campaign are visibly- decreasing aaiiy.?'' J',, , ■ ' y- -■ • ON THE TRENCH FRONT. " r THE;COTTCY RETIREMENT. ~,;.: ' ;''■'; J PARIS, April 9. . A French communique reports: Great reciprocal artillery fury is in progress at numerous points of the .front. North of Montdidier, between .Montdidier. and Noyan, intermittent bombard-. ments are in progress. On the left bank ofjthe Oise our advance elements, in ' accordance with orders, withdrawn to previously* organised posi- • tions south-west of the lower forest of Coucy and south of Coucy Le Chateau. The enemy troops lost heavily in this operation. BIG ATTACK ON BRITISH AND PORTUGUESE. LONDON, April 10. ""* Sir Douglas Haig reports: This morning, after intense bombardment from La Bassee Canal to the neighbourhood of Armentieres, strong hostile forces attacked the British and Portuguese holding this sector. Thick mist made ooser'vation impossfple. The enemy forced their way into positions near Neuve Chapelle, Fauquissart, and La Cordonneri farm. AfterriMavy fignting all day lonS ' the enemy forced back the Portuguese in the centre, and the British on the flanks, of the line -of the Lys river between Estaires and Bachtmaur. SUDDEN ATTACK BY THE ENEMY GOOD PROGRESS MADE. LONDON, April 10. The. Germans suddenly attacked the Portuguese and British on their flanks on a ten mile front from La Bassee Canal to southward of Armentieres. Bombardment opened early in the morning, then died down. About 8 o'clock they laid down a large Barrage from Armentieres to Lens. The infantry attacked and apparently obtained a footing in our front lines eastward of Le Plakin and Petillon. At Givenchy and on the left flank of the battle we were apparently holding' 08. ' '&*s There was very stubborn fighting, l which was particularly hot eastward, of Festubert. * Long range guns bombarded Be- j thune, Estaires, Laventie, and practically all the villages and towns in the back areas. The weather was misty and overcast. The Germans used several nosing||p flank positions from the ■north, though his exact intentions reto~.he<seen. .The Germans have advanced three hr,va captured Levantie.

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S REPORT. LONDON, April 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "We hold our positions on both flanks about Givenchy and Fleurboix, where the enemy were repulsed in heavy fighting. The enemy captured Richebourg St. Vaast and Laventie. Severe fighting * continues on the whole of this front. We secured prisoners southward of Arras in minor engagements.' Owing to mist and Tain, few flights were possible yesterday. LONDON, April 10. The German heavily attacked on a ten mile front between Lens and Armentieres. They occupied our first lines at certain points. German official report.—We penetrated English and Portuguese .posi: tions northward of La Bassee Canal,. JAPANESE t EMP,EROR'S MESSAGE^ TO EING GEORGE. J,' Received "8.50 a.m. . I •', ~:■ !.'.**'■ • LONDON, April 10.,,.; j The Emperor of \ Japan, has sent. a message to the ; King, complimenting him on the bravery and steadfastness Of the British on the Western front) expressing confidence, in the Allies' final triumph. The King replied, sending, his cordial thanks, and sharing the. Emperor's confidence in the triumph of our cause. ■}>_• ENEMY ATTACK AT ARM ENTIERES. , f , ON ELEVEN MILE FRONT. . ..; BRITISH OUTPOSTS DRIVEN IN. Received 8.50 a.m. . • LONDON, April 10. Mr. Philip Gibbs reports that the front of the enemy's attack was about eleven miles, between Armentieres and La Bassee Canal. /They apparently succeeded in driving in parts of our outpost lines, while we are holding him by Givenchy on the right and Fleurbaix on/the.,left. The enemy used poison gas in immense quantities, and it was estimated they fired at night over sixty thousand gas shells. The Portuguese between Laventi and Neuve Chapelle are now in the thick of the battle, fighting gallantly. All the enemy's efforts do not seem to have carried him far through the marshes, his storm troops being held back and shattered. GIVENCHY LOST AND RECAPTURED. 750 PRISONERS TAKEN. FIERCE FIGHTING NORTH OF ARRAS. Received 8.50 a.m. LONDON, April 10. . Sir Douglas fEaig xepoWst: Fierce fighting continued on a battle front northward of La Bassee Canal yesterday. At night we held the line of rivers Laive and Lys, and are heavily engaging with the enemy at Estaires and Bacsaiymaur river crossings. On the southern flank the enemy attacked Givenchy, into which at one time they forced their way. We recaptured it by a counter-aftack by the Fifty-fifth Division, who prlsonered 750. The enemy early In the morning opened a heavy bombardment on positions eastward and northward of Armentieres, as far as the Ypres-Cdmmines Canal. Fighting is proceeding on the southern portion of this front. Local fighting occurred southward of the Somme yesterday evening. The situation is unchanged.

HEAVY CASUALTIES AMONG GERMAN OFFICERS. REGIMENTS LED BY NON-COMS. THE KAISER INDISPOSED. > Received 8.50 a.m. AMSTERDAM, April 10. Germany is lamenting tie heaviest officer casualties. Several regiments are now practically led by non-com-missioned officers. Berlin lists show that 2570 members of the nobility have been killed during the war. Received 8.50""a.m. BERNE, April 10. A report is current thaf the Kaiser is suffering from mental exhaustion, the result of extreme activity during the offensive. He has decided to rest, transferring the supreme command to Ludcndorff. AN AWKWARD SALIENT. AT ARMENTIERES. Received 8.50. LONDON, April 10. German attacks on Messines front failed. Armentieres now forms an ! awkward salient. I AMERICAN TROOPS ABOUT TO FIGHT. Received 8.50 a.m. LONDON, April 10. The British have recaptured Givenchy. The German attack extended northward of Ypres-Comines Canal. American troops are about to participate in the battle. THE FIGHT FOR GIVENCHY. ■■■ / SANGUINARY FIGHTING BY ' FRENCH AND BRITISH. Received 11.45 a.m. LONDON, April 10. At 4.10 in the mornng the Bavarians twice took Givenchy and twice were beaten out. Haig holds the village and high ground. . The French had a sanguinary encounter. with Germans for the possession" of Han gar d, which changed hands several times. The French fin-ally-were masters.

GERMAN SUCCESS IN THE NORTH GERMAN TRICK. . ~,-.., Received 11.30 a.m. ■•"■■•'"'' r LONDON, April 10. j The' Germans have captured a portion of. Ploegsteert Wood. r The French are retiring on the Ailette. •; WASHINGTON, 'April 10. It is officially announced that the American casualties in six days were 447. ; An American correspondent on the West front-relates that a man in the uniform of a British Staff officer drove up and ordered the British commander to retire three miles. The Britisher became suspicious, and searched the Staff officer, who proved to be a disguised German. He was immediately shot. A FRENCH REPORT. Received 11.20 a.m. LONDON, ApTfT 20. A French communique states: North of Montdidier the enemy artillery was violently countered by ours. They bombarded several points in the region of Hangard-en-Santterre. Our artillery prevented a German attack debouching. We repulsed an attempt west of Noyon sector at Beumont. There is intermittent artillery duels on the left bank of the Oise. Our batteries dispersed an enemy concentration in the region of Coucy la Chateau. FIGHTING BY AMERICANS SICKENING CARNAGE. Received 11.50 a.m. NEW YORK, April 10. Correspondents report that American engineers participated in the recent great offensive. The Germans advanced in waves twelve men deep, one hundred yards apart. The Americans poured a deadly fire into the Germans mowing down thousands until the rifles were hot and unusable. The terrific courage was sickening, but the Americans held the enemy for days in one sector. i