WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

NEW ZEALAND CASUALTIES. HEAVIER THAN AUSTRALIAN LONDON, April 15. The Australian casualties in the reeent fighting were remarkably light, while the New Zealanders were proportionately heavier, but less than on Passchendacle Ridge. It is permissible to state that General Birdwood was on furlough in England when the offensive started. He motored to Hythe, and aeroplaned thence to France, reaching headquarters in ninety minutes. He immediately issued an order: "The time has now come to -take the strain, whatever self-sacrifice is involved. I confidently appeal to every individual to remember the lasting traditions which his force has made." GERMAN LOSSES ■■■*• f: ! .- \-a -:■ AMSTERDAM, 1 April' 15. it is significant that the "Wolff Bureau has been ,compelled to issue a s'tajpnient regarding German., losses., which emphasises that the majority of. imp wounded are walking cases, and reiterates that'the losses are normal for such big operations. GERMANY'S LAST CHANCE, ['", ;I hW CRITIC'S VIEWPOINT. "C; * GAINS N6t WORTH LOSSES. '• 'UNLESS BRITISH BE BRCXEN LONDON, April 15, The "Manchester Guardian" publishes a candid German critic's viewpoint, in the course of which he says: "This is our last chance of complete victory, because later the American army will be big. It is a frightful gamble; the cost already has been half a million casualties, and it will cost a million in another three weeks. This will be justifiable if Hindenburg drives the British into the sea; otherwise, we will again be reduced to two millions in the West, facing odds of five to two. If we had placed safety first we could have economised in men and built redoubts. German staff work seems better than the British, our advances are on a larger scale, but our gains are not worth our losses unless we brpMc the British. Everything depends on the next drives/' HOW HANGARD WAS HELD. LOST AND RE-TAKEN MANY TIMES". DESPERTE FIGHTING BY FRANCO BRITISH. Received 8.50 a.m. LONDON, April 16. A French Headquarters correspondent reports that one of the bitterest engagements 61 th e great was fought on Friday, for Hangard. The position is of importance, on the north road from Noyon to Amiens. The Germans thrice attacked, hoping to thrust a wedge between the FrancoBritish armies and obtain the mastery of Amiens Road. The village was taken, re-taken, and taken again hy the Germans, and rescued a second time by the French just In time to •sve . the remnants .oof .the garrison. Int: the great battle of 4th April the Tillage was gallantly held by battalions, against furious onslaughts. The hill dominating ire ,yfilnsrb was captured by the Germans, and re-taken by the; French. The Germans on the Jp*%jf ou gbt their way into the vil-fw£||lfter-.ali night- fighting, from 'Mfet. to .house, they were driven' out. Cnr Friday the Germans re-attacked,

surrounding the village. The battalion commander fortified himself in a house and held out from eight in the morning until six in the evening when he telegraphed to headquarters: "Am surrounded; still holding out; make haste." The last message read: "Enemy about to attack." It was then six 'in the evening. A few minutes later he and his men were taken prisoners. A counter-attack by the Fran-co-British was completely successful. A hundred Germans were captured, arid the French defenders except twenty, were rescued.