WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

SITUATION GOOD. DESPERATE ATTACKS FAIL. LONDON, April 19. Mr. H. Perry Robinson writes: The news of the last four hours is all good. The Germans attacked at seyeral points and gained nothing. The casualties undoubtedly are heavy, though the fighting\at Givenchy and Robec, in the northern sector, remains of chief interest. The retirement from Passchendaele achieved good results. The enemy was slow to grasp what happened, and allowed six hours to elapse before he cautiously advanced. His' Caution was justified, for we wiped out or took prisoner the advance guards, while when the enemy was endeavouring to advance in strength our guns severely handled his formations'im the Poly--u Ron' Wood area. The Germans are *an unpleasant time 1 , in :W getraSg l "droops, guns and transport °^ V er‘the f sfife!i pitted, * aaeroplahe' photographs ’ revealing 'shell holes brimming with 1 water.'" 'Sinfce the retirement we “have had almost totaEl immunity from casualties, while handling the enemy very roughly, j , The enemy yesterday continued his .. attacks on Kemmel without success.' . Our line , runs practically through Me? . teren. ~Our,guns are .more active than the ..enemy’s, their roar, arid the pf. shells through the air completely :dominating the,,noise of the German shell hursts. ~ . j; The’attacks on Givenchy were very heavy, and were desperately pushed. Sixteen or seventeen divisions were usd on the front from Hollebeke, south-east of Ypres, to Merris, southwest of Bailleul yesterday. ■ At|acks in three successive separate drives on Kemmel, midway between Bailleul ans Drancoutre,' and at eMteren, were all beaten off. The attacks at Kemmel were the fiercest, involving great enemy losses. There was a bitter struggle around Meteren. Practically the whole village is a no-man’s land, while mutual artilery fire makes the ruins untenable. The result of the German failure at each point has undoubtedly increased our confidence. If ’ • the jfoe of the hill be gained' it will he at an enormous price. The line was very thin five or six days, ago when the Germans were ordered to capture Kemmel at all costs, it seems miraculous we held them. The en,.emy should have got there cheaply. r The position is difficult now. Apart from our own increase in strength, it is permissible to state that the ITench are with us here as elsewhere. Last night the enemy shelled our lines heavily, especially at Robecq. He succeeded in the darkness rushing an advanced post at Farm. A heavy bombardment began in the morning, and lasted for five hours. The enemy attacked at 9 o’clock, but was unfortunate from the start. Our guns got on to the main force's assembling from the Calcnne To the Clarence River down to Riez du Vinage, and his losses were heavy. The attack extended, to Robecq and Givenchy, and was particularly heavy in the centre towards Hinges, but our gone, machine-grins, and rifles smothered four successive waves, and the enemv nowhere gained ground except \ at one post near Givenchy. NOTHING FINAL FROM PRESENT DRIVE. Ifc > i'P NEW YORK, April 19. General Bridges has arrived. He predicts a Arman offensive in June on the or in Italy, and expects a serious crisis during 1918. He

adds that we mustn’t expect anything final from the present drive. If the Germans b e halted they wil entrench preparatory to another offensive The war has resolved itself into a question of man power, the Germans striving for a decision before we draw the trump card, namely, the American Army. The British Army has its back to the wall, and Haig will figfit it out to a finish. /NO WEAK SPOT IN BRITISH RESISTANCE. LONDON, April 19. The change of front of the German attack to the region between Givenchy and the east of Robecq found no weak spot in the British resistance and the close of yesterday’s fighting found the British line still intact. There was only one point in the now battle area whore the enemy j; ,gainqd anything, namely, opposite.^thQn, vHill of Hinges where he isucceeded; Ibl; .bridging the La Basseo- but? the only Germans who crossed- came as prison^ ! SrS.U33R AO3A9AI \ J This new attack-in the direction of Bethune. is ' obviously -intended .. to protect his flanks If ■ he, wished to drive further north The bnemy' is trying to secure La B.assee Canal, with the object, of safeguarding his troops around Bailleul, and simultaneously , imperilling,i the, 'British in the French coal-fields near Bethune. Generallyspeaking,, the British line is more secure Than,it has been for days, justifying ,the belief, that the enemy may be held to the .present positions. The British withdrawal east of ,Ypres was .due tp.-t.he German ad-> van.ee> from the, south along , the Lvs Valley, threatening... the ; ..-coWmirnic.a - ■ tions of the Ypres army. „ I r.,v RHEIMS A BURNING RullSl. Received 8.40 a.m. ! PARIS, April 21. | During the week over a’: hundred thousand shells fell in' Rheims. The city is still burning and becoming a ' wilderness of scorched and blackened | stones.. The cathedral’s roofs are | splitting and crumbling. j THE GRAVEST CRISIS REACHED. i I I A LOST GERMAN BET. i j - j Received 8.40 a.m. i LONDON, April S>. Lord Robert Cecil, in a speech at Hitchin, said we had reached the i gravest crisis of the war. He did not fear the ultimate result. He had been | told the German officers were prepared to bet Hindenburg they would divide the Anglo-French armies within a fortnight, but a month had now passed and the enemy had not succeeded. LOSSES REPLACED. I THE KING’S CONGRATULATIONS. Received 8.40 a.m. LONDON, April ,21. The Press Bureau reports that the King expresses his high appreciation of the exertions of the munitions ministery officials, employers »nd munitions workers during this critical time. His Majesty states he has learned that practically all the losses and expenditure of munitions during the battle have already been made good without undue depletion of reserves. There are now actually more serviceable guns machine-guns, and aeroplanes at the front than on the eve of : the offensive and all other supplies are abundant. BRITISH ADVANCE THEIR LINE. LONDON, April 20 Reuter’s correspodent at the British Headquarters, reporting at 4.35 this evening says; There is more, activity

south of Arras where, yesterday morning, we succeeded in 'advancing our line over a 1500 yards front eastward of B’eaurains. 1 > ~ ■ Last night the enemy delivered a heavy assault from the direction of Telegraph Hill, which was repulsed after hard fighting. The bombardment so pounded our new trenches that we decided to withdraw to the line held yesterday morning. The enemy heavily shelled Bailleul Woodt There was also a, general increase in artillery fire in the Scarpe Valley. At 10 o’clock this evening, Sir Douglas Haig reported: We captured a few men and nine machine-guns during a successful 'enterprise south of the Scarpe river. We also repulsed a counter-attack in this sector. In a successful counter-attack last night, the First Division threw the enemy out of points in our advanced defences around Givenchy and Festubert gained by him on Wednesday at the cost of heavy losses. We gained all our objectives and re-established our positions. We drove back the attacking enemy after sharp fighting south-east of Eobecq. Mr. Percival Phillips writes: A lull followed yesterday’s German defeat. The exhausted enemy divisions between La Bassee and the Belgian 1 frontier were glad to pass the night quietly after a day of utter failure. Disinclination to fight was also apparent this morning. Though the British yesterday faced greatly superior numbers, ■'especially between Givenchy and Nieppe Forest, and in the region of La BasoCe Canal, they held all ground except two minor outposts. It is /believed more Germans were killed on La Bassee Canal bank and the bridgehead to the Bethune road than since the northern battle began. Prospects of loot have been an incentive to the Germans, who have been frequently hungry owing to supply columns having been destroyed by our bombardments. MORE SECURE THAN FOR DAYS PAST, OTTAWA, April 20. Despatches from Europe say that the British lines are now more secure than they have been for days. BRITISH FRONT UNCHANGED. LONDON, April 20. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There is no change. The enemy’s artillery has been active at various points and shelled our positions this morning in the neighbourhood of Candescure, northward of Mervillc. Our artillery effectively engaged troops and transport ( moving on the roads behind the Lys battlefront. GERMAN DEFEAT AT GIVENCHY, J ' LONDON, April 20. At 2 o’clock this afternoon, Sir Douglas Haig reports: Our counterattack threw the enemy from the advanced defences around Givenchy ana Festubert, re-establishing our positions. The Press Bureau reports: Sir Douglas Haig congratulated Lieut.General Holland and all ranks of the First Corps for the gallant and successful way in which all the enemy’s attacks were repulsed yesterday. Mr. Fyfe writes; Givenchy is tbe most complete and most unmistakable knock the enemy has had since the offensive. It was less costly than Arras, but there he gained some ground. Here he gained nothing. He was squarely and solidly beaten. The attack on the Canal was met with a tremendous hail of machine-guns, sweeping the woods and mowing down the attackers. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes: Thursday was a black day for the enemy between Eobecq and Givenchy itself, where desperate efforts to gain high ground failed with staggering losses. It was a big attack following formidable preparations. Th e enemy increased his heavy artillery threefold, bringing up a large number of howitzers, including monster eleveninchers. He also massed new divlsions in front of us. Our men stood five hours under an infernal fire of high explosives and gas shells, bur they received the German infantry with blasts of machine-gun fire and trench mortar bombardment. Our trench mortars caused awful slaughter. One battery continued deadly execution until the gun pits' were surrounded. Only two crews escaped. Machine-gunners fought in the open when gunfire wiped out tbeir position, and mowed down the enemy waves at fifty yards’ range.

Our troops more to the southward on the Canal lost some parts of their front line. They fought in the open smashing the enemy out of his positions. Once the Germans penetrated 1 headquarters. Servants £ ‘ a *? participated in a fierce hand

to hand fight'landj.dJove off the. enemy There ■ were-.-. extraordinary scenes on the Canal-hank in the twilight and early dawn. An enemy party rushed out of the wood, but machine-gun-ners mowed them down. Another party advanced carrying a floating bridge, btu found the bridge too short to reach the other side. One of our corporals went to the Canal edge and flung hand grenades at the Germans trying tto fix the bridge. Then a lieutenant and a few men rushed down and pulled the bridge to our side, A few hours later 150 surrendered, some swimming the Canal for the purpose. This morning patrols gathered in prisoners, many of whom were hungry, having been living for six days on two days’ rations. GERMANY’S RESERVES. LONDON, April 19. British officials state,that Germany still has approximately seventy divisions of comparatively fresh reserve forces on the West front. TRANCE’S DEATH ROLL. 1,300,000 SOLDIERS KILLED. LONDON, April 19. M. Tardieu, High Commissioner for France, in a speech, said a total of 1,300,000 French soldiers have been killed. REMOVING CHILDREN FROM PARIS. Received 11.35 a.m. PARIS, April 21. Arrangements are being made to remove 100,000 children of the poorer classes from Paris to avoid enemy action. BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT. Received 11.35 a.m. LONDON, April 21. At 12.35 p.m., Sir Douglas Haig reports: 'After some fighting we repulsed an attack upon a post southward of the Scarp© River, Our artillery stopped an attempt to advance north-ehst of Ypres. We carried oiit a successful local operation' Hn the neighbourhood of Robecq.' ' Hostile artillery was active iiT The afternoon and night on the -Nomine and ‘ La' 'Bassee sectors. - '" : ■ - - ! SPLENDID WORK BY BELGIANS. GERMAN PLANS FOILED. Received i 1.35 a.m. ' PARIS, April 21. Documents seized, on an officer prisoner show that the Germans Were" for six days preparing operations against the Belgians on the l.Jth, .with a view, of reaching the Yser Canal, westward of Ypres, towards - Paperinghe. They hoped thus to envelop the 'Allies’ western wing,. The Belgians, besides prisonering 700, inflicted severe . losses, re-established the line, and prevented the Germans launching two prospective counter attacks. General Plumer sent the Belgian Chief of Staff his warmest congratulations at their brilliant success, adding that the British Second Army was very grateful for the assistance on the left wing rendered by the Belgian Army, with which it so long worked in close co-operation, GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, April' 20. Wireless German official.— We repulsed strong attacks against Wytschacto. Our fire caused very heavy losses whilst the attackers were assembling. Our infantry thrust north-west of Bcthuno captured some guns. Fighting fluctuated between Festubert and Givenchy. Wo prisoncrcd over 600 in a bitter struggle at Merisel Moreuil. We sanguinarily drove back strong French attacks. Wo occupied Tschpalinka and Melitpol, in Tuarida. A WEEK’S FIGHTING. REVIEWED BY SECRETARL OF STATE/ WELLINGTON, April 21. The Governor-General has received Ihe following, official -communication from the Secretary of. State for the Colonies, dated London, 19th, covering tho operations during the week ending April 18th: The Lys battle absorbed almost the entire German energies, straining at the same time the British defence to a point whereat only tho knowledge of the stake could enable a successful resistance to be maintained. The enemy’s advance had been diverted from the south by tho solid wall encountered at Givenchy, and the westward pressure was being gradually removed to the front, and north flank of the attack. Armcntiercs was evacuated to avoid an encircling movement, whereafter two German armies north and south thereof joined

hands. The British divisions on the north and south flanks remained firm, but the attack in the centre continued till they crossed the-river Lawe and captured Merville, Merris and Neuve Eglise, whereafter their advance appeared to bo checked. The struggle narrowd to one for three points —iiailleul, Nicppo Forest, and Mont Kemmel, with its objective the capture of Hazbruck. During the week’s fluctuating fighting the villages changed hands; but Bailleul fell, and the enemy occupied Metcren, Wulvcrgdem, Wytschacte and practically the whole Messines ridge fell to him. The forward lino eastward of Ypres then became untenable, and was abandoned without the knowledge of the enemy. Fighting at every point was of the most desperate kind, but the enemy realised that there was little chance of any further exploitation of his successes in any direction but north and north-west where, discovering a weak spot, he concentrated a full attack. Nevertheless tho net result to him was a small gain of territory which cost him severe losses. At a critical moment the situation, though serious, has given grounds for confidence, but. the fighting must continue a long while. The German reinforcements are being exhausted. The enemy reckoned by an impetuous rush of highly-trained German troops to smother the British lines and shatter the morale of the whole Entente. He concentrated on the British line alone, because the manoeuvring space to their rear was so restricted, also because the decision would give him the coast. He also expected thereby to affect the French morale, whereto he has been exercising bis whole ingenuity of propaganda by calling into question their mutual loyalty; but the Allies, having decided on a Frencn commander in whom they have implicit faith, are now willing to face all losses till the time arrives for the counter-stroke. Since the enemy has selected the British for the attack, the British must bear the brunt for a time. Neither inevitable losses nor yielding unimportant ground has succeeded in shaking the Allied confidence Jn ; ,the troops . or,;-their leader's. The German jnetbods rof,drying, to .soldiers,,into,, ; precipitate mptiom .aijc trying.lp. undermine the.patigpee ’arid confidence of. the, population is; well understood,; During : the earlier part of last ; week the, weather conditions on the/Western front were .unfavourable for flying. Our aircraft, however, though compelled to fly as low as two hundred feet, jnaintained a continual watch on the enemy’s litre and attacked troops and transports ’with bombs and machine-guns whenever possible. Statements of ers confirm the heavy casualties and confusion caused by these tactics at all stages of the battle. The weather improved on the 12ttlr and gave an exceptional opportunity 'to the Rcy?r Air' Force, which surpassed all previous records. Over three, thousand photographs were taken,' in spite of the efforts'of the enemy aircraft. Forty hostile machines were brought down and twenty driven out of control. From the statements o?-prison-ers and the observations of our pilots, it is manifest that these heavy losses are draining the enemy’s aviation resources with which his reserve parks find it increasingly difficult to cope. On the same day 55i tons of bombs were dropped on the battlefield. ITALIANS ON WEST FRONT. WILL TOTAL 200,000. WASHINGTON. Tho Italian Embassy states: The advance guard of the Italians reached the West front some days ago. A high Italion officer says flic Italian force in France will approximate 200,000. LONDON, April 20. Wireless Italian report: Signor Orlando stated in the Chamber yesterday that Italian regiments will shortly participate in the French battle. Tho declaration was received with the greatest enthusiasm.. Many officers and sbldiers will be incorporated in /regiments going to Franco.