WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE FUTURE OF ALSACE. 'AMSTERDAM, April 23. The Alsace-Lorraine "Landtag" refused to discuss the Budget because discussion of the country's future is prohibited. AUSTRIAN TROOPS FOR BELGIUM. Received 9.35 a.m. WASHINGTON, April 24. Official despatches from Berne say Austro-Hungarian reinforcements are being transferred to Belgium. GERMAN OFFENSIVE RESUMED. Received 9.35 a.m. LONDON April 24. The German offensive has been resumed at Dramoutri, also in the 'Albert sector, where it was driven back. RESDLTS OF GERMAN OFFEN--,, gP . ~;.T-, -,.-:-.-; .•,-.-,, WAR MINISTER'S' STATEMENT, „ AND /15p6 GUNS CAPTURED. ,]._ , - 9. SO 9.SO a.hi. AMSTERDAM, April 24. . In' the Reichstag, .the War Minister claimed the .German break through on the West sixty kilometres deep. One hundred thousand British were taken prisoners, fifteen hundred guns captured. Moreover, they had thrown the French across the Oise and Aisne Canals. They defeated the British at Armentieres, capturing twenty thousand 250 guns. The Minister dwelt on the difficulties of bringing up German reinforcements. The enemy again found vantage points 'whereof they were making use, thereby necessitating a continuation of the battle. GERMANS REPULSED AT ALL POINTS. Received 9.10 a.m # LONDON, April 24. At 1.55 p.m., Sir Douglas Haig reports increased hostile artillerying yesterday and evening on the bulk offlie front, particularly in the Somme and Ancre sectors, Scarpe valley and sectors northward of Bethnne, and northward and north-east-ward of Bailluel. The Germans at dusk, attacking northwestward of Albert, met heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, and were driven back_ Strong hostile attacks late in the evening near Danouctre were repulsed by the French after sharp fighting. The Franco-British artillery inflicted severe loss. The. demy's artillery at night time was active, and a heavy bombardment opened early this morning along practically the whole British front from northward of Albert to the junction with the French southward of the Somme. Strong infantry attacks are progressing, in Albert sector and between the Somme and Avre. There was heavy: hostile shelling early thi3 morning between Givencby and Robecq. Our artillery dispersed concentrations in, the neighbourhood of Merrville. I GERMANS TRYING TO GET ELBOW fc ROOM. ATTACK AND COUNTER-ATTACK. Received 9.30 a.m. LONDON April 24. |JP§ ffiirie Robinson writes: —The Germane; who are uncomfortably squeezed between the Ancre railway. lurt night endeavoured to get e-bow loom. After heavy shelling and successive waves they forced us back 400 jards from the railway and proceed.

ed to dig in on the other side. By smart manoeuvring the Lewis guns enfiladed them, inflicting sanguinary losses, and a counter-attack completely drove the enemy back to "his old uncomfortable positions. During the night we assumed the offensive as far Bouzlicourt, driving Dack the enemy on a thousand yards' front to a depth of 250 yards, and gaining a bit of the best position in the Albert area, "The enemy is heavily shelling Kemmel, in the Ypres area. SYSTEM OF MASSED ATTACKS ABANDONED. LONDON, April 23. Mr. Hamilton Fyfe writes :■—Enor-: mous losses have compelled the Germans to abandon since early April the massed frontal attacks. They have; substituted many trickling . groups armed with machine-guns.;-. ~Geaeral,. Ludendorft on March, 30 ordered the, absolute abolition of massed,.attacks,, on the ground that; they only. Jed... to .unnecessary losses adding that it w,as.: effective use of weapons, not; numbers, which' gave,the .decision. ~,_ ~.;,!,•>■.. /.,-The; Upited i ,Pxess..Association,'s cq?-. respondent, in "a nfessago dated. -s'.jJs.. ,tbi evening states: / The, British;■south-, ward of Aveluy Wood, .2 .miles .north, of - Albert;, .pushed back the Germans '250 yards on a 1000-yard' front. .'>-■•;•• BRITISH IMPROVE THEIR . u: .!; 1,• POSITION; ,; fr£ r oTt ~;•., ! ■,,,.., LONDQN,/April 23. - r At 11 o'clock this evening Sir''Douglas Haig reports: A minor operation eastward of Robecq was completely successful. In addition to ground gained, we took 120 prisoners and*'a number of machine-guns. We also slightly improved our position this morning in the neighbourhood of Meteren, taking prisoners and machine-guns. There was considerable enemy gasshelling at Villers Bretonneux. ■ Wireless German official: The English have been active between Lens and Albert. The enemy lost prisoners in repeated attacks to re-capture ground at Aveluy Wood and to capture the railway northward of Arras. JAPAN WATCHING- GERMANY. SYDNEY, this day. Speaking at the Society of St. George dinner, the Japanese Consul-General said there were signs of a colossal German attempt to throw .her forces through paralysed Russia and Siberia into the Sea cf Japan. If the attempt were made, Japan held herself to thwart it and keep the Far East and the Pacific free of German domination