FIGHTING IN FLANDERS

Taihape Daily Times, 29 April 1918, Page 5

FIGHTING IN FLANDERS

DESPERATE GERMAN EFFORTS Huns' Small Gains German Losses Descussed in Reichstag RIOTS IN RUSSIA Counter Revolution Rumoured.

WESTERN FRONT.

DIiSENCH OF KEMMEL HILL LONDON, April 26. The United Press correspondent describes the tempestuous struggle for Kemmel Hill. French heroes on the crest raked the slopes with maehinegun fire. Another French unit held Kemmel village with equal tenacity, -while from the slopes of Scherpenberg, Montrouge, Montvidoche, and Montnonr the French were pouring in machine-gun fire. B'atteries were raking the middle slopes of Kemniel, the infantry "counter-attacking all in one ■whirlpool of battle. The British on both flanks were enfilading von Bernhardi's Alpine divisions, turning the green flower-filled valley between Kemmel and the red and black mountains into a sizzling lelL The Germans paid dearly for their gains. Hardy specially-trained storm troops charged Kemmel Hill, attack- ; ing fiercely north-westerly from Wytschacte, and finally got wedged between the British and French flanks.J They, crossed the Kemmel-Ypres Road, ; : ■where they were held up for two hours, and i&eh .turned south and , poured, •down the* valley westward of. Kemmel. Hill, "which .was' finally / surrendered,. Wtt the French on the crest held out,' lion-like. The German lines to-day run westward ,of Kemmel, apparently "but the 'ultimate winner is still a mat- * ter of doubt.; ~ , ... .• ; r " .. COMPELLED TO \ GIVE WAY. . AGAINST'BijPEEIOE FORCES.; i ' r:;: :fir -' LONDON,,'ApriI .2.-3. : ; j General Haig reports this afternoon: ! **After severe fighting all day long on j the Bailleul-Hobibekc front against I greatly superior force, the Allied troops were compelled to give ground, and the enemy gained a footing ! on Kemmel Hill. Fighting in the j neighbourhood of Dranoutre j Kemmel and Bierstraat continues. We carried out minor operations during ] the night westward of Merville. Hos- ; tile artillery was active from Lys to I Givenchy. We cleared outposts south- ] astward of Tillers and Bretonneux The enemy gas-shelled this area at 4.25 j in the afternoon." '' A French communique states: "There f "was a violent artillery struggle south I of the Sommee at nighttime. We ear- j lied out numerous raids, notably in I the re&on Lassigny, between Mitte and tlnrAisne and towards Bezonvaux |

and Eparges." BTJLGARS 121 PRANCE. NEV/ YORK, April 26. The New York World's Paris correspondent says that the presence of Bulgarian troops on the West front is confirmed. THE ENEMY'S NEXT THRUST. WHERE WILL IT BE? Received 9.20 a.m. LONDON April 28. Military critics .find satisfaction in the fact that the Germans are not progressing- rapidly past Kemmel. The *nemy find increasing difficulties if he endeavours to continue his thrust directly westward, encountering ttie next height in the chain, namely Mont Den Cats, where there is the Trappist Monastery. It is likelier the enemy will endeavour to advance north-east-i «iy, which movement will make -Tpres untenable; but our resistance, like a buffer, is becoming stronger as llt to pressed back. The Australians -and New Zealanders know every inch •f this country. Practically the whole Australian and New Zealand forces e 1^ ,nd fougllt for many months * this Une ' wnicn is now in |the enejAs hands between ArmenIteres and|Ypres.

THE MILITARY SITUATION. AS SEEN BY THE KAISER. Eeceived 8.45 a.m. AMSTERDAM, April 2S The Kaiser, addressing the ,t*oops in Flanders, said: "Our victories should convince our enemies that we cannot be subdued by arms and blockades. Our enemies are digging their own graves." BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT. ATTACK AND COUNTER ATTACK. Received 8.55 a.m. LONDON, April 28. At 12.45 p.m. Sir D. Haig reports:' The enemy captured Noortezeele yestereve, but counter attacks early in the night drove out the wno re-attacked later in the same locality. There was local fighting all night oi\ ■ ' /ra.iriMisj both sides of .the Ypres-Commes. Canal. We raided southward of 'Gastrelle it) .••>;;•-. '-. QBli -""•■ fit! ? ■ .DO'iOiV and in the Lens and HijU 7.0 sector.. We repiils'ed an' attempted raid northV Ward of Baiileul. 'Eecipr6cai/ajtill,ery' ? ing on'battle 'fronts' is active.- 'V ~.', \ j FLINDERS SITUATION STli-L : . u.. ■.;... -a •■;::■:>; E6NDON,ApriI 27.'""" ,Mr; Gibbs,' writing on the 24thysays a thick, wet fog, like London's particular brand at its' worst,' enveloped the Kemmel sector on* Friday morning. i-Favoured by fog arid-the effect"' of their gunfire,-the attackers'caused gaps in the_:Anglo-French line and isolated the French on Kemmel Hill. Our counter attack jhje't a} wicked jmachinegun fire, and we could- not maintain our hold: of the recaptured ground, though we did not lose all.y ,:; '' - t; T The situation in Flanders is still serious. The enemy may endeavour to exploit his advance at Kemmel l>y a great concentration of strength and more violent attacks, but the French Army is now assisting the British to bar the way. Everyone is fully confident of the result. Australians and English have now cleared all pockets of Germans out of Villers Bretonneux. The Germans surrendered freely, emerging from underground shelters. Many are suffering severely from gas poisoning, as the German helmet is not fully tproof.

LOST GROUND REGAINED. LONDON, April 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports at 11.45 on the 26th. A battle is continuing fiercely on the whole front froc tlie neighbourhood of Dranoutre to the Ypres-Comines Canal. The enemy captured Dranoutre and Kemmel Hill and village.

The enemy's attack yesterday was made in great strength by nine divisions. Early this morning the Franco-British counter-attacked "and succeeded in making some progress, capturing prisoners. Later in the day, however, the enemy renewed his attacks, particularly against positions from Locre to,La Clytte and astride the Ypres-Comines Canal. We held all attacks in the neighbourhoods of La Clytte and Schrenberg, but after severe fighting, wherein we repulsed a series of determined attacks with heavy losses, the enemy succeeded in pressing back our line in the direction of Locre. 'He also progressed astride the Ypres-Comines Canal'.

Sir Douglas Haig reported on the 27th at 2 p.m.: There was great reciprocal artillery fire at night on the whole battle front northward of the Lys river. Fighting in this area yesterday was very severe, the enemy re. peatedly making determined attemots to develop the advantage gained the previous day. After many hours of fluctuating battle the enemy advance

wasXaeld at all points.- Heavy casualties were inflicted.

The enemy's assaults on Locre and La Clytte were pressed with extreme violence. Three attacks were beaten with great enemy loss. He succeeded, at the fourth attempt, in carrying Locre village. Our Allies' counter-at-, tacked in the evening and drove the enemy out of possession of the villages. At other points all enemy attacks were repulsed. There was fierce fighting northward of Kemmel village and in the neighbourhood of Voormezeele (between Ypres and St. Bloi) which after a prolonged . struggle,* remains in our possession. The enemy heavily, attacked in the afternoon our positions on the ridge and wood south-westward of Voor mezeele, but was completely Tepulsed. We took some hundreds of prisoners during local fighting yesterday at noon in the neighbourhood of Givenchy. At 10.10 this evening Sir Douglas Haig reported: The enemy captured a post in the neighbourhood of. Festubert (a mile north of Givenchy). Our fire broke up a local, attack westward of Merville. ; Our artillery effectively engaged infantry asembling eastward of.Villers Bretonneux. Mist interfered with flying. Our infantry downed two low-fliers. BETTER NEWS. LONDON, April 27. The British retained Voormeseele after bitter fighting. The French recaptured positions west of Kemmel. The enemy advance is held everywhere.

FRENCHMEN FIGHT TO THE DEATH. LONDON, April 28. Mr Robinson gives a vivid description of the fighting at Kemmel Hill. An intense bombardment commenced at 'midnight and Icontjnued 'till 4 o'clock in the morning. The attack was delivered on a wide front near iWytchaete, held by the British, and ialorig the front from Kemmel to west lo'f Dranoutre, held by the French. ! iPehetra'tion seems to have, been made ;at" two points simultaneously—at the 'Franco-British junction east of Kern[nt'el' and through the French to the •West. The enemy, pouring in on both ■sides, surrounded Kemmel and cut off 'the garrison. Fighting certainly continued on the hill-crest for from seven to eight hours, till the middle of the 'afternoon. The ; garrison had sworn never to give up Kemmel alive. One can only roughly picture the scene as the Germans swarmed up the hill. The ■Frenchmen, taken on both flanks, and -in the rear, fought with lessening num■bcrs, and gradually reduced the area 'till finally only the hill-top was crown : led'-with blue, as the 'defenders, facing •airways', made their last'stand,*'When Jail 1 is known, I believe the last fight by the' : French on Kemmel will stand >as' one of the most stirring'episodes of the war.

GREAT FIGHTS BY SCOTTISH TROOPS. LONDON, April 28. Kemmel is the first of a chain of isolated hills running eastward from Mont des Cats and Cassel, each dominating and giving observation of a wide area of country. Meanwhile our lino has fallen back between Kemmel and the next height, Scherpenberg, thence north-esat of Grand Bois, near Wytschaete. From the left to here our line held under very hard fighting. The enemy had penetrated a thousand yards south-west of Wytcshaete before the Royal Scots, in front line, knew the battle had begun. Further north, the Camerons hold the line for nine hours' savage fighting till ordered to fall back and conform with new positions. Scottish troops, including the Black Watch, inflicted extremely heavy casualties and captured many prisoners.

Mr. Porcival Phillips writes: The battle for the Flemish hills continued on Friday with unabated fury. Though the gallant French infantry defended Kemmel to the death, four German divisions and mounted troops enveloped this isolated mound, pounded the earth, splintered the timber and gained the crest at heavy sacrifice| The enemy is now striving desperately towards Scherpenberg, the next hill in the chain of ground behind the newlyentrennched divisions. Field guns are beating like a heavy hammer upon the plain of Flanders, and long-range guns are searching remote vilages and country roads. Athough the French bore the brunt of the attack, British troops were heavily engaged on either side, especially the lower slopes of the ridge around Wytschaete and the broken woodland towards the Ypres Canal, The Germans made a double attack on the hill after an all-night bombardment with gas shells. The French infantry received orders to remain on the hill until they died rather than re- i treat. The Germans fought their way

through a tangle of broken tree trunks and wire battered trenches, losing heavily in a machine-gun barrage. Einaiiy came handi-to-haml floating;. A fog drftihg across the marshes helped the first German attack. The Camerons put up a fine fight for a fortified sunken road called Dammstrase, held by the Black Watch. There was hand-to-hand fighting in Kemmel Village. THE GERMAN REPORT. Received 10.50 a.m. LONDON, April 28. A German evening wireless official message states: Tne English abandoned further points of Flanders. We reached a line southward of Langemarck, Verlomboek, Hooge, and Zillke. GERMANY'S LOSSES. DISCUSSED IN THE REICHSTAG. Received 10.45 a.m. COPENHAGEN, April 2S Von Salzmann, writing in the Vossische Zeitung, says rumours are current German losses are so colossal that they would be unable to continue the offensive, the rumour was even spread by members of the Reichstag. General Wrisberg tetated in the Reichstag that up to March 31st, the number of Germans missing and prisoners were 664,104,. whereof 236,676 prisoners in France, 119,000 in England, 157,000 in Russia and Roumania. Wrisberg was unable to state the losses in the present offensive. Stueeklen, a Socialist member, declared Socialist soldiers were placed in the most dangerous posts and not allowed to read Socialist newspapers.

Groeberg, member of the Centre, expressed dissatisfaction on behalf of Alsace-Lorraine soldiers, who were badly treated. iWrisberg admitted the strictness with the latter was necessary because of so many traitors. SUCCESSFUL FRENCH COUNTERATTACKS. 1: ' LONDON, April 27. "■• A French communique issueS at. 2.10 a.m. to-day: We eonuter-attacked from Villers Bretonnuex to south of the Luce this morning and recaptured much ground lost yesterday. Despite desperate resistance v by ( the enemy, who was strongly reinforced" we captured a monument south of Villers and penetrated Hangard village.. The battle lasted all day and continues. It was exceptionally violent. The Germans attempted; to wrest our gains from us at all costs, despite' heavy losses from our fire.

Their battalions attacked seven, times northward of Hangard Wood without causing the French to budge. Tho struggle was .equally .: furious in Hangard village, • which twice changed hands. We captured an orchard south of the Luce . . ■ • . :■■■■ - :

German official: The enemy re-cap-tured Villers Brctonneux. Further-'en-emy counter-attacks eastward of the village, and at Hangard, failed. Prisoners in this battle area now total 2400. SITUATION SUMMED UP. <T LONDON, April 25. A High Military Authority states: The situation in the Lys sector, between Givenehy and Merville, Ts highly satisfactory for us. We have regained several important positions. The enemy sustained heavy losses and gained nothing. The balance in wear and tear went against the Germans. The enemy has now attacked the Kemmel front and made considerable progress. .The sector chosen for the attack involved both French and British troops. The latest information, though incomplete, shows they occupied Kemmel Hill, gaining* about 2000 yards on a front of 1200 yards. This is serious, but not decisive. The hill is tactically important as an observation point. Our line to the north is all right. It is perfectly possible to hold Ypres, but it might not be convenient. Still, we must not regard Kemmel as definitely lost.

On the sbuthern front the situation at Villers Bretonneux is satisfactory. We have regained all we lost, and hold the village. We captured considerable prisoners. The village is important tactically both in the north. ern and southern attacks. The enemy is striking at the junction of the British and French -armies, which is naturally the weaker spot, because it is more difficult to arrange supports of artillery and reserves where two commands of different nationalties meet. Speaking generally, the aim of the enemy to fight the British army by itself has been countered by the transference of the French northwards. 'A great offeff§tv£"may still be expected between Arras and Amiens. So far, the Germans have gained only tactical successes. They have not achieved a strategical success. The enemy may be expected to continue his plan to break up the British

throughout the summer, and in the end it will be a question of who holds the last reserves. So far Foch has only used a small portion of his reserves, which is a good augury for the future. A long drawn-out struggle will be a test of endurance. < it !s therefore imperative to get every man possible to support the battle-front.