WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

ENEMY’S GHASTLY LOSSES. IN WESTERN OFFENSIVE. AMSTERDAM, April 28. The latest advices from Germany Indicate that the ghastly losses in the western offensive are arousing feeling against militarism. LTJNDKNDORFF ’ S PLANS. PARIS, April 28. M. Marcel Hutin says that Ludendorff is manoeuvring to draw the Allies’ reserves to the points he selects. Foch is unlikely to be caught that way Flanders is secondary in relation to the front as a whole. Ludendorff is concentrating masses elsewhere, while trying to attract our reserves towards Flanders. Other critics dwell on the importance of the recapture of Locre, which commands several roads. The situation at one time was such, that it beeanie a question of having recourse indentation to impede. the enemy advance. present, this is unnecessary. The 'Germans have not fopnd theso easy" as they expected after the capture of Kemmel. , ' ~ r infantry attacks ■ developing. ‘ BETWEEN METEREN AND VOORTV:!ir !? ” ;0 -. ZAELE. ! A POST KE-CAPTURED. ■ }lii ■' Received 8.55'a.m. rn- LONDON, April 29. At 1.20 p.m.. Sir Douglas Haig reports; The hostile attack reported in the neighbourhood of Lacre yesterday was repulsed by rifle and machinegun fire. The enemy opened a heavy bombardment with high explosive and gas shells in the morning on the whole front from Meteren to Voortzaele, and infantry attacks are now developing. Hostile artillery wag very active during the night from the Scarpe to Lens and between Givenchy and Neippe Forest We re-captured last night a post taken by the enemy cn the night of the 26th-27th. THE GAMBLER’S LAST THROW. ' GERMANY’S DESPERATE EFFORT. BREAK THROUGH. Received 8.45 a.m. LONDON, April 29. The Daily Telegraph’s Milan corresponlent says: According to the Stuttgart Gazette the new German offensive will he decisive. Ludendorff and Hindenhurg are prepared to sacrifice one-third of the available" German armies in order to break through the Franco-British front. YPRES APPARENTLY DOOMED, BRITISH HOLD WEAKENING. Received 10.10 a.m. LONDON, April 29. . The British hold on Tpres is weakening and the German efforts are being redoubled. T*he American troops are holding a portion of the Amiens' line. ~ THE ISSUE DEPENDS ON MANV" POWER. Received 10.55 a.m. WASHINGTON, April 29. The War Department’s weekly summary says in addition to the Ameri. can /troops trained and in .training will be required ft future to fill gaps on the West front. The outcome of the ■ present battle depends on man-power.

' INTENSE GERMAN BOMBARDMENT. Received 10.10 a.m. LONDON, April 29. At 3 p.m. an intense bombardment and artillery concentration took place from La Bassee to south of Houthulst Forest, and from Vimy to Lens. PUSHING DESPERATELY VIA FLANDERS. LONDON, April 28. It is fairly certain that the enemy, thwarted at Amiens and Arras, has now decided, to hurl his fullest weight northwards, striking towards tne Channel through Flanders. Developing the capture of Kemmel, he will endeavour to pinch off the three remaining hills —Scherpenberg, Mont Rogue and Monte Noir, dominating the high ground southward : of Poperinghe. The enemy was' rEtfliiig his way towards Scherpenberg ’ou Friday afternoon'* until he wa^' ( b‘lo6 l diiT repulsed'’bV''the Frenfeh'.' will -kttick -Sibre •*fur£ou3ly, :;; lißoffig fo 'caplure the high ground, ' mhiuifg the Ypres salient and the country 1 ’around Poperinghe untenable;One of the enemy’s most desperate effort's'.;.wgs.. against ing Locre village, below Scherpenberg, where distinguished visitors, including kings and/princes/ formerly watched the British shelling Wytschaete. The enemy's'storm : tf oops three times' attacked Locre on Friday, but were flung back with * heavy casualties; I ■ The fourth’ attempt* with- fresh reserves, entered the ruins bf 'the village,, the French falling back. They delivered a‘ 'Counter'attack' -early on Saturday,:recapturing the village! The Germans have made little ' progress since the capture of Kbmmex - on Thursday. They have broken the fighting quality of some of their most renowned regiments, which must be taken out to reorganise. Mr. Robinson writes: ‘No eperat tions cn a large scale have- occurred during the past forty-eight hours, though there has been continuous fighting in the Kernel area, whereof the chief centres are Meteren, Locre and Yoormezeele. Each has changed hands more than once. Generally, the results favour us. The Australians are fighting splendidly around Meteren. Everybody is loud in their praises while they are modest themselves. They worked their way into the very outskirts. The town was too strongly held, and full of machineguns, for a direct attack, but Australian parties had been scouring the neighbourhood, cleverly working, and they perceptibly pushed back the Germans along this sector of the front. Since the enemy occupied Locre, the French have driven them out again and again. Apparently the Germans partly hold It. Fighting is going oh with similar oscillation at Yoormezeele, also in the wood to the southwards, where Scotsmen, by a heavy attadk, flung the enemy back.

We have taken a considerable number of prisoners. Some are notably despondent concerning the offensive. This varies with different units. It depends on the amount of hammering they have suffered before capture. Very hard struggles in the Kemmel area are still expected. New German divisions continue To“"afrive, and a prodigious nhpber of guns have now been massed by both sides. The roads and villages in the fear are being shelled. The Germans Shelled all successive heights behind Kemmel and townlets beyond. They drenched Ypres ruins with gas. It is dreadful to see new places gradually being drawn into the sphere of desolation, peaceful lands torn to bits and villages pounded into dust. Meanwhile .there is fierce, almost continuous, lighting about Givenchy.

A HURRICANE BOMBARDMENT. FROM HOUTHULST TO LA BASSES. GERMANS TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH IN YPRES SECTOR. Received 11.10 aim, LONDON, 'April 29, A correspondent at British Headquarters writing last night, says there is almost ceaseless hostile bombardment in the north. A great concentration of howitzers and field batteries maintained hurricane bombardments on wide sections, practically all the way from La Bassee to south of Houthulst Forest. The Germans also kept up a furious fire for nearly three hours on the front from Vimy to Lens. This morning bombardments were renewed on our line south of Voormezeele. French positions in the vicinity of Locre were plastered with explosive shrapnel. Our troops around Ypres several times signalled for artillery support. After dawn there was a tremendous bombardment which points almost io certainty that the Germans are making a wild attempt to advance here.

Enemy airmen were very active yesterday over Moat Rouge, from which it seems certain the Germans intend trying to push westward from Kemmel. LUDENDORFF EXCEEDS HIS ESTIMATE. DANGER BY NO MEANS PAST. LONDON, April 28. Ludendorff having undertaken to crush the British and reach the Channel with losses not exceeding one and a half-million casualties, has already consumed a (meashrabe 1 proportion, with still twenty-five miles to go to reach Dunkirk. Nevertheless it would be idle to deny that there is not the smallest sign of the Germans ■ yet slackening or regarding their resources of men as limited. Boys of seventeen are being mustered. HOSTILE ATTACK .DEVELOPING. LONDON, April 28. Sir Douglas Haig reports: A hostile attack was developing this afternoon in : the neighbourhood of Locre otherwise there were only local engagements. The enemy heavily bombarded positions in the Ypres sector. There were only two fights yesterday owing to fog. We downed two enemy machines. French communique.—There are furious bombardments of Villers Bretonueux, on the Luce and west of Noyon. ■x™,. 1 , :, HOLLAND. HOLLAND SURRENDERS TO THE MAILED FIST. Received 8.45 a.m. London, April 29. A Daily News Rotterdam message says Holland surrendered to the German mailed fist, and an agreement was reached on Saturday. It is impossible to indicate details, but it may be accepted that the transport of grav. el and sand will soon be renewed. An economic agreement will shortly be announced, giving considerable economic advantages to Germany. AMSTERDAM, April 29. The newspaper “Volk” states the rumour that Germany had sent an ultimatum to Holland caused a panic in the camp at Haltini, where the internees are. The majority‘fled to the frontier, where they were ordered to stop. Hundreds were brought back to the camp. TROUBLE BELIEVED SETTLED. LONDON, April 28. The "Daily Telegraph’s” Rotterdam correspondent quotes the Berlin correspondent of the “ Eotterdaniche Corant, ” saying there is a feeling of confidence in authoritative circles here regarding negotiations with Holland. Details are not yet known, but it is believed the affair has been settled.

The "Daily Telegraph” correspondent adds: An officially inspired message means that Germany is satisfied it has succeeded in forcing Holland to accede to her demands. Indications in Holland point in the same direction although public feeling is still tense in the country. Depositors on Saturday withdrew large sums from banks. AN INTERESTING THREAT. AMSTERDAM, April 28. Great interest is being taken in a statement by a general officer: "We will teach you Dutch a lesson on August Ist. Keep that date in mind.”