WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 6 May 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE PREMIER'S VISIT TO THE ARMIES. FULL OF CONFIDENCE AND HOPE MESSAGE FROM THE TROOPS. Received 8.45 a.m. LONDON, May 5. Mr. Lloyd George, intervie7ved by Reuter, was asked his impressions of his visit to the armies, and said: I saw Generals Foch, Haig, Petain, Pershing, Byng, Rawlinson anti other, officers of the Higher Command, and they were all very confident. I also saw a very large number of regimenlal officers and soldiers who had actually been in the fighting line for the last six weeks' very strenuous -work. Their confidence was also amazing # I met no pacifists and no pessimists among them. They could net in the least understand the wrangles in certain quarters in England, which seemed to :prpceed on the assumption that they had been defeated; and that the onlyujiuestion of importance was who blame.- Apart from the mishaps of the first few days, which they Wi. recognised,; they were confident they were winning and inflicting great losses on the enemy. When the enemy get ground, the generals said, we make them pay an enormous price in these offensives. The generals said you could always buy land if prepared ito pay tne r purchase price, but the cosjt for the-Germans is great and in creasing. The generals are ail certain the Germans will soon be so:ry they committed themselves to these attacks, even if not already so. That was the general feeling the Premier found among the men of all ranks in the Anglo-French armies. Asked what about the American Army, the Premier said a good number were already there and many more will pour in steadily during May. The French, who saw their fighting in the battle lower down the line, said they were first-class fighting material—full of courage and resource and very keen. The Germans rendered at least two great services to the Allied cause, they accelerated the advent of the American troops and made unity of command at last realised. The French and British were fighting in close com. radeship, each with a full appreciation of of the other. The bring from the British Army to the people at home is: "Be of good cheer; we are all right." f AMERICAN" TROOPS. RUSHED TO FRANCE. NEW YORK, May 3. The New York Times Washington correspondent states that American troops are being rushed to France well equipped by the French and British, Thus a great amount of tonnage otherwise necessary to transport equipment is available for. transporting troops. Mr Josephus Daniels (Secretary to the Navy), i n the course of a speech to-day, said:* "Let us not talk of an army of 3,000,000 or 5,000,000. America is getting ready to send to France every nan she can carry and every gun she -in ship. Tonnage is the only measure- of our cantribution." HOT THE KAISER'S BATTLE. GERMANS CHANGE THEIR TUNE LONDON, May 3. It Is t 'oworthy that with the lull in tie figlu'ng since the German defeat aR the German talk of the Kaiser's ;S vanish(>d - German experts Md *£; capers are now instructed to warn V ■ that no new Sedan fe that Ypres is very strong,

that the British are stubborn, and after all that Ypres is of no importance for Germans. Consequently the German command may decide not to take Ypres. AUSTRALIAN VC.'S ONE-MAN BATTLE. LONDON, May 3. The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Sergeant S. R. MeDougall, of the Australian Infantry, for the following 'act: When (the first ,ener?iy wave entered our line MeDougall on the flank charged the enemy's second wave single-handed with the bayonet, killed seven 'men, captured a machine gun, turned it against the enemy, firing from the hip, inflicting further casualties and routing *he> remainder of the wave, MeDougall then attacked the first wave at close quarters until his ammunition was exhausted seizing a bayonet, and charged the enemy again,'killing three and also an officer who'"'was 'about' to ■kill one of our -officers. ' Mcbbugail then used a Lewis 'gun'''against''"the enemy, killing many : and enabling iis to capture 33 prisoners. : '

BRITISH CASUALTIES ON WEST . FRONT. TOTAL A QUARTER OF A MILLION. • ' I ■ _■■■■'• ; .. /, GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE ' IMMINENT. Received 11.15 a.m. WASHINGTON,'May 5. . The British War Mission, summarising the situation on the.W~est front, pays it is believed the British easualties since March 21 total approxiI mately a quarter of a million. | The indications are that tile great I German offensive will be continued I very soon, leading to a serious situaj tion unless sufficient reserves are av- | ailable, and the German advance towards the Channel ports is possible only over the bodies of the British Army. \fcs\* THE STRUGGLE FOR AMIENS. FIGHTING AT VILLERS BRETONNEUX. LONDON, May 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Acting in co-operation with the French, we took prisoners in local fighting southward of Bretonneux. The enemy's artillery is active north of Albert. The Australians were completely successful in a further advance at Bretonneux. FRENCH COMMUNIQUES. MUCH AEROPLANE WORK. LONDON, May 4. A French communique states: There has been fairly gfeat reciprocal artillery fire north and south of the Avre, and on the right of the Meuse. Our artillery dispersed"" enemy concentrations south of Villers Bretonneux and towards Cassel. During the 2nd inst., enight enemy aeroplanes were brought down, while twelve others were compelled to descend behind their own lines. Twentyseven thousand kilogrammes of projectiles were dropped on stations, bivouacs and cantonments at Ham, Nesle, Roye, Chaules, St. Quentin and Jassy. Eight thosuand kilogrammes of bombs were dropped on enemy establishments at Rethel and railway station at Asfeld la Ville. LONDON, May 5. There was no infantry fighting during the day. There was an artillery duel north and south of the Avre and on the npper and lower Ailette.

GENERALISSIMO FOCH. LONDON, May 4. Reports from France say Chat as the result of the Inter-Allied War Council, Foch commands from the North Sea to the Adriatic. GERMAN LONG RANGE GUN KNOCKED OUT. Received 8.35 aim. PARIS, May 5. It is- reported here that a French shell knocked out one of the German long range guns. INTENSE ENEMY BOMBARDMENT. i FROM LOCRE TO NEAR YPRES. LONDON, May 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Enemy artillery on the morning of the 4th, opened an intense bombardment on the French and British positions from neighbourhood of Locre to south of Ypres, and has shown great activity in the Forest of Nieppe-Mien sectors. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We slightly improved our position north-east of Hincs, capturing two machine-guns. The French secured prisoners in successful local operations in the Locre sector, .NO ATTACKS DEVELOP. LONDON, May 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy's bombardment on the morning of the 4th inst., south and south-west of Ypres was vigoriously returned by British and French artillery. No attacks developed. Infantry fighting was confined to local engagements at different points. In successful minor operations carried out on the night of the 3rd in the Hinges sector, we took forty prisoners. "We completely repulsed an attempted local attack, under cover of heavy artillery barrage, early in the morning on the 4th, south of Locon. The French progressed in the Locre sector, taking fifty prisoners. The British on the right of the French also progressed in the neighbourhood of Meteren. ( CRUSHING HURRICANE BOMBARDMENT LONDON, May 4. Reuter's British Headquarters correspondent, writing on the 4th, says: There are unmistakable signs that the enemy is resuming his efforts to force the hill chain west of Kcmmel. Last night he opened a tremendous bombardment on Scherpenberg, and the neighbourhood of Mont Rouge, lasting a considerable time. A crushing hurricane bombardment upon the Anglo-French lines from north of La Clytte to south of Mont Rouge was resumed this morning and half an hour later the French were sending up •the S.O.S, signal. No details at present are available.

: Gorman • evening official: French counter-attacks between Kemmel and B'ailleul failed with very heavy losses. WITH THE AMERICAN TROOPS. 1 A SUCCESSFUL RAID. , Received 10.20 a.m. NEW YORK, May 5. The American array in France is facing the German lines south of Halloville, in the Lorraine sector. They made a raid on a GOO yards front, and the American troops penetrated the enemy's third line. BRITISH IMPROVE POSITIONS. I I Received 9.50 a.m. [ LONDON, May 5. At 12.30 p.m. Sir D. Haig reports: We improved our line in the neighbourhood of Sailly le Sec and eastward of Hebuterne. We repulsed an attack on our new positions. Northeastward of Hingis our lines are intact. We successfully raided Nieppe Forest sector. Artillery on both sides is active on the Lys battle-front. ENEMY'S POSITION SUMMED UP. GERMAN LIES EXPOSED. HIGH MILITARY AUTHORITY'S REVIEW. LONDON, May 4. A High Military Authority has published the following: The German effort to outflank the line of heights with a view to cutting off the troops in the Ypres salient failed after great enemy loss though he gained some ground at the cross roads in the Neuve Eglisc region. Summing up the enemy gains, they consisted of one and a-half to two miles along a seven-mile front. It might be considered that he holds Kemmel fairly securely. The capture of Kemmel gives him more elbow room. He has securely established his right flank from Kemmel to Wytschaete. This is all on the credit side, while on the debit he has failed in his main -M"ct: To capture the chain of '

heights. He has used up five fresh divisions of his general reserve in addition to seven or eight other divisions. Although the enemy gained a tactical result, he did not gain a single strategical aim, Tho effect of the fighting on the north front has been to materially reduce the number of divisions which" the Germans have to put into the fight. It is true a number of tired divisions are now recovering, and will be able to participate in future attacks It is quite plain that if the enemy continues the offensive in the north he must impair his chances if he resumes in the Somme. The main German aim is still to separate the English and French in the south. The problem before tho German staff, therefore, is very difficult.

"The Germans statement that the Australians have been asked to take a greater share than the English in the present battle is untrue. The Australians have maintained their high reputation; one cannot give them. higher praise than that/'

The writer pays a tribute to the Australians' gallant work at Villers Brctonneux. Of thirty-one English divisions engaged, each division lost more heavily than the whole of the Australian divisions together. Foch congratulated General Rawlinson on the magnificent defence on the Villers-Brctonneux-Hangard front and described it as a most masterly

series of operations. The "High Authority" also refuted the German allegation the French arc pulling chestnuts out of the fire. It was known that neither the French nor the British could hold their own by themselves, and therefore it was arranged that each should come to the other's assistance. The left wing had to bear the brunt according to the plan, thus to enable the Allies to conserve their reserves. Germany accused us of using hol-low-nosed bullets with heads filled with paper. No bullets were hollownosed, though paper pulp was being used in the place of aluminium in the core,, There was no foundation for the statement that Maekenscn had arrived on the Western front, with 600,000 men. He is the bogey who is to appear to deliver the coup de grace, but he has not appesred. General Allenby's advance in Palestine has rendered the Turkish position precarious. General Marshall also began an advance on April 24th, The object in Mesopotamia is to give the Turks as much trouble as possible, We surprised him on the Diala. line, where his troops had orders to retire if we advanced, but we managed to intercept him. We captured 950 men, three mountain guns, and twelve field guns.