WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 May 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

EVERY DAY FINDS ALLIES BETTER PREPARED. DIFFICULTY OF DETERMINING POINT OF ATTACK. LONDON, May 26. Renter's British. Headquarters correspondent says that the overdue German attack is assuredly coming, but every day of the pause finds the Allies better prepared. Their confidence was never higher, while the tramp of the oncoming American troops is almost monotonously reassuring. Reuter’s French .Headquarters correspondent dwells on the difficulty of determining where the enemy is likely to attack owing to the new method of employing assaulting troops, holding heavy masses in reserves, quickly moving to the striking .-point. ..-The number of enemy divisions to-day is approximately known, but, the density of the enemy front, affords no cine to his intentions/.. Fortunately, witli, unity of command the masses of the British, French, and American reserves will be available for instant service whcr.evoi* the front is threatened. .v| 7 ' X The semi-official German newspaper ‘Nordcloutscher Zeitung ’ erplains 'that the_ .pause in the offensive is duetto training storming divisions in fighting methods with a view to diminish- - ing the losses inflicted. The pause ■is not forced on the Germans, but is the outcome of the , commanders ’ own plans. , , HEAVY BOMBARDMENT REPORTED, - ' LONDON, May 26. Reuter’s British Headquarters correspondent, writing under totday’ls date, says: Since last evening the enemy’s artillery fire has markedly increased at various places. Yillers Bretonneux, the Scarpe Valley, Aucteonvillers, Englebclmer, Mailly Mailet and Martinsart have been bombarded with gas and high explosive shells. There has also been a prolonged outbursts of intense gunfire from Festubert to the Yser. During the afternoon the uproar lulled. There is no reason to assume that the bombardments herald an imminent resumption of the offensive, LONDON, May 26. A French communique states: We repulsed a raid northward of Bailleul. The enemy has heavily gas-shelled Villers Bretonneux and westward of Hinges.