WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 May 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE LATEST OFFENSIVE. HURRICANE GUNFIRE BEFORE BOTH ATTACKS. LONDON, May 27. Correspondents report that both attacks were preceded by hurricane bombardments. The southern was extensive, but the northern, which was launched at 4.30 a.m., was apparently localised. Generol Sixte von Arnim’s infantry, (stationed to the south-west of Ypres) advanced at dawn to-day under cover of a ground haze, following furious artillery fire, their objective being the Scherpenberg Hill, a mile and ahalf north-west of Kemmel. The object of this attack is to neutralise the French success at Locre, a mile to the southwest. The United Press Association correspondent, writing at 4.30 o’clock in the evening, says that the Germans nMde some progress,in the direction The Allies were fighting brilliantly, but it was too : early yet to know the result, . THE FREAK GUN. j ;‘ r " r ’" .‘ PARIS, .May 27. The long-range gun fesumqdU it’i bombardment of Paris. Shells have dropping regularly every quarter of an hour since the morning. FRANCO-BRITISH RESISTING GALLANTLY. LONDON, May 27. At 3.45 this afternoon a French communique stated: During the latter half of last night, the Germans very violently bombarded the entire region between the Forest cf Penon and Rheims. ‘ The enemy this morning attacked on a very wide front. FrancoBritish troops are resisting with their customary gallantry. The battle is progressing. There was lively artillery fire at night time in Champagne, on the right of the Meuse, in the Forest of Apremont and in the Woevre. Local enemy attacks in the Forest of Apremont, the region of Rimey, and north-east of Badonvillers, were repulsed. Germans’ violent bombardment.] LONDON, May 27. Reuter’s British Headquarters correspondent, writing on the evening of the 27th, states: German bombardments this morning were scarcely less violent than those preceding the attack on March 21st. Gas shells were prodigally employed a north-easterly wind diffusing the gas widely along the Allied front. There was intensive fire between Ypres Canal and Nieppe Forest, while the area west of Lens and the Scarpe Valley were also heavily bombarded. The enemy is heavily shelling far back areas with high velocity .guns. His airmen are becoming unusually venturesome. The British on the French flank have been engaged The Germans waves keeping close to their lifting Barrage. Against the first shock the French stood stoutly o n the left and centre, but were pressed slightly in the vicinity of a farm on the right. During the morning the Germans, with characteristic recklessness of cost, continued to push fresh troops_ The French were obliged to yield more ground, but, subsequently counter-at-tacking they restored the line an most.piaces. Tho Germans at present in the French front line soutSyljf iDiekcsbuseh fer a distance of 800 yards_ They also have some hold at another point in the front lino system.- in. this region. Tho situation,

however, appears to be well in hand. Reports from the battlefield breathe confidence. Our artillery and the French artillery are barraging the German positions intensely. The enemy casualties must be very heavy. PUSH TOWARDS SCHERPENBERG. ' LONDON, May 27. The United Press correspondent states: Yon Ariim this morning struck a powerful local blow towards Scherpeberg, which seems a determined further attempt to regain lost ground. The battle began with a heavy bombardment from the canal bank near pres. German infantry advanced at dawn. Meantime German artillery was furiously pounding several sectors more to the southward between Arras and Albert but all was quite, there at 7 this morning. All was also quiet in the Somme area, except some gasshelling about Corbie and Fouilloy. Mr. Philip Gibbs states;The German attack in the neighbourhood of Locre is not a battle on a big scale, but great events-must be near

SITUATION WELL IN HAND. r, ' LONDON,:. May 28. , Reuter’s correspondent at., French Headquarters, writing at noon on,ithe27tir~‘describing the German renewal qf^Operations, says: . Tlpe Crown Prince’s forces, probably commanded by .Generals Franz von Bulow and Yon Boehm, started at dawn and launched an attack, after a liberal bombardment throughout the first part of the night The Allied commanders have the situation well in nand. They are waiting to see whether the attack is purely a demonstration in force or is to develop into a general battle.. Possibly the enemy is merely endeavouring ,to attract Allied reserves while concentrating his forces for the main attack elsewhere. A French communique states: The battle continued throughout the day with extreme violence On a front of over forty kilometres, between the region of Vaux-Aillon and the outskirts of Bremont, enemy masses coming to grips with our front line troops, and regardless of losses, pushing towards the Valley of the Aisne. Some of thenelements reached the neighbourhood of Pontarly at the end of the day.

A MILE ADVANCE. ON CHEMIN DES DAMES. LONDON, May 27. The Germans have advanced a mile on the Chemin des Dames, north of the Aisne. GERMANS’ WIDESPREAD EFFORT. LONDON, May 27. The United Press correspondent says: The long-delayed German offensive seems to be at hand. They attacked this morning' the British along the Aisne westward of Rheims, and the French on both the British flanks simultaneously, with thrusts against the Allies in the region of Montdidier and amongst the hills south-west of Ypres. The Germans slightly progressed in some places, but were held up at others. Apparently the Montdidier attack was stopped easily, but the Crown Prince’s thrust between Noyon and Rheims seems to have been heavier. The British are reported to be holding the line of Cormicy Boufflnneureux-Courcevreux, on the Aisne, a little south of the old advanced line. The" French are apparently holding a line along the Aisne in a north-westerly direction, while the Franco-British, on the right of Cormicy, are reported to have taken up appointed battle positions. The French re-established their line on the Lys battle front, where the Germans penetrated early in the morning. Fighting continues. The Germans south of Dickebusch Apparently still hold 800 yards of

French trenches, also part of the front system in the same region, but the French are fighting vigorously. The French have already taken a hundred prisoners. Fine weather prevails, and our aeroplanes are very active. The enemy are heavily massed around Peronne, Roye, Ham, Nesle, and Noyon. There is every indication that the enemy is ready to throw everything into the third (perhaps the ultimate) phase of the offensive. A French communique says: The Franco-British troops in Echelon, are retiring methodically and in perfect unison, making the enemy pay very dearly for his first inevitable success, and assuring, by resistance, inch by inch, the efficacious use of reserves. Artillery activity continues very lively on both banks of the Meuse, in the region of St. Mihiel, and on the Lorraine front. HAIG'S REPORT. LONDON, May 27. Sir Douglas Haig, reporting at 3.30 on the morning of the 27th, says:—A British division holding a sector of the French front astride the Aisne at Berry-au-Bac, between Bermericourt and Crayonnelle, were heavily attacked. At the same time, hostile attacks in great strength were made against French divisions on our left. Along the high ground traversed by the Che-min-des-dames, in the British sector, the enemy’s attacks were supported by tanks, and accompanied by an intense bombardment of gas shells. Our troops on the right maintained their battle positions, and in close touch with the French on our left. The enemy succeeded, after heavy fighting, in pressing us back to our second line cf prepared positions. Severe fighting continues all along the front. Strong enemy attacks this'' morning on the Locre-Voormezeele front were repulsed by the French, after fierce fighting, in which the enemy sustained great losses. The enemy penetrated a 'short distance into French positions in the neighbourhood of Dlckebusch Lake. Fighting is continuing. Other localities into which the enemy penetrated in the first attack have been regained by French coun-ter-attacks, and a number of the enemy taken prisoner.

TERRIFIC ATTACKS IN THE SOUTH. RIVER AISNE CROSSED. Received 8.50 a.m. LONDON, May 28. The Germans are developing terrific attacks along the Aisne front.' They forced a passage across the Aisne river between Berry-au-Bac and Vailly. The British and French are counter attacking south of Dickebussh Lake. (Berry-au-Bac and Vailly are situated in the south, toward Rheims. The distance between the two places is 20 miles, and embraces the famous Che-min-des-Dames, where some of the bloodiest fighting in the war took place. Dickiebusch Lake is situated about three miles southwest of Ypres.) THE KAISER’S KNOCK OUT BLOW DOWN TO THE UTMOST DEPTHS. Received 8.30 a.m. LONDON, May 28. The Lokal Anzeiger published a statement by the Kaiser as follows: “We to-day are surer than ever that we shall strike the enemy down to the utmost depths.”

GERMANS PENETRATE .AMERICAN LINES. BUT ARE EJECTED. Received 8.30 a.nq WASHINGTON, May 28. A Washington communique from the American front in Picardy states German infantry detachments succeeded in penetrating our advance positions at two poipts. American troops counter-attacked, expelling them and entering the German lines

ATTACKS PRELUDE A GREATER OFFENSIVE. ACTIVITY ON THE SOMME. Received 10.5 a.m. LONDON, May 28. At 3.40 a.m. Mr. Perceval Phillips writes: Simultaneously with the heavy assault on the Franco-British westward of Rheims this morning, the enemy stirred himself* between Ypres and the Somme. This is suggestive of the imminence of greater events. Before daybreak the enemy let loose a portion of his newly-mass-ed artillery against the British on both sides of 'Arras and the old bat' tlefleld defences thence to the Ancre and Somme Valleys, but no infantry action followed. The German attack against the French between Locre

and Yser flats appears to be a local operation, though had the French given way the enemy would doubtless have been ready to exploit the situation. ENEMY ACROSS THE AISNE. Received 10.5 a.m. LONDON, May 28. The High Commissioner reports:— Sir Douglas Haig reports that towards the end of yesterday the weight of the enemy attacks carried him across the Aisne, westward of the British sector, and compelled the left of cur line to fall back. i -* v V LATEST FRENCH REPORT. Received 12 30 a.m. LONDON, May 28. At 2 p.m. a French official report stated that between Vesle and the Aisne the battle continues stubbornly in the region of the plateaux, behind which our reserves are arriving. THE LONG RANGE GUN’S VICTIMS Received 10.40 a.m. PARIS, May 28. The long-range gun has killed three and wounded fourteen, but did little material daniage. MAU RICE’S SPECULATIONS. PRESENT ATTACK A MERE FEINT HUNS TRYING TO DRAW ALLIES. Received 10.40 a.m. LONDON, May 28. General Maurice in the Daily Chronicle, expresses the opinion that the Crown Prince’s attack has rather the appearance of a preparatory blow than a great effort intended to produce great results. For some distafnce behind the thirty-mile front attacked the Anglo-French had nothing vital, and have room to give way without serious consequences. The" famous heights of Craonne and Chemin des Dames are of great local value, because they command the entire Ailette Valley, and their loss would be incbn--1 , ’ venient; but the Germans would advance into highly defensible country to the strong line of the Aisne. The Germans probably reckon General Foch will try hard to keep, the Chemin des Dames, also Scherpenberg, therefore they hope to draw in more of Foch’s reserves before they strike their great blow. Nothing yet indicates that the enemy’s main reserves are moving, but if he gains a considerable success now he may throw in his reserves for a great blow.

BELGIAN COMMUNIQUE. LONDON, May 28. A Belgian communique states: Long-range guns fired', on- our back areas .-yesterday, j IS IT A FEINT? LONDON, May 27. Mr. Gibbs states; Increased German artillery in several sectors, from Flanders to the Somme, was intensified in the morning, as though preparatory to infant attacks in forcer Warning signals were sent up by our troops in the Somme sectors, but infantry attacks have not followed so far. The German assault commenced at dawn upon the French beyond the Hospiee at Locre, with the object of regaining the ground which the French won on May 20th, but it would be unwise to exaggerate the importance of the fighting, which is perhaps designed to divert attention from the main blow. The weather remains good„ and there is universal activity in the air. Our fighting planes are going eastwards in flocks.