WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

PARIS ENDANGERED, BUT RESERVES GOING UP. LONDON, May 30. Mr J G. Campbell, the “Times” special correspondent says that British and French officers agree that the enemy’s success was due to his greatnumerical superiority in machine-guns, ’ tanks, infantry, and artillery. There is little congestion and no confusion on the front, though the roads behind are covered with homeless fugitives. The British and French troops fought with perfect comradeship. The Fiftieth British Division withstood a most violent thrust at Craonne, including the largest number of tanks ever seen in action. The Fiftieth Division was finally compelled to fall back with the French and'British divisions on its right and left. British officers blowing up bridges over the Aisne w r ere themselves blown up_ The Times says that there are now 210 enemy divisions on the West front, giving ample strength to attack else where. Paris is endangered, but Paris - w.^threatened before by an enemy far nearer its gates. The Allies’ reserves . are going up, but the enemy is increasf ing his advantage, and it il that his advance is not yet stayed. He is now’ori the high road leading to "Vfillers Cottcrets ,forty-five miles from Paris.' 'V V V :—_—_ ’ | v'y-jrr. CANNOT PARRY BLOW BY DEFENSIVE. PARIS, May 30. The ‘Liberte” says: ‘How the Germans were able to take us by surprise / and. suddenly appear in. four times more numerous strength must be investigated later. Prisoners taken on the twenty-fifth described an enormous concentration of troops and tanks, and stated that the main attack was fixed for the twenty-seventh. It is impossible for us to parry the blow merely by standing on the defensive. ENEMY BOMBERS FAIL TO REACH PARIS. PARIS, May 30. It is officially stated that last evening the enemy displayed great air activity, and dropped bombs on several places behind the front. Some attempted to reach Paris but failed to pass thejviolent barrage. Some bombs were droned in the suburbs. An enemy plane was hit and fell in flames. THRUST AT .AMIENS STILL FEARED. LONDON, May 30. Reuter’s French Headquarters correspondent, writing on the 29th, states The most encouraging feature of the situation to-night is that during the last twenty-four hours the enemy’s rate of advance has very appreciably slackened, as he is encountering greater difficulties The enemy, after taking Soissons. pushed out a wing between Soissons and Arcy St. Restitue to an average distance of two miles. On his left the British were forced back in the angle of the Vesle and Aisne, and Oise Canal. The enemy now surrounds Rheims on three sides. Frontally, the Germans continue to push in the direction of Fcreentardenois, and are at grips, with the French on the heights south of the river valley. Our ,reserves are beginning to arrive on the battlefield. The Germans at present have a superiority of about five to one. It is calculated that they have engaged about forty divisions, and have another forty in reserve. w i it is quite possible that they may Vstrike another sudden blow in the dirH * c tion of Amiens or Dunkirk, The problem for us is to so distribute our

reserves as to be able to hold the enemy’s on both fronts momentarily. The enemy’s whole strength is in the battle between the Aisne and the Marne. Soissons was taken after fierce street fighting. The Germans, after reaching the centre of the town, were ejected by a French counter-attack. They renewed the attack and finally pushed the French back to the western edge, which is in flames. The Germans succeeded in the first three plays’ battle in . cutting the Tetrahedron of our front, the four corners of which are approximately marked by Crecy-au-Mont and Juvincourt, north, of tjio Aisne, and the Arcy-St. Restitue and Rheims, south of the Aisne. During the 29th they advanced about six miles to the bank of the Aisne] On the 2Sth they carried the front forward to the line Bruys-Yillers Franqueux, another advance of six miles, with a maximum depth of nine to ten miles at Bruys. To-day they gained from two or three miles, although at certain points —notably Brouillet—they progressed further. )■■ yu> .•• ■.l i .yrtT

GERMANS WARN THEIR PEOPLE. BERNE, May 30. An official notice- from the (jJ-rand Headquarters has been published’ in German newspapers warning the- people not to expect tne advance to continue at ■‘■the same rate as during the past few, days. It adds: The enemy’s" resistance is desperate, and counter-at-tacks are expected. Our losses have only been commensurable with the jrm, portance of the struggle. 1 ‘ •’ \ , A GRAND BREAK THROUGH POSSIBLE. • LONDON.'";-"" The Pall Mall Gazette.’s .-military correspondent says: The, loss of Soissons renders possible the enemy widening the Compiegne-Montdidier salient, whence a grand break through may feasibly be attempted The ground south of the Vesle towards Paris is broken and studded with woods offering extensive facilities for defence. THE GERMAN' STORY. PRISONERS TOTAL 35,000. LONDON, May 30. A wireeless German official states: Fighting activity frequently increased between the Yser and the Oise. There have been some local infantry engagements. The Crown Prince continues bis successful attack. We gained some ground north of the Aisne after barct fighting at Crecy au Mont, Juvigny and Cuffies. We captured Soissons. Our uninterrupted attacks south of the Vesle broke a new French front which was in course of formation, throwing the enemy back across the line Villemontoire-jfefe en Tardenols-Coulognes-Brouillet-Branscourt. We capturerd forts on the northwestern front of Rheims, also northern parts of LaneuVTllette-Beteny. Our total prisoners are now over 35.000. We have secured tremendous booty, including railway guns of very heavy calibre. We captured large depots at Soissons, Braisne and Fismes, also extensive munitions depots, trains, hospitals and an aerodrome, including aeroplanes. - During the past three days we brought down thirty-eight enemy aeroplanes. SOISSONS RHEIMS FRONT. LONDON, May 31. On the Soissons-Rheims front, the Allies now seem to be bolding the Germans’ rush more' firmly. Reserves are arriving in greater numbers. The

Brandenburgers, who captured Soissons, have not yet be"en able to widen futher the German front of advance on the west, where they are being held the outlet of the town. From Soissons the battle line runs southeast to the Paris railway, through the Ourcq valley in the Fere-en-Tardenols region. The enemy advanced eighteen miles in four days from Fere. FrancoBritish troops are making a firm stand along the high wooded ground running north-west towards Rheims, through Brouillet to Thillois. ILDNDON, May 31. French official. —There is violent fighting on the whole front. We are holding all the western exits to Soissons. and have stopped the enemy advance southward. We hold firmly the left bank of the Crise. 'We maintain our position to the north-west of Rheims . Mr. Campbell writes: Another big advance was made on Wednesday night. The Anglo-French troops are standing determinedly north-west 'of Rheims. The French are successfully stopping further progress In the direction of Compeigne, but between these two points the enemy has steadily pushed forward towards the Marne, advancing some miles 'at various points.

RESERVES IN ACTION. LONDON, May 31. Reuter’s French Headquarters correspondent, writing on the 3dth, says: The enemy, held on the - flanks at Soissons and Rheims, is throwing his whole strength into a thrust southwards, his obvious goal being the Marne. During the night and early morning, be pressed forward 'about five miles towavas the river, advancing his front to the line Fere-Vezeilly. Probably the Germans hope to establish themselves on the Marne with a 4t> view of turning the direction of his main effort to the westward, trusting to the river to protect his rigM, as he used the Oise in April. Very hot fighting is proceeding on the whole southern front of the advance. This morning, for the first time," reserves were engaged to support divisions which had borne the weight of the onslaught since Monday.

ADVANCE MAY BE ARRESTED IN A WEEK. GERMANY’S OBJECT HARD TO CONCEIVE. Received 5.50 a.m. , V LONDON, May 31. Mr. George Perris, correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, explains the apparent slowness of the Allied reserves throwing in their weight is probably due to the fact that the front of offensive has been nearly doubled in length in thre.c days. He adds it is difficult to conceive the object of the present operation. There is no connection between it and the Somme and Flanders offensives except the object of attacking the Allies’ reserves, but Germany herself has already thrown four hundred thousand men across the Aisne. The Germans are meeting with growing resistance, and may be definitely arrested within a week. There are familiar scenes along the road, refugees going southwards in farm carts, ancient traps, barrows, and perambulators all being utilised, but there is no panic or fear as to final result.

THE GERMAN INTENTIONS. HAS THE ALLIES GUESSING. Received 9.40 a.m. LONDON, May 31. Despite the German progress public opinion in England and France remains confident that the enemy’s blows will soon be spent. It is evident the Germans intend to persevere while any munitions remain. Airmen report extraordinary activity in the German rear. The enemy evidently realises it is vitally important to maintain its superiority in numbers, which alone has accounted for success hitherto. There is considerable speculation regarding the enemy’s immediate actions . Some believe the enemy intends to reach the Marne, and use it to guard the left flank, while the offensive changes in the direction westward, as he used the Oise to protect his right wing in the March offensive. Another theory is that he will endeavour to extend the battle front westward of Soissons and take the direct road to Paris.

THE HUNS’ ADVANCE. WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE MARNE. Received £5 a.m . LONDON, May 31. A German communique states: On the Paris-CJjalons railway we have forced back the Allies from the Ailette river front, and we are now within two miles of the Marne. Civilians have evacuated the Chateau Thierry.