WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

POUGHT LIKE EIENDS. AMERICANS IN ACTION. FRITZ’S YELLOW STREAK. LONDON, May 27. Reuter’s correspondent at American headquarters shows that the Germans have been attacking fairly heavily certain. points of the American sector. In one of these fights the Americans suffered considerable The action of course, was fought under conditions imposed by the enemy, and on ground the Americans considered tactically unsound. The Germans sent over a heavy barrage and enfiladed the Americans on either flank. The latter fought like fiends, not yielding an inch of ground. They inflicted very severe losses. The American impression is that the B'oche shows ‘ 1 his yel- 1 low streak when cornered,” but they don’t underrate his guns. LIVELY ATACKS BORKEN BY FRENCH ' LONDON, June 5. French communique issued on, Tuesday afternoon says: Fayerolles, which the enemy attacked, was held by us, also Troosncs, on the edge of the Villers Cotterets forest. The fight was equally lively in the region south of the Ourcq. The enemy, supported by numerous artillery, directed his efforts against Mosloy, Neuilly la Poterie, and Tofcy Bouresches, north-west of-Chateau Thierry. A counter-attack enabled us to recapture Mosloy, Pierce fighting occurred in the village of Neuilly la Poterio, which, after passing from hand to hand, remained in the possession of the Germans. American troops cheeked the advance of German forces trying to enter Neuilly wood, and a magnificent counter-attack’ ' threw them back' north of the wood. Farther south the enemy was unable to realise any gain on the Marne front. An enemy battalion which crossed to the left bank before Jaulgonne was counter-attacked by French and American troops, and driven back to the other bank, the enemy’s pontoon being destroyed. FRENCH REPORT. (LONDON. June 5. At 4.45 this evening a French communique stated: Local attacks were continued in ■ the evening .and during the night of the 4th, on the northern edge of ClarepdSt Woods. Our machine guns stopped tw r o attacks. Other attempts in»the region of Autriehes, east of Dommiers, and in the . direction of Courey failed. Infantry action, supported by tanks, north of Courey, enabled us to improve our line on the edge of the forest. The Germans south of the Ourcq violently attacked Chedy and southeast of thereof, which we smashed, inflicting serious losses. Artillery continued very likely on the bank of the Aicno in the region of Rheims_ % “BLOODIEST SUMMER EVER KNOWN. ’ ’ LONDON, June 5. French commentators agree that the Germans intend to continue the battle The pause is only due to fatigue and the need of bringing up artillery and supplies. The offensive is certain to be renewed with bitter and terrible vollence in fTte hope of gaining a decisive success. Marcel Hutin anticipates rapid deVelopment further west, probably on the Montdidier-Noyon front. The “Figaro” states; It would be wk*-igreat mistake to assume that- the

Germans will not make further furious efforts to reach Paris. Time was never more favourable, as the enemy is now concentrated on a single front. Reuter's correspondent at the French headquarters, writing at midnight of the 4th, says: The battle has reached a similar stage to that which marked the Picardy battle, when the enemy's march was definitely arrested. Now, as then, he cannot hope to make progress until he has brought up artillery Kenewed attempts, more violent than before, must be expected, but with far greater odds in our favour, as the surprise stage has passed. Americans so far engaged have borne themselves so well as to justify the most optimistic forecasts, The enemy must have noticed their number and efficiency, and therefore is likely to exert his utmost effort to reach a decision before the autumn, when increased American numbers will have wiped out the enemy's present numerical supremacy. Europe is therefore likely to experience the bloodiest summer ever known.

Sir Douglas Haig report's: As the result of an attempted'enemy raid in the neighbourhood of Morlancourt,, we took twenty-one prisoners. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, June "ji.!.' Wireless German officials—We threw the enemy back towards AmblenyCutry. We captured positions northward of Dommiers.' FIGHT FOR MARNE BRIDGES. GOOD WORK BY AMERICANS. Received 9.30 a.m. LONDON, June 6. Mr. George Perris writes that the American machine gun units" and the French following the infantry covered themselves with glory, holding tlie Marne bridgehead at Chateau Thierry. When the Germans were immediately threatening the town from the hills north and north-west ,the Franco Americans crossed the river and drove back the attackers to the outskirts of Earme's. They returned to the attacK at night, men marching along the boulevard to the Marne, throwing smoke bombs at the head of the column of Germans upon the bridge. When the central arch was blown up many Germans perished. The infantrymen and American machine gunners, after covering the retirement, held sheltered posts for two days and nights, preventing the enemy building or repairing the bridges. Veteran French troops praise the sang froid of their younger comrades, who inflicted heavy losses on the Germans whilst sustaining less casualties themselves.

GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. GROUND RECOVERED. Received 9.10 a.m. LONDON, June 6. At 3.5 a.m. a French communique states the enemy ,who in the daytime at different points multiplied his efforts to accentuate his progress, was repulsed everywhere, losing heavily. His attempt to cross the Oise in the direction of Moretalagache completely failed. Our counter attacks north of the Aisne recovered all ground the enemy had momentarily occupied. The Germans progressed somewhat in the wood in the region of Longpont, but were driven back, leaving prisoners. Our position everywhere else was maintained. Our airmen we're active, and-dropped seventeen tons of projectiles on concentrations of troops, whom they dispersed. They also dropped fourteen tons on various stations.

FRENCH TROOPS' DEVOTION TO DUTY. FIGHTING FOUR DAYS WITHOUT SLEEP. Received 10.20 a.m. PARIS, June 5. j M. Clemenceau, in a speech in the Chamber, gave character to, and I stressed the approaching crisis, indicating that the French line, after four years of war was becoming weaker, j while the Allies were sustaining enormous losses. He added that in the recent offensive the French fought five-fold their number, almost without sleep, during the last four days. M. Clemenceau tributed Foch's, officials, and the men's devotion to duty. Although they had yielded more ground than he liked, he counselled calmness, and to hold on to the end. The Government depended on the fatherland to fight to the death. The enemy was staking all upon his present blow. All the Allies were pledged to fight on until victory. HOW THE NEXT ATTACK WILL BE LAUNCHED. STRIKING NORTH OF THE OURCQ. Received 11.55 a.m. LONDON, June 5. Mr. Campbell writes that the German stroke may take the form of an abandonment of frontal attacks Ourcq and south of the Oise in order for a dc'jble lateral push north of the tc complete the process of filling the pocket between the Marne and the Oise. BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT. Received 10.50 a.m. LONDON, June 5. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy made repeated raids northward of Morlancourt, which were repulsed with loss. Another party which rushed a post in the neighbourhood of Loy- { elles was repulsed. There have been attempted raids north of Lens and north of Bethune, and east of Nieppe Forest. Hostile artillery is active in strategical sectors. STRENGTH OF ALLIED RESERVES - ADMITTED. OTHER HUN SURPRISES IN STORE. j _* ' Received 11.50 a.m. ■•■-■ ■' AMSTERDAM, June o. German military critics admit tne unexpected strength of the Allied reserves. Von Holzmann, in an article in the Vossiche Zeitung, says the offensive will be pushed later, and other surprises,,await the Allies.