WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

>THE STRATEGIC RESERVE. A DECIDING FACTOR. LONDON, June 7. War experts are insisting on the far-reaching significance of the appearance of Americans forces in the battle on the Marne. The Supreme Allied War Council, envisaging the war from the standpoint of a strategic reserve, rely on the American armies to end the struggle and to give the British and French reserve a power •which may even enable Russia to throw off the Teuton bondage and participate in the final struggle. It must also be remembered that the German casualties have already far exceeded the number of killed and wounded agreed upon between the Pan-German Socialist leaders when the desirability of the present offensive was mooted. AIR SUPERIORITY. REGAINED BY ALLIES. " "LONDON, June 7. >&£-- French headquarters report, issued last evening aays: "During the first .24 hours: of the battle, the Gerrmans had mastery in the air between the Aisne and the Marne, but their triumph was short-lived. As Xhe attack opened on Monday a powerful aviation group, including some of the best known French aviators, started from the Aisne, via the German Oise front, causing damage enroute. The group took the air on Tuesday morning, engaging German airmen, and descending within 20ft of the ground in order to attack troops and convoys. In the course of . Wednesday our supremacy in the air was definitely reestablished, and since then it had hardly been challenged. French squadrons carried out systematic attacks at short intervals on German concentrations at such places as "Fismes, 12 miles behind the front, and scores of tons of explosives were dropped on German camps and communications. It is remarkable that a number of enemy balloons were destroyed lately. These the Germans used almost in the *ront line, in order to "compensate for their inferiority in the air service. They haul them down with remarkable quickness .on the appearance of French aeroplanes."

JfeITTJATION SUMMED UP, OBLIGED TO HOLD ON FOR AMERICA'S WEIGHT. LONDON, Juno 7. General Maurice, writing in the "Daily Chronicle" commenting on the declaration of the Supreme War Council and M. CTemenceau's speech, says: "Speaking bluntly, we are now in the . same situation as in 1914 when our Allies were obliged to hold on until we threw in our new armies. Now, having failed adequately to prepare for the new situation which resulted by Russia's collapse, we are again holding on until America throws in her weight. The vital question meanwhile is whose effectives are dwindling the quickest." General Maurice detail the measures taken, and sums up thus: Apparently we have again let the enemy get a start by allowing him to train fresh drafts before our-? «re ready. AMERICANS IN ACTION. IMPORTANT CO-OPERATION WITH FRENCH. LONDON, June 8. American official. —In an attacs

north-westward of Chateau Thierry, iMBB t]be morning of the 6th we, in con-

junction with the French, advanced our line southward of Torcy about a mile, capturing prisoners and inflicting heavy losses in killed and wounded.

Reuter's correspondent at the French Headquarters, writing on the 6th, states: The first American infantry have been engaged in battle. They took part in the defence of Veuilly Y/ood on the south bank of the Ourcq. On the 3rd inst, they left for the front in the highest spirits, resolved not to yield an inch of French ground. On the morning of the third the Germans crossed the railway ~" running through the Ourcq valley, and took the village of Bussians, a mile from Veuilly, also a height to the southward. They advanced in strong force ainst our line at Neuilly Wood, the object being to gain a footing in Marigny Wood, south of Neuilly. FrancoAmericans took up positions south of the wood, the Americans being on the left. When the Germans came within range the Americans opened a flank machine gun fire, causing heavy losses. The Germans halted to rally, when the rout was completed by a French counter attack, which put them ■to flight. ■..-■-'=■.■'• ■• , • ' ' ; '' At 1.10 this morning a French communique stated: Between the Ourcq and ; the Marne, we successfully continued local operations. Franco-American troops extended their gains north of Cauly to Chesy. They captured Veuilly, Sily la Poterie and; Bournesches, appreciably improving their positions on the fornt Torcy to Bournesches. DRAMATIC EFFECT IN FRANCE. - LONDON, June 8. The gallant fighting of the Americans made a dramatic impression in France. Mr. : Baker's promise that half a million would reach Europe by May has been fulfilled. Many thousands are actually in the line. America's effort suddenly looms large. Sne has taken her share in comforting the Allies when help was urgently needed.

During a recent visit to the American front the correspondent was most impressed by the splendid physique and intelligence of the infantry. They are undeniably amateurish, but have a way all their own. They are teeming with questions, like simple youngsters. Their physique is undisputably far better than that of Europeans. AMERICANS DISTRIBUTED OYER WIDE FRONT. LONDON, June 8. The "Daily Mail's" correspondent says: The Americans are distributed on a wide front in addition to sectors which American divisions solely hold. In every fourth village behind the line from Switzerland to the sea you find Americans. They are rapidly learning the craft of war. One thing they already know; how to be deadly shots. After a recent German raid it was notable that every enemy corpse was shot through the head or heart. AMERICANS AROUSE FRENCH ENTHUSIASM. LONDON, June 8. A typical American episode has just been disclosed. It occurred at Jiaulgonnc, where the) French wefe holding the northern edge of the loop on the Marne. The Germans succeeded in' throwing across twenty-two light bridges, each allowing the enemy to cross two abreast. Two battalions of infantry succeeded in crossing and forming a bridgehead in the railway station,, assisted by six machine guns. The French were ordered to counSer-aittack, Cavalry madte a frontal attack on the station, while tho infantry were attacking in the rear. Both failed owing to the vigil-

anee and activity of the German machine gunners, until American madjiinlel gunnerjs camjp into t% fight and supported the frontal attack, which enabled the infantry to strike the Germans in the rear. A few Germans escaped by swimming, also two boat-loads of forty men. The French and Americans took 100 prisoners, and all the enemy machine, guns. The rest of the German battalion were destroyed. The French are enthusiastic over the splendid bravery and selfsacrifice which the Americans displayed at Jaulgonne. . also in wood fighting at Neuilly and La Poterie, where American machine-gunners enabled the French to surprise (a German detachment and rout them. A TIMELY WARNING. LONDON, June 8. Every correspondent and military commentator "warns against >ilMsory hops that it is possible for the Americans to become war-hardened and effective before many months. It will perhaps be the middle of 1919 before the true giant strength of the Republic is exerted,, but the past week's fighting has proved their genuine worth. They are natural machinegunners. Those who fought at Chateau Thierry arrived weary and footsore, but within twelve hours they were taking part in a stern action. They caught Germans marching, four abreast, across the Marne bridges and dropped them like experts. They shattered company after company, fully a thousand being killed. GERMAN PRESS VIEW. AMSTERDAM, June 7. The Vossischc Zeitung's military correspondent says: Foch has b,cen enabled to organise strong resistance owing to a brilliantly-constructed railway system. He considers the Germa nshould not - attack the newly consolidated French front, which ite richly provided with reserves, and thereby expose th.e Germans to high losses. Wireless German Official. —We advanced westward of Tvenimel. We captured lines ostride the Audrey, south-eastward of Sarcy, prisoncring 300.

DESTROYING CHURCHES IN SOISSONS DISTRICT. AIRMEN KILLING FLEEING INHABITANTS. Received 5.45 a.m # : , )..,?. PARIS, June 7. The Bishop of Soissons declares the Germans destroyed completely over one. hundred churches and plundered and, partially destroyed one hundred others in tho Soissons district. The Cathedral suffered badly. The Germans are stripping the country methodically and taking everything to Germany, He pro'teprtted ' against ftho practice. The German airmen are deliberately killing tlie old men, women, and children ■ffe-ning- from the district. AMERICAN AND GERMAN REPORTS. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. Received 8.45 a.m. LONDON, June 7. Wireless German official: Renewed enemy attacks north-west of Chateau Thierry and on the Avre only brought him unimportant gains of territory. An American communique states: North-west of Chateau Thierry there was a hostile attack en a front of two miles during the night, after artillery preparation. They were repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy, who did not reach our lines anywhere. RAIDS IN ARRAS SECTOR. Received 8.45 a.m. LONDON, June 7. General Haig reports: We carried out raids on trenches southward of Arras, inflicting casualties. The French carried out a successful minor enterprise eastward of Dickebusch Lake. FRENCH MAKE AND HOLD SOME GAINS. Received 9.50 a.m. LONDON, June 9. At 1.15 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Hostile artillerying is abov« normal between Villers-Bretonneux and Albert, and between Givenchy and Robecq. Haig's aviation report states: BomPing is active on both sides. We dropped twenty-five tons of bombs on railway junctions, aerodromes and dumps beyond the German lines. A French communique records sharp artillerying in the region or Veuilly and Sussiares, and entered the village of Cloup. The enemy attempted, to wipe out our yesterday's gains on the Chedy Dammard front, but their violent counter attacks were battered. We merely maintained our

AMERICAN WEIGHT TELLING. HELPING TO STOP THE RUSH; Received 8.50 a.m. t WASHINGTON, June 8. The United Press correspondent at the American front says the result of the American attacks on the Marne is the stoppage of the German rush. The Americans'" defeated three divisions of Prussian and Bavarian Landwehr on three successive days. The Americans pushed forward four miles, which was two miles further than ordered, and fell back under orders. They still hold two and a-half miles, also important strategic positions. TWO MILE ADVANCE BY AMERICANS. Received 9.5 a.m. NEW YORJC, June 7.; A war correspondent at the American front states the Americans advanced two miles on a two-mile front in the Chateau Thierry sector, and prisonered one hundred Germans. A TIME FOR FORTITUDE AND RESOLUTION. CRISIS NOT YET ENDED. SPEECH BY LLOYD GEORGE. Rccived 9.40 a.m.

LONDON, June 8

Mr. Lloyd George, in responding to the toast of "The Success of the Allied Arms" at a dinner of the Printers' Pension Association, said he had just returned from France and seen the Americans. One of the most encouraging things was the superb valour and skill of the Americans, who arc coming in steadily, "We depending," he said, "upon them. If the Allies failed it would be a sorry world to live in. The destinies of coming generations would be -fashioned >by the failure or triumph of our causo. There was this to contemplate for humanity in tho Germans' struggle for military domination. We are passing through anxious days, and the crisis was not ended. We seemed to be watching at the bedside of a person suffering from a fell disease. The. onlj*- thing to do was to hold on till the crisis passed. With stout hearts we would win through, then woe to the plague. Ludendorff's hammer blows might crash a poor metal, but it would only consolidate good metal. United resolution was that we need, then God would stem the torrent." (Loud Cheers.)

GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, June S. Marcel Hutin does not expect the enemy, to choose a fresh front The Kaiser is giving the .army a short rest after which there, will be .a-. • totrific renewal of the offensive. FRENCH CAPTURE BLIGNYvj LONDON, June S. French communique: Between the Marnc and Eheims action. againjst Bligny (seven miles south-cast [of Eheims) continued, resulting in the capture of the entire village, and 200 prisoners. During the day thirteen German aeroplanes were downed. A SERIES OF SUCCESSES. LONDON, June S. A French communique issued in the evening states: North of Montdidier and west of of Noyon we made several successful coups de main and took prisoners. North of .the Aisno we, by a night attack, captured the village of Le Port, west of Fontenoy. South of the Aisne, we improved our positions south-east of Amblcz between the Ourcq and the Marne. We continued local operations in the region of Verilly and La Poterie We increased our progress and captured tho village of Vinly, north of Clignon„ also woods east of the station, at Sily la Poterie. We also possessed outskirts in this vilage. Further south, the American .troops gained ground on the front Torcy-Bellau-Boulesches, west of Chateau Thierry. A spirited attack gave us Hill 204, between the Marnc and Eheims British troops regained a footing in the village of Bligny and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. ALLIED RAIDS TELLING ON GERMANS. LONDON,, June 8.

Mr, Robinson writes: The effects of Allied air raids on the battlefront are so immense that the eenmy troops are taking elaborate precautions to avoid observation. They now march in small formations, which are ordered to break up and scatter when warned.