ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 June 1918, Page 3

ON THE WESTERN FRONT.

VON HUTIER MEETS HIS MATCH BATTLE TAKES A BETTER TURN". LNDOK, June 13. Mr Perris,- cabling to the Daily Chronicle in the morning, says that the outlook is decidedly more cheerful as the battle has taken, a better turn, he German onset on the third day suffered a distinct check owing to a remarkable series of French counter-at-tacks yesterday. They began eastward of the railway between Dora-front and Wiacque-Moulin, a distance of /eight miles the infantry, supported by tanks sweeping back the Germans along the whole line. One French contingent actually reached points within the German front, and the advance went well beyond Rubescourt and Le Fretory, and beyond Belloy to the border of St. Maur. Meanwhile the enemy delivered a powerful blow in the centre, reaching Antheuil, despite vigorous resistance. A further counter-attack from the left completely arrested the advance.

A certain amount of confusion was apparent in the German ranks during | these combats, and the fact that a thousand prisoners and some cannon were taken speaks eloquently, but j these were not their heaviest punishment. Eye-witnesses say that the German corpses were strewn over the battlefield. The enemy effort overlapped "into our right and centre. An attempt to debouch by the Matz Valley to the Oise proved a complete failure. The French repulsed repeated assaults at Chcvincourt, while Marchemont and Bethancourt frequently changed hands, the battle raging until late at night. Three critical - days, iherefidre., of enormous (lossies h-av-o not' given the enemy a very magnificent result. Von Huticr has met his matchv''" The French lines in the afternoon 5 were held all the way round from the important position of .Mery by St. 3 Manir '' and Antheuil to Marest and (Bhevincour't. Yesterday's counterattacks were met by great bodies of the, cifemy preparing to force another advance. ; four divisions being ranged in !a! : s'p'ace of two miles, hence the frigfitful intensity of the combat and .the. abnormal slaughter. French tanks I did excellently, as did also fleets of British J and French aeroplanes, which swept "down upon the battlefield before arid behind the infantry, dropping bpml?s r and raining machine gun fire whprever a' group of enemy soldiers seen, making good our numerical inferiority in infantry. In this way ! a real battle, which aims at the destruction of the invaders, not merely territorial gains, was won. The German Command openly avowed its aim in the morning, when new devolopments —an offensive> near Fontenoy, on the east flank of the salient from, Mousouthwards of the Aisne from Amblcny to Dommiers —became apparent. The wide attack amounts to an admission of a check westward of the Aise, and a poor prospect for a march on tOompeigne and Paris by the shortest' road.""