WESTERN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 July 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

POSITION OF GERMANS STILL CRITICAL. LONDON, July 23. The German energies are concentrated on a series of desperate reargcard actions, with. the hope of extricating the bulk of their forces from the clutches of the Allies. The latter are advancing simultaneously from three points of the compass. The enemy’s position is critical, in view of the relentless pressure by General Foch, jvhich may still turn the retreat into a rout. To avoid this, experts are of opinion that the enemy must draw still more largely on his reserves, probably those facing the British. Unless they receive such help, it will be impossible for the Germans to cross the twenty-four miles of rugged country to the north bank of the Aisnc, including the rivers Ourcq, Yesle and Aisne.

The ruggedness of the country between the Marne and Ehcims accounts for the desperation of the fighting: -there, enabling the Germans to projihg the defence. Nevertheless the-ad-vance of the British in collobration with the Frecnh is most important, as it demobilised large German forces, necessitating drafts from reserves. The inactivity of. the enemy infantry north of the Ourcq is semi-officially ascribed to enormous losses, calculable from the fact that in front of General Gourand’s army alone fifty thousand men were put on of action by hundreds of guns which unmasked only when the assaulting waves crossed the covering one and approached the real line of resistance. BRITISH LINE SLIGHTLY ADVANCED. LONDON, July 23. Sir Douglas Haig reports: “We advanced our line slightly yesterday Southward of Morris and Meteren, in the Ypres area, and southward of Hebuternc, north of Albert. We improved our positions last night in the Hamel sector. We carried out successful raids in various districts. There was considerable hostile gas shelling at Villers Bretonneux, south of the Somme, and reciprocal artillery firing in the Dickesbush sector, south-east of Ypres.”

1200 PRISONERS IN MONTDIDIER ADVANCE.

LONDON, July 23. The French advanced two miles in the Montdidicr sector, and secured the domination of the Aisne Valley. They captured 1200 prisoners. * ENEMY'S RESISTANCE STIFFEN. ING. LONDON, July 23. The Americans captured Buzancy, bringing them half a mile beyond the Soissons-Chateau Thierry road. They also captured Jaulgonne. The French are experiencing great difficulties in forcing a passage further along the Marne Valley owing to the enemy’s resistance. The French stormed the heights of Courcelles yesterday, and crossed the Marne at Port Ahinson, west of Reuil. The enemy launched a heavy counter attack from, the direction of Vendiers, which was beaten off. The British troops south-west of Rheims captured Petit Champ Wood, near MarftfMV The situation is still favourable, do hot expect rapid developments. There are indications that the enemy is evacuating the bottom pocket, which has become too hot and may take up a natural line of defence like the rivers "Andre or Vesle.

ALLIES’ CRUSHING COUNTER ATTACK. LONDON, July 23. Mr. Campbell writes; We are crush-' ing all counter-attacks. The Frencn have made espee lolly good progress albove Chateau Thierry, constructing additional bridges over the Marne, with a view of increasing the weight of the advance northwards. Patrols, discovered only rearguards holding Basleaux, though the enemy artillery was keeping up a hot Sfe over the valley. The Anglo-French between Baslieux and St. Euphratts. have very strongly held enemy positions for seven miles, intending to protect the left flank during the retirement. The British arrived on the 19th, and have since been continuously attacking, gradually progressing, and are now well beyond Gourmas and Bouilly. They took TOO prisoners. , The Italians shared in the attack, and displayed splendid vigour. . Two picked German divisions have been withdrawn shattered, and a third practically wiped out. Fierce encounters continue. THE SITUATION OUTLINED. LONDON, July 23. The situation on the British front is one of prepared and waiting. The enemy may strike at any time, hut the British will not be caught less prepared than their brilliant allies at Rheims. It is an open secret that Prince Rupprecht’s plans were perfected weeks ago, great masses of storm troops, -a terrific power of artillery,, and crowded aerodromes onry waiting Hindenburg’s cue. This, doubtless, depended on events on the French front, where, since the drive in May, things had been going from bad to worse. Prince Rupprecht has actually fixed the date of thei offensive against the British several times. He intended a smashing blow as a se. quel to the expected success in Champagne, but that fiasco necessitated postponement. Recent events have so lessened the army’s and the people's confidence in Ludendorff and Hindenhurg that some dazzling stroke Is needed as soon as possible. Although the German position at Rheims approaches a rout Prihce Rupprecht’s reserves have been only slightly cut down, and the onslaught will come whenever Hindcnhurg considers that immediate danger of disaster in the Champagne is past. The 'Allies, with ordinary luck, will be able henceforward to give something of their own trend to the developments. The Allies possess as many or more troops, and it is merely a question of the best way of using them. General Foch has proved his ability in this respect. The speeding-up of the Americans has put General Foch in a position to defend or fight, as h thinks best. Of two bun. drod German divisions on the West front, only a fourth are worthy to be called shock troops. Although there is much heavy fighting ahead, the Allies are warranted to breathe easier. The British are keen and ready. 100,000 GERMANS ISOLATED. LONDON, July 23. Now that the French have crossed only nineteen miles separate the Allied batteries on the two flanks. As heavy concentration fire covers six miles on either side, the Germans have only a passage of seven miles wherein to retreat or bring reserves of men, ammunition, and food. One hundred thousand Germans are isolated, despite the clever manner in which the Germans are sacrificing rear-guards to enable* large units to escape Foch’s pincers. Router’s correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on the morning of the 23rd, says: Some of the hardest fighting on the whole battlefield is now raging on the new Bri-

tish front, astride the Ardre, in the Montague do Rheims. PARIS, July 23.

Marcel Hutin says: In spite of the enemy’s tenacity in thej Crown Prince’s retreat is inevitable. Pontoon builders on the Marne were not hindered by shells, showing that the enemy’s main artillery has been

withdrawn from the base and concentrated on the flanks, where the shelling is intense. ALL GERMAN GAINS LOST. LONDON, July 23. Mr Gerald Campbell writes: The enemy has now brought sixty-seven divisions into action on the whole Aisc-Massiges front. The nett result is that they have not only largely exhausted their strength, but have lost more ground than they have gained. THE GERMAN VERSION. „ LONDON, July 23. Admiralty wireless: German official: We repulsed the British at many points on the Western front. The enemy made violent partial attacks astride the Ourcq. Between the Ourcq and the Marne we repulsed the enemy and penetrated advanced positions on both sides of Jaulgonne. Wo threw the enemy back to the river. Wireless German official: B'etween Soissons .and Rheims we frustrated a strong joint attack.

GERMANS WITHDRAWAL STOPS. LONDON, July 24. The Daily Chronicle’s correspondent with the American army says the German withdrawal up the valley of the Ourcq has come to a halt. The American pursuers met with a stiffening resistance, first by nests of machine guns, then shrapnel, and finally fieldartillery guns, the Germans working from previously prepared strongholds. Prisoners state that all retreat orders were revoked on Sunday evening, and stout opposition enjoined, probably because the German lines of communication were hopelessly congested. The “ Doughboys” wore so eager to pursue that they did not wait for the construction of pontoons when they reached the Marne, but swam the river and engaged thq enemy. The roads are full of abandoned supplies, including boxes of ammunition, and infantry packs. The Marne villages are all. hideous shambles and monstrosities of .smashed masonry. FURTHER FRAN CO-AMERICAN Received 9.20 a.m. WASHINGTON, July 24. The Franco-American troops have captured the greater part of Chatil Wood. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS ALL ROUND. IMPORTANT CAPTURES NORTH OF MONTDIDIER. FURIOUS BATTLE SOUTH OF RHEIMS. O * Received 9.45 a.m. LONDON, July 24. A French communique reports: Our attacks on both banks of the Ourcq produced satisfactory results, notwithstanding stubborn resistance by the enemy who brought up fresh reserves . North of the river we captured and passed Plessier and Huleu. and reached the western outskirts of Oulchy and Levells. We captured the village of Mont Gree.

The Franco-Americans, south of Ourcq, crossed the Chateau Thierry road and advanced their line over one kilometre eastward of the village of Rocourt. The greater part of Chatelet Wood is in our hands. On the right of the Marne we progressed afresh north of Mont St. Pere and Charteves, which is ours. We extended our bridgehead at Joulgonne. Between the Marne and Rheims fighting is furious, and the French and British between the Ardre and Vrigny are attacking strong positions . They advanced over one kilometre and inflicted'Heavy losses.

The British captured prisoners and guns in a local operation north pf Montdidier, whereby this morning we captured Mailly, Raineval, Sanvillers, and 'Aubvillers. This gave us fifteen hundred prisoners.