Maurice’s Summing Up.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 July 1918, Page 5

Maurice’s Summing Up.

TURNING POINT IN THE CAMPAIGN. Received 11.5 a m . LONDON, -July 24. General Maurice writes: The fact that the Crown Prince reorganised his forces between Soissons and Chateau Thierry when Foch attacked indicates he intended to follow up the advance across the Marne by an attack upon Paris, probably coupling therewith another attack between Amiens and Montdidier. Therefore Poch’s counter stroke not only wrecked the German offensive, but upset the enemy plans for the future. PoclPs new attack at

Montdidier lias completed this upset, ! and even if only a local affair, it, together with our own recent progress at Villers Bretonneux, should remove the danger which hung over Paris for six weeks. The Crown Prince’s efforts to extricate himself from the mess Wherein he is involved will have an important effect on the general situation. Counter attacks improvised In the midst of a battle in order to save a desperate situation are always costi ly. It is certain the losses were higher in the last few dgysj and. the exhaustion of reserves greater; ‘than in the first days’,rabortive,offep;sive. The situation has so improved from every point that we may, without extravagance, regard Foch’s counterattack as the turning-point of the 1918 campaign. OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE 1 AMERICANS PRESSING RETREAT- [ ING GERMANS.. I Received 11.5 a.m. LONDON, July 24. A French communique reports: Avaitors were active on July 22nd. Franco-British pilots felled -and disabled thirty-seven machines. There : were numerous air fights in bombing operations, and 33-J tons wore dropped during the )dav-timo on enemy aerodromes and stations. Thirteen hundred kilogrammes were dropped during a night raid on the station Maisonbleuc, causing -a conflagration

and explosions An American communique states: 1 South, of the Ourcq we continued to press the retreating enemy. We took possession of Jaulgonne and the woods westward. ANZACS NEAR EHEIMS. '■ ? LONDON, July 23. /Mr Perris, writing , on Tuesday morning, says he visited the British divisions fighting at the head of the Adrc Valley in what may # be called the battle of Mareaux. Here Somme Anzacs arc fighting with Highlanders and English units. The Anzacs are full of confidence, and arc fighting successfully, forward. ON THE YPRES SECTOR. .. WHAT THE NEW ZEALANDERS ARE DOING. GERMANS WAR WEARY.

Received 3.1.25 a.m. LONDON, July 24

Mr. Plhiip Gibbs writes: There has been no important infantry action between Amiens and Ypres since the capture of Metereu, but at sevefal parts of the line we have been keeping the Germans tame and driving them off bits of ground useful to us. The English and New Zealanders improved their positions a good de?/ between Hebuterne and Gommecourt by nibbling forward, hammering the enemy so hard that he had to draw back miserably. The New Zealanders in this way captured Rossignoi Wooq, from which, they say, the Germans had to do a “bunk” on Sunday. Enemy shelling hereabouts has been during the last few days, and the ground for several miles is pitted with shell craters, among which the New Zealanders sit without a sign of uneasiness, cleaning rifles, writing letters and playing cards. They paid no more attention to the ugly noises of whizzing shells than if they -were buzzing gnats. The New Zealanders made most noise a little later, when they bombarded the enemy'. the way to keep them unhappy,” said a gun officer. The New Zealanders have been in the offensive in a small way ever sv-.ce ThSy arrived in the neighbourhood on the 26th March. German divisions in the line are suffering severely elsewhere as well as here. If Prince Rupprecht decides to attack he must call on his reserves, for these holding divisions arc worn out and war-weary.