LAST GERMAN DRIVE.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 July 1918, Page 6

LAST GERMAN DRIVE.

FOCH FULLY PREPARED. COUNTER-STROKE PREDICTED. London, July 16. An intense bombarument commenced at miumght on Sunday, July 14, ac companied by heavy shelling of back areas, even 18 miles behind the line, including Chalons, Montmirail, and railways. Paris was awakened by the drum fire, and seeing the glowing sky the citizens understood the portents. Foch expected an offensive on either side of Rheims, and was fully prepar- ' ed. The only doubt was whether it would be launched on Sunday or Monday. The Germans have a long way to go before they threaten the communications on the Verdun front.. They have not secured the heights south of the Marne, but are groping their way through rolling, broken country, heavily-timbered, and cover. ed with rivulets. The Paris correspondent of the "Times" states that the cannonading began at three o'clock, and the tremendous explosions roused the whole city. The fire continued with sustained intensity for four hours. The people gathered on the Boulevards, on Montmartre Hill, and climbed on to skyscrapers. The horizon was ablaze "With flashes resembling lightning in a tropical storm. WHERE ATTILA MET WITH DISASTER. ~ The eastern front is the scene of the ancient battlefield on which Attila met with disaster. The French eastward of Rheims •withstood the shock firmly. The artillery crushed two "attacks apparently intended as diversions. The Germans are aiming at Paris in the same way as they did at Verdun, striking alternately on right and left. Military experts ithhold their judgment, but all point out that there was no surprise, and that there has not yet been a great penetration at any point. The Times in a leading article today says:—The Germans lost much precious time in preparing the attack, and they undoubtedly intended this offensive to be their principal effort in the present campaigning season. We are witnessing the beginning of an enterprise which ultimately will surpass the magnitude of the greatest battles of 1918. It is assumed that the enemy hopes to reach effective bombarding range of Paris, though at present his pressure is mainly to tru. southward.

CHALONS THE ENEMY OBJECTIVE If an attack on Paris is intended it should be remembered tbat the country south of the Marne is harder to defend than it was north of the river. The prevalent theory is" that the Germans are trying to encircle Rheima and outflank and control the wooded heights below, but these are formidably held, and until they are captured the enemy has small prospect of reaching the open country round Chalons. "We are convinced that General Foch and the French army will effectively counter the menace.

According to the Paris correspondent of the "Times," Mr. Henri Bidou, military critic of the Journal des Debats, states that Chalons is undoubtedly the enemy's immediate objective on the left. If Chateau Thierry anc Chalons were captured the Germans could establish a base on the Marne, •which would make a considerable dlrference in the Rheims region. A most difficult enveloping, movement towards Paris is intended. The French command was net caught napping, our artillery having provoked explosions in the enemy's liidden ammunition dumps often en. cmgh to afford a clue to the preparations.