WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

FRENCH OFFENSIVE. ■ NEW POSITIONS ORGANISED. iAN AERIAL RECORD.' London, April 17. A Frolic]) communique savs; We organised the position won between Soissons and Rheims. Strong' German coun-ter-attacks on our new line in the region of Ailles were broken with heavy losses to the enemy. Other enemy coun-ter-attacks in the sector of Courcy also failed. The weather continues very bad. The artillery duel continued 111 the sectors wvst of Auberive and in Champagne. Xine enemy aeroplanes were brought down, including Captain Gnynemever's Sfith, Roeelved April IS, 7.20 p.m. Ijondon, April 18. A wireless German official message states:—After their failure, with heavy losses, to break through our lines at the Aisne, the French did not renew their attacks. There was bitter all-day -loiij lighting 011 lmth sides of Auberive, in the Champagne district. IRRESISTIBLE ARDOR, ELEVEN THOUSAND PRISONERS; Received April 18, 11.45 p.m. London, April 18. A French communique* states: We extended our action east of Rheims, and attacked the German linos between Pnmay and St. Hilare, on the St. Hourpplet roads. Notwithstanding violent squalls of rain and. snow, our mfn advanced with irresistible ardour, and carried on a front of fifteen kilometres Dir. whole first German poaition, pushing beyond the position south of Movonvillers. We brilliantly conquered an extent of eleven kilometres of the line, and solidly organised tin heights from Mt. Cornillet east to Bandivincourt. Further east a spirited action resulted in our capturing the village Auberive, and a powerfully formed salient formed by the German line around the village* on a front of three kilometres. counter-attacks at Mt. Cornillet wereshattered, and we made prisoners of over 2500 hereabouts. Between Soissonij and Rheims we resumed our destructive fire on the German organisations, and parties still resisting.. \ie repulsed in destroyed works where small enemy the afternoon a strong counter-attack in the. region of Huradbisp, the lire being I violent. An attempt on a sector of the country occupied by Russians failed. During the battle on the 10th, between Soissons and Rheims, wo broke [up important German forces who were expecting to attack, and who had brought up nineteen divisions. Prisom I ers state that orders were given to hold out at any. cost on the first position which had been deepened., The enemy suffered heavy ksses. On the eve of the attack an enemy division was engaged during relief in a sector in the neighborhood of the division, and lost a large 1 part of its effectives through tho vio- [ ience of our artillerying. I The number of umvounded prisoners taken between Soissons and Rheims is now 11,000. ENEMY TERRIBLY BATTERED. RETREAT IN PANIQ, Paris, April 17. The Petit Parisian states that the French offensive fqllowed a month's bombardment. The attack swept everything away, hundreds of prisoners Arriving at :he depots half an hour after the attack was launched. Eastward of Craonne the enemy was terribly battered and retreated from the whole line in a panic. The entire first line was captured by noon. Then the artillery resumed the attack and the [German lines became an inferno. The French 'advanced and seized the second line westward of Craonne. The | elite of tho French troops, after several hours' terrific struggle, entered the first lino, which the enemy boasted was impregnable. In an extraordinarily violent counterattack in the afternoon the enemy employed the greater part of his reserve?. The French advance at some points exceeded four kilometres (2'/ 3 miles). A MIGHTY BATTLE. GERMAN DESCRIPTION. London, April 17. • A wireless German offivial report says: —One of the greatest battles in this mighty war, therefore in the worfil's history, has been progressiiis; 011 the Aisne since April 8. The artillery work ami mine-throwing were of unprecedented duration, mass and intensity. Yeuterday morning a French deep column attacked from Soupir to Betheny. During the* afternoon the French threw in fresh masses carrying out lateral attacks between the Oise and Conde-sur-Aisne. The artillery work continued to-day levelling our positions and rendering theobstinate defence no longer possioij. Fighting no longer against a line, but over a deep, irregular fortified zone, the battle swayed backwards and forwards around the foremost position, our object being, even if war material was lost, to spare the- lives of our forces and inflict lcsses on the enemy. This was achieved, thanks to our heroic men. The French attempt to break through' failed, and we inflicted sanguinary lows. We took over 210 ft prisoners where the enemy penetrated. The fighting continues and fresh arc expected. The fighting between Pruuev and Auberive lias developed and the battle line is therefore extending from the Oise into Champagne. We have entirj confidence as to the result of the corning heavy fighting. EIGHT DAYb WORK. I IK.AT ENEMY LOSSES. London, April 17. *':uW semi-official message says: ("In" Germans nia-sed at least i>o ilivi--mns and all nvaih-M:- 'aitlories 1111 the . Snis«oii'-f!''eiin-i front. Our advance 'rotf'lied a ilenili nf '"p. >11 three In. f:mr ' Vilmnetrrs. AUnpn i,.-r 'in' Alliim 'imv* |>!:wl ln»r- <ic cniiiK 1 ilirtWJO .li'i'ni.liis in eijfht days.