WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1917, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

GREAT ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. HUN LINES PENETRATED. London, May 2. A French, communique says:—There lias been great artiHery activity on both sides in the region of Chemines-des* Dames, and on the Cerny-Hurtebise-Cra-onne front. Onr machine-guns and grenades repulsed enemy partial attacks on one of our trenches. There was a violent artillery struggle during the night In the sectors of Mont Cornillet and Monthay. Champagne. There was lively grenade fighting in the wood west of Mont Cornillet, in which we made progross. Detachments penetrated the German lines at different points at Les Eparges. Our air squadrons on the night of the 30th bombed several railway stations and military establishments in the region of Laon, Vouzicrs. and Eethel, causing fires. MANY CAPTURES. ENEMY MELTING AWAY. Paris, May 2. M. Marcel Rutin says tliat between April 16 and 30 the English and French captured 40,003 prisoners, 437 heavy guns, 340 trench mortars anil 882 machineguns. The Petit Parisian slates that 24 enemy divisions launched on the British front had to be relieved from further participations. The> enemy's effectives have melted' away amazingly and many of the survivors have deserted and some have gone mad. ADVANCES REPULSED. 1A GERMAN STORY London, May 2. A German official message says: English advances westward of Lens and near Monchy and Fontaine failed. We repuhed the French at Cernv. On the Aisne there was intense artillery fire on tie whole front. We repulsed a French thrust on the Chemin des Dames Ridge. During the Champagne fighting on April 30 we took prisoner over 400. The enemy yesterday lost fourteen aeroplanes.

AERIAL OPERATIONS.

A RECORD MONTH. London, May 2. April was easily a record month for air activity. 'Statistics compiled from the communiques show tliat 714 machines were [brought down on the Westem front—3oo German, 147 British, and 201 French. Of the German victims the BritisJt brought down 2G9, all excepting six by airmen. Xlve previous highest totals were 185 last July, 189 ire August, and 322 in September. A RAID DRIVEN OFF. ANOTHER AIR FIGHT. London, May 3. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig reports: We drove off a raid northward of Orleux en Gorishelle. There has been active reciprocal artillerying northward of the Scarpe. In the neighborhood of Ypres seventeen German aeroplanes were brought down on Tuesday and four of ours are missing. ARTILLERY ACTIVE. PUNITIVE 'AIR RAID. Received May 3, 10 p.m. London, May 3. French official: On both sides the artillery fire is active, particularly northwest of Rheims and the Champagne. A local operation gained us ground west of Mount Cornilla. The day was quiet everywhere else. As a reprisal for the enemy bombing Chalons and Epernay five. French machines bombed Treves, causing a violent conflagration.