WESTERN ATTACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1918, Page 5

WESTERN ATTACK.

1917 OPERATIONS. REVIEWED BY SIR 1). HAIG. MODIFIED PLANS. BAD WEATHER FAVORS ENEMY. London, Jan. 8. The Gazette contains a dispatch by Sir Douglas Ilaig covering the operations during 1-117,- except Cambrai. He explains that the conference of the miliary heads of the Allies in November, lONS, arranged the plan for last year, • omprising offensives on all fronts. The British offensive in April was to be preparatory for a more decisive subsequent French operation, in latter stages of which the British were to co-operate but events in Russia and the fact that the French offensive in the Champagne met with obstinate resistance necessarily modified the plan.

•Sir Douglas ITaig emphasises the immense handicap upon the British in the tattle of Arras caused by rain and finow, and says the effects thereof in '.natter of bringing up guns before the enemy was able to assemble liis reserves was incalculable. Nevertheless by May twenty-three German divisions were withdrawn.

The dispatch explains that it was in order to assist, the French that the operations at Arras were continued. This necessarily greatly interfered with preparations for an attack on the Flanders front.

Spraking or the unprecedented magnitude of the subterranean warfare at Mes.-ines, Sir Douglas I-faig mentions that it. was known the enemy was .driving a gallery under Hill Oft, but by careful listening il vias judged that if nur olfensive began <si the date arranged the enemy's gallery wouUl just tail to teach us. 1 his proved correct. .He points tmt that the enemy did his utmost to pievent our advance in Flanders, using no fewer than 78 divisions for that purpose. Nevertheless it was the immense natural difficulties, accentuated by abnormally wet weather, rather than the magnitude of the enemy's resistance which preventedHhe complete capture of Wie Passchindaele Ridge. Time after time the rain enforced lulls, enabling a practically beaten enemy to reorganise and bring up reinforcements behind the sea of mud which constituted his main protection. THE ADDITIONAL LINE. Sir Douglas Haig emphasises the fact that owing to the necessity of taking over an additional Tine from the French we wore very definitely handicapped in the battle of Arras. This handicap was subsequently increased by the difficulty •if obtaining adequate drafts a sufficiently long time prior to a. division's particpation in battles to enable the drafts to be assimilated into the divisions and the divisions to be trained. GREAT OFFENSIVES DID NOT MATERIALISE,. The general continuous struggle throughout 1917 was very different, from those contemplated by the aforementioned Allied military conference. The great general simultaneous offensive then agreed upon did not materialise. Events in Russia enabled the Germans to bring 10 fresh divisions to the western front. This and events in Italy imposed a far heavier task on the' Anglo-French than was anticipated. However, the British armies maintained vigorous continued offensive, from April to November, except for short intervals due to bad weather

or to complete preparations. KVERY REASON TO BE SATISFIED. It was the longest and most successfully sustained oftensive of the year, yielding 59.000 prisoners, nearly 400 guns, and 3000 machine-guns. Therefore, without reckoning the possibilities which open up by the gains in Flanders,, and without considering its effect in other theatres, there is every reason to be satisfied with tin- results achieved. The adit ional strength which the enemy has obtained or may obtain by reason of events in Russia has already been largely discounted and the ultimate destruction of the enemy's forces is brought appreciably nearer. TRIBUTE-TO NAVAL WORK. Sir Douglas Haig paid a tribute to the navy. The debt the army owes to the navy, he says, grows ever greater and is deeply realised by the British armies in France. As a result of the navy's unceasing vigilance the enemy's hope that unrestricted submarine activity would hamper our operations in France and Inlanders lias been signally disappointed. Immense, quantities of ammunition and material required for the army and large numbers of men continue to reach us nth unfailing regularity, ARTILLERY PRAISED , i | In the last operations around Arras, Messines, Lens and Ypres, 131 German divisions were defeated by less than half that number of British. Paying a tribute In the artillery, he points out that in the battle of Ypres the batteries operated practically unprotected for month after month under continuous bombardment of gas and high explosives. He says instances were imiltiplinble when signals from the :n f .uiirv I ny ursrent nr'•'llcry support and warnings thai, gas is coming were received siiniiltancoii--ly, and ti.e gunners discarded their masks ard obeyed the iuJV.ntn %• rs!!

with full knowledge 01 the cousenuem-o

WORK OF FLYING CORPS. Regarding the flying corps he mentions that long distance raiding has become a recognised part of the preparation for infantry attack. Bombing aeroplanes at great distances behind the enemy lines was intensified in several cases. The enemy was thus compelled to abandon particular aerodromes. Reprisal raids on Germaii towns were carried out whenever the weather permitted. Sir Douglas Ifaig emphasises, however, that the enemy shows no sign of relaxing his aerial <±/Torts, hence he stresses the need of a liberal supply of machines, lie mentions that carrier pigeons have proved, extremely useful in conveying information from units to headquarters. He shows that the British are increasingly using gas, which is almost nightly discharged along the entire front.

ENEMY ATTACK BROKEN. FRENCH AIR RAIDS. ,71! ENEMY MACHINES DESTROYED. A. and N.Z. Cable Assn. and Reuter. Received January 9, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 8. A French communique states: After a lively bombardment, the enemy attacked the approach to our lines in the region of Bothineourt, on t.he left bank of the Meuso. Our fire broke the attempt. Our air squadrons heavily bombed aniline dye works at Ludwigshafen, the railway station at Freburgimbreigsgan, the aerodrome at St. Neubreisach, factories at Rombach, Maiziercs, and Chagendingen. Despite the intense cold and unfavorable weather, our pilots, during December, brilliantly maintained their superiority, and destroyed or put out of action 7(3 enemy aeroplanes. We lost 10 machines during the month. GIGANTIC GERMAN OFFENSIVE IMPENDING ON LENS AND CAMERA I SECTORS. Received Jan. 9, 5,5 p.m. New York, Jan. 8. Mr. N. D. Baker, Secretary of War, in a communique states that a gigantic German offensive in the Lens and Cambrai sector., is impending. The delay is due vo the concentration of huge masses. The Allies have no fear, because they recall the British victory seven times in Flanders. ' ENEMY ENTER TRENCHES. COUNTER-ATTACK RESTORES LINE. SUCCESSFUL .FRENCH RAID, Aus and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Jan. 10, 1-2.5 a.m. London, Jan. t). Sir Douglas Haig reports: An enemy local attack, supported by flammenwerfer, gained a. footing in our trenches east of Bullecourt, but a, counter-attack restored the line. Aeroplanes yesterday bombed the Roulers and Courtrai railway stations. A French communique states: In the region north of Seicheprez we successfully raided enemy lines, penetrating a front of 1500 metres, where shelters were destroyed, our troop 9 returning with prisoners.