WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

EVENTS SPEEDING UP. BOTH SIDES ACTIVE. GERMAN'S LACK DASH. Received March 4, 7.45 p.m. London, March 3. The United Press correspondent at headquarters reports that events are speeding up along the West tront. Raiding and patrol activity lias increased. There were a dozen raids on this front during the past- 30 hourK, some of them important enough to be called attacks. Field-Marshal von Hindenburg is rirobing and testing everywhere, losing heavily, but apparently lie . does not worry at the loss of fifty or sixty men if the remnant returns with one or two samples of British troops. The Germans are imitating the British, but lack the dash and cunning. For example, for a raid against the Australians in Flanders -.'l) Germans, including nine officers, revarsed qiany times against counterpart ".-it,ions, yet they left 21 dead on one ...f our wires, including the commander, without penetrating our positions. j GERMAN OFFENSIVE ACTION. I . VAST RECONNOITRING OPERATIONS BOTH SIDES EXTREMELY VIGILANT. Renter Service. Received March 4, 7.55 p.m. » Paris, March 3. Scmi-oflicial: The German offensive actions, despite their violence, amount only to vast reconnoitring operations on the whole front. Both sides were never more vigilant, but it is premature to conclude that these engagements are the prelude to an imminent offensive, EXTENSIVE ENEMY ATTACKS. PROBABLE .LOCALE OF BIG OFFENSIVE. London, March 3. German attacks on the French north of the Aisne and in the Champagne are extending 'altogether 120 miles, and are' regarded as preluding a liig German offensive any (lay. The fact that the attacks arc conducted chiefly at night suggests that they are intended to mask bigger preparations. It is not unlikely that the Champagne will be cho=cn for the Gorman attempt to reach Paris, because the enemy will thus be able to reinforce his flanks against a British attack on the coast or a French attack through Alsace. ATTACKS ON AMERICANS. REPULSED WITH LOSSES. . ( . • EFFECTIVE USE OF AUTOMATIC PISTOLS. Received March 4, 5.5 p.m. Paris, March 3. The Germans continue their attacks on the Americans at the Cherain des Dames and Toul. The Germans were repulsed with considerable losses. A feature of the fighting is the Americans' extensive use of automatic, pistols, with which they are most proficient. WINTRY WEATHER. THE COMING OPERATIONS. BRITISH OFFENSIVE AS LIKELY AS GERMAN. United Service, Received March 4, 7.55 p.m. London, March 3. The Daily Mail's Peris correspondent states that if the spasmodic operations prelude the grand attack, the enemy is badly served iby the weather, for there has been sleet and snow ■ since Friday, and its continuance will prevent the manoeuvring of heavy artillery. Given fair conditions, it is considered the coming operations are as likely to consist of a defensive battle delivered by the Allies, as a German offensive. ON FRENCH FRONT. LIVELY ARTILLERY ACTIONS. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received March 4, 7.65 p.m. London, March 3. A Trench communique states: There are lively artillery actions on the right of the Meuse, in the Woevre, Domevre, and Badonvillers regions, also a violent bombardment of our lines north of the Rhone-Rhine canal. PATROL ENCOUNTERS. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter, Received March 4, 7.45 p.m. London, March 3. Sir Douglas Haig reports patrol encounters north-east of Polygon Wood. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH OPERATIONS. London, March S. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We made a successful raid south-eastward of Ar- , mentieres and repulsed attempted raids in the neighborhood of St. Quentin, A^leux-en-Gobelle, and PontreteA, inflicting considerable caau&tttak