WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 March 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

ON THE FRENCH FRONT. STRONG GERMAN ATTACKS). ENEMY ENTER TRENCHES. BUT FORCED TO RETIRE. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn. and Reuter. Received March 19, 1.50 a.m. London, March 18. A French communique states: Thp eremy bombardment on the right of the Memo became intense, and was follow--"1 by series of strong German attacks. Bi<r enemy detachments approached our positions, penetrating our lines at varo'is points, in the direction of Samogneux, north of the Bois des Courieres, ar<l in the Bezonvaux district. The assailants suffered heavily under the violence of our fire, and were unable to maintain themselves in the elements in which they had obtained a footinf. Artillerying continues the liveliest in t:\>s region. Our troops last night penetrated enemy trenches at the Bois de Malftnyurt on a width of 1400 and depth of 800 metres. The total of prisoners taken on the left bank of tue Meuse last night exceeds 100, including several officers.

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH RAIDS,

ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. London, March 17Sir 'Douglas Haig reports: We made successful raids in the neighborhood of Epehy and Gavrelle.

There is hostile artillery activity 30 nth ward of Bapaume-Cambrai road, in the Scarpe Valley, eastward of Polygon Wood, also against our rear defences southward of Lens and between La Bassee canal to the Menin road. A Paris communique reports lively artillery activity on th e right bank o'f the Meuse.

READY FOR THE GERMANS,

OUIR INTELLIGENCE EXTRAORDINARILY ACCURATE. Received March 18. 9 30 p.m. , London, March 17. Mr. Philip Gibbs says the enemy operations are still limited to raids and gas 'bombardments, There is very little about the enemy organisations and movements and work behind his lines which we do not know. Our intelligence service has become of extraordinary scientific accuracy, our information frequently staggering the enemy, who has found bis plans anticipated. * It is very doubtful whether the main body of the German armies is equal to the strain of a prolonged attack. Anyhow, we are ready for it.

GREAT AERIAL ACTIVITY.

British bomb billets and aerodromes.

Received March 18, 9.30 p.m.

London, March 17. Douglas Haig reports: We drove off raiders near Zonnebeke. The enemy's artillery is active south ot the Bapaume-Cambrai road, also agamst the rear defences south of Lens and Arras, at La Bassee canal, and Armentieres, and Ypres. . There was great aerial activity yesterday. We again heavily attacked billets, and dropped thirteen tons of bombs upon two aerodromes. Three dumps were destroyed and one hangar. We crashed one Gotha in the act of rising and brought down sixteen. We drove down seven others. Six of ours are missing. Our night-fliers bombed billets. All returned. Wo bombed barracks and the railway station at Kaiserslautere to-day directly hitting the station and causing , a fire. The attackers all returned.

ENEMY

TRENCHES,

ON WIDE FRONT.

Received March 18, 7.50 p.m. London, March 17. A French communiquo states: There [is reciprocal artillerying north of the Chemm des Dames. Under the protection of artillery, which dominated the German artillery, wo conducted in the region of Chappy an important raid, wherem we penetrated enemy trenches on a front of eight hundred metres to a depth of three hundred metres. We j destroyed all the dugouts, blockhouses and works, and secured eighty prisoners. After bombardment we raided to some depth Malancourt wood.

The enemy violently bombarded the points between -the Mouse and vaux. We immediately replied. Aeroplanes dropped seven thousand kilogrammes of bombs upon military establishments behind the enemy front.