GERMAN EFFORT BREAKING DOWN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1918, Page 5

GERMAN EFFORT BREAKING DOWN.

BRITISH ARMY SAVES ITSELF—AND THE EMPIRE. GERMANS FIERCELY SHELLED BY OUR HEAVIES. BIVOUACS BOMBED BY OUR AEROPLANES. Received March 29, 5.5 p.m, London, March 2S. Sir Douglas Ilaig's report showing that the attackers are held at all points is regarded as most c'ileeriul, coupled with the Herman failure to enumerate further captures of villages, prisoners, and guns. The Daily Telegraph points out that we aro over-inclined to measure German success by the map, whereas it really should be measured by time. Already it has taken seven days to do the work estimated to take two.

The Morning Post staves: "We believe the British army has saved itself, and, in saving itself, has saved the Empire. The German effort is breaking down."

The Morning Post opines tlmt the Germans throughout have only captured 10,000 unvvounded prisoners, the rest claimed -being wounded. Not one brigade or the headquarters stalf has been captured.

Mr. Gibbs states that throughout, Tuesday night the British heavies flung high explosives over the mauled battlefields of the Somme- The Germans lay on the earth in a bitter cold wind, without shelter, and a great many were killed as they lay. Aeroplanes flew over German bivouacs and dropped bombs into their masses. The turmoil of cries showed they were demoralising the enemy.

ENEMY PUNISHED TERRIBLY. GERMANS (UTTERLY WEARY. FURTHER ENEMY CONCENTRATIONS. Received March 29, 5.5 p.m. London, March 28. Mr. Phillips states that the Battlefront has very little during the last 24 hours. The fighting has slackened perceptibly between the Scarpe and the Somme.

The enemy was punished terribly on the 'old Somme battle-field- Our guns have given Von Bulow's massed army no rest, and the Germans can find no shelter from shells and aeroplane bombs. •'I do not think," ho adds, ''that any halted army in the open has ever experienced a more harassing lire." The German prisoners are utterly weary, though constantly flogged to fresh endeavors. Divisions which began the drive are again appearing in the van and arc expected to continue their hammer blows. Ten German divisions from Flanders and four from. Lorraine have arrived to stiffen the pressure on our elastic screen.

The Gorman staff is concentrating its chief strength southwards in the area of the Crown Prince's army. Prisoners state they had no food except iron rations. Many of them bitterly resent our thorough destruction and removal of stores, wheeron the Germans depended to replenish their haversacksMr. Gibbs, writing on Wednesday, states: Yesterday ajid to-day the enemy made no further advances 011 a big scale between the Bapaume road and Bray, but paused in the massed attacks to reorganise the line and bring up artijlery. Instead he made cautious movements across, the old Homme battlefield, which resulted in the renewal of losses by his assault troops. The weather is marvellously clear, but is much colder, there being a .strong easterly wind, which is painful to our troops at night in the open fields. Our air squadrons report a heavy concentration of German storm troops behind the Maurepas-Ginchy roads. Around Banaume is crowded by men, guns, and cavalry passing towards Albert, which was tiie centre of the fighting north of the Somme on Tuesday. The Germans the night before bombed Albert' heavily from the air, using the brilliant moonlight, flying low, and picking their targets whenever they saw men moving or horses tethered, but they often hit women and children wbo had crept back to their homes. FIGHTING ON 55 MILES FRONT. ASSAULTS HEAVILY TIEPULSED. BRITISH POSITIONS SUBSTANTIALLY MAINTAINED. Received March 29,11.50 p.m. London, March' 28. Sir tyouglas Haig reports: There was heavy fighting during the day along the whole of the British line from south of the Somme to north-east of Arras. The battle-front extended for 55 miles. In the morning the enemy, after an immense bombardment, covered by smoke cloud, opened a fresh attack of great strength on a wide front north and soutSi of the Scarpe. He simultaneously delivered a series of powerful attacks all along our line south of the Somme. The enemy in the new sector of battle east of Arras succeeded in forcing his way through out outpost lino. There was bard fighting all day in our battle positions, all assaults being heavily repulsed. Fierce lighting is still proceeding. South of the Scarpe we beat off repeated determined assaults at Boyellcs, Moyenneville, Ablain de Ville, Bucquoy, and Puissieux.

The enemy succeeded in forcing his way into Dernancourt a second time, but our counter-attack drove him out, killing and taking prisoner many. We have been fiercely engaged all day pouth of the Sonime, in the neighborhood of Arvillers and Vrely Hautel. Some of the localities frequently changed hands after, bitter fighting, but our positions have been substantially maintained. Heavy fighting continues.