THE GREAT BATTLE

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1918, Page 6

THE GREAT BATTLE

THE CRISIS REACHED. THE GERMAN DESPERATE LUNGES. TO SMASH BRITISH FORCES. Australian-N.Z. Cable Association. London, March 27. The United Press correspondent says that tlie British and French are viewing coming events calmly and courageously. The British are holding the gates of Albert with determination against tile Hindenuurg masses along the i'ozieres Ridge, astride of the Somme, and at Warleneourt. Le Sars, Flers, Longeval, Montaujian, Mametz, and Courcelette. Tlie Germans tordav are strewing flieir corpses as they slowly press forward The battle lias undoubtedly reached a critical stage. llir.denburg is desperately trying to break .through, now here, now there, unmindful of the huge gap:; torn in his massed ranks by the British guns. „ Simultaneously with lunges in the direction oj Albert, furious attacks are flung south-west against the line Rosieres St. Gobain Forest and swerving outward towards Roye and Noyon Between the two last-named places assault follows assault ill rapid succession. The British and French are forcing the enemy to pay dearly for every inch of ground. Xesle was taken only after the most furious combat, the French resorting to bayonets, grenades, even pocket-knives in the body-to-body deiythloek. />■ Much the same scenes were enacted bv the British at Grevillers, Ligny, Thillov. Montauban, and, elsewhere, the men withdrawing only whsn ordered, and sticking until the last man was overcome bv sheer numbers. Sir Douglas Ilaig. in a message, to the army, dated prior to Sunday's attacks, says: The crisis of the War lias now been reached. The Germans are trying a to destroy the British armies, and arp concentrating everv division for this purpose. France is sending troops as quickly as possible to the support of the British. The Germans claim that the British have retreated on both sides of the Sommt>, and that tlie French have, retired slightly west of Roye. The renewal of German attacks north of Albert is momentarily expected. North of the Soinine the. Germans have been cheeked for the time being. South of the Somme |he French reserves are arriving. The British counter-attacked the Germans across the Ancre, and the British recaptured Provart. New York, March 27. The situation is viewed wii.i full confidence. It is believed that the German wedge will; be menaced wlien the German troops are exhausted, and a terrific counter-attack will be launched. The Tribune declares that the German advance does V°t equal the onrush at Verdun. TheJ Allies' reserves are not yet engaged, and we expect General Petain to strike quickly and soon Mr. Frank Simmonds, in an article in the New York Sun. says that within the next 24 hours the Germans will win a decisive victory or be forced to halt. The British now hold high and advantageous ground, and the Germans' task of bringing up supplies is increasingly difficult. It is absurd to regard the situation as desperato until the Allies* reserve army participates,