THE GREAT BATTLE

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1918, Page 6

THE GREAT BATTLE

GERMAN PLAN ALREADY FAILED. ANG LO-FR ENCH BEAT ENEMY AT HIS OWN GAME. WAVE OF OPTIMISM IN FRANCE. Received Marcli 30, 5.5 p.m. Paris, March 29. M. Clemenceau (-French Premier) stated that it does not matter what convulsions occur during the next few days, the German plan has already, failed. The battle has not yet finished, but the Germans won't obtain a road to the sea or Paris.

M. Clemenceau's confidence has given the keynote to a great wave of optimism that is swelling over France. Military experts point out that the German offensive is coining to a standstill without attaining its objectives. The Entente generals beat the Germans at their own game. The Entente reserve is ready to strike when and where required. The initiative of the next move rests with the Anglo-French. Marcel Hutin says we have proof that General von Ludendorff ordered Prince Rupprecht that lie must capture Amiens, Abvevill, and Autrelors. co-operation is working methodically. Wa await the results of the Amiens battle with confidence.

Le Temps' correspondent on the Oi-:e front, referring to the temporary gap. in the British front, already cabled, sava the cavalry units, which were quite ready, filled it, and the position was scon strengthened with the first contingents of the reinforcements. -M. Ilanoteaux, in tiie.Figaro, gavs the C enuans are reverting to theiv original plan of August and November, -i914, consisting of an attempt at occupying Dunkirk and Calais, and adds: ''To cut off our communications with the British is absolutely necessary to thou. i'rince Ruppreei:t was entrusted with this enterprise while the Crown Princis was protecting the hind Hank.'' •,* London, March 29.

A French communique states: Tile battle was eontined with violence last evening in the region of lloilt Didier. Despite repeated counter-attacks, the enemy was unable to drive us out of tiie villages which we captured yesterday.

ATTACK TOWARDS ARRAS. SPLENDID BRITISH RESISTANCE. ATTACKERS FLUNG BACK London, Jlarc'u 23. Sir. Philip Gibbs writes:—The enemy »ide-siippod in some force northward towards Arras, having failed to turn our left by tlie original attack owing to the fcplenuid resistance of the 3rd ihvis.un and other English troops. ' The righting was most intense. Tiie German siormers attacked towards Arras at dawn witii many machine-guns. Our artillery made a target of tlieui and large numbers fell, but succeeding waves reached Orange Hill, from whic.i they were driven during the battle oi Arras in IUI7. There was also tierce lighting at Telegraph Hill The enemy pressed in the Bucquoy region, but our counter attacks Hung him back, leaving many dead, particularly at Ablainzeville. Sir. Percival Phillips says the attack towards Arras from the south-west appears to be the most important ijeveiopnient to-day. He believes another equally heavy enemy thrust may ..e made soon astride the Somme. Masses of Germans have arrived at Bray and the country behind is full of troops and guns.

Although the barrage this morning extended from Gavrelle on,.the north of t'iie Scarpe to Boyelles in the south, ■torm troops on a narrow front and ■1 great depth appeared in the region ■t Guemappe and Wancourt and sue- • eded in tile middle of the morning in ■-netrating our front line for some hun-

Ired yards. Heavy fighting is proeeed»g on the high ground above the Searpe ind our troops are holding their own veil against iieavy odds. . The present situation gives not the lightest cause for anxiety. The grav- ■ t crisis is thought to be over. Fresh 1 roops are coming up steadily and new '"itteries are laying the foundations of formidable barrages. There are signs '!: at the enemy is being pushed for re"rves. He lias thrown in one naval di- ' which he has not done hitherto.

CHANCE IN THE WEATHER. iIETURX of wintry conditions. London, March 3,0. Router's headquarter; correspondent, writing on hursday evening, savs that wintry weather has arrived with a bleak east wind and sinking glass threatening snow. Heavy fighting developed this morning. The Germans launched two attacks against Arras, one north and the other sout'h of the Scarpe- The former quickly died down, but the latter had assumed serious proportions by 11 I o'clock. Dense German waves under cover of tremendous bombardment made some advance. We exacted a terrible price as the valley of the Scarpe from Blanby to Roeux affords a good field of fire for machine-guns while batteries posted on the ridges northwards swept all the terrain further south. We have been attacking, but the details have not transpired. Respecting the enemy claims that he captured artillery it lias transpired that the Germans are including all light artillery mounted in the tanks which have been captured. It is noteworthy that the "male" tank carries two guns, thus the German claims are heavily discounted. i I MONCEL RECAPTURED. .London, March 29. There is bitter fighting at Montdidier. The French have recaptured Mom-el and liaUl tbtir gain*.

FRENCH SUCCESSES. HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES CONFIRMED. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Router. Received March .10, 5.0 p.m. London, March 29A French communique states: Our troops, continuing their successes, carried Mondial by storm. A violent engagement occurred at Pies-sis do Nojades. all the enemy attacks against which failed before our indomitable resistance. Prisoners state that- the number of bodies found on this part of the battlefield, also in the region of Mont Didier, eonfirm the fact that the enwuy's losses were extremely heavy, while he achieved no resiiit.

North of Mont Didier, the FrancoI British troops are victoriously holding the enemy on -a line from the river Avre, on the front of Luneville, through Sire Bernard, Mezieres, Marceloave and Hamel. Our long range guns caught and dispersed enemy infantry columns and convoys on the Laon-La Fere road. There has been moderate artillerying on the remainder of the front.

GROUND SWEPT BY A GALE. I NO EFFECT ON THE FIGHTIKG. BRITISH LINE BENT BACK SLIGHTLY. Received March 30, sp.m. London, March 2D. The United Press correspondent stater, that despite the sudden charge in the weather, a gale and rain sweeping the battlefield, fighting is uninterrupted. The Germans, with ox-like perseverance, are butting away against the British lines. ■ They slightly progressed in the Arras region, occupying a front line of trenches at Orange Hill, also Neuville and Vitasse. The cold, stinging rain made night fighting difficult. The moon, which throughout the offensive turned the night into dav. was obscured, rendering the night darker, therefore producing a lull in the Ancre valley and astride the Somme, following on a hard day. Under brilliant flares, suspended from parachutes, the outposts and patrols dashed in in a constant manoeuvre for an advantageous gateway. j

While General von Bulow gained ground in the north, the British held General von Hofaeker to petty advances in the Albert region- Four heavy attacks were repulsed northwards of the Somme, the enemy dead littering the ground. The Genua::* south of the Somme, after repeated ilavlong a-ssnult#, bent the Briti-h line slightly backward to Hamel on the Somme, Rabimcourt and Marccieave. Below this the French brilliantly held the road southwards, often driwng the Crown Prince's hordes at the. bayonet point.

SIR DOUGLAS HAiG'S REPORTS. ALL POSITION'S MAINTAINED. GROUND GAINED AT SEVERAL POINTS. London, March 29. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There were further strong enemy attacks yesterday morning and evening at several points northward of the Somme. We maintained our portions and also gained ground in several places by successful counter-attacks. We captured prisoners and machine-guns. The enemy's -asualties were exceedingly Heavy His frequent ,attacks were pressed with great determination all day, only gaining outpost ■ lines after several hours' severe hand-to-hand fighting. His reserves were then sent forward against our battle positions, but were everywhere thrown back with great loss. Our inac J hiiie ; guus, artillery and riile fire did great execution. Southward of the Somme there heavy continuous lighting until late in the evening- After maintaining the line all dav in the face of repeated assaults by superior forces we withdrew a short distance from the advanced position. The War Office reports: At Arras at least seven divisions of the enemy are attacking and penetrating the forward zone. On our line passing through Arleux, Fampoux, Neuville Vitasse, and Boisleuc the fighting is severe and the enemy losses heavy. Southward of Noyon the French have driven Jiack the enemy on a three kilometre front. The men are still pressing on. Sir Douglas Haig reports: There was heavy fighting to-day on 55 miles of the whole British line from southwards of the -Somme to north-eastwards of Arras, Our positions were substantially maintained.

FRENCH AIRCRAFT BUSY. London, March 2!). A French official despatch states: Between the 22nd and "2Cth March our airmen, flying as low as twenty-two yards from the ground, dropped over fifty thousand kilogrammes of -bombs on convoys, marching' columns and massed enemy troops, and also fired thousands of machine-gun rounds. The enemy suffered terribly. Sixty battle planes and twenty bombing planes on the 27th inflicted terrible losses on the enemy massed infantry, blew up munition dumps, and caused great fires. 'Bombing planes co-operated in attacking the railway stations at Metz, Abluns, and Thionville. Several fires with violent explosions were caused at Metz and Ablons. A French air squadron on the night of the 23rd dropped three and a half ton of bombs on the Badische aniline factory at Ludwigshafon, the principal poison gas factory in Germany. Forty-two enemy aeroplanes brought down.

ROAD TO PARIS SECURE. WIDESPREAD TERROR IX GERMANY London, March 29. Paris messages are insistent that tho trench troops are completely barring the road along the Oise valley to Paris. The Germans twice occupied Montronand, an important strategic point southward of No von, but tho French a third time gained it and held it.

French guns cover all the bridges between Noyon and Chauny. The French realise that tho Germans are trying to drive a wedge between the French and the British armies.

German papers display a new note of anxiety regarding the offensive, fearing the results when the Allied reserves are brought up. The Vossische Zeitung says: "We must credit the English and French with the admirable use thus far made of their fresh divisions. Their troops are lighting with extraordinary bravery." Amsterdam, March 21).

Reports from the frontier state that every available building in western Germany is converted into a hospital. The number of wounded is threefold what was expected. Town criers preceded by women drummers go through the streets ordering the citizens to bring beds to the town halls to be used for the Fatherland. Trainloads of wounded have beta passing Liege uninterruptedly since March 22. The wounded men are now sent to improvised hospitals, aa all those ready are full.

German newspapers are, not allowed to mention the wounded, and citizens ar<j not allowed to meet the trains, but astounding figures of German casualties are mentioned, causing widespread terror. The Dutch frontier is closed to present possible indiscretion regarding casualties. FRENCH OFFICER'S STORY. Paris, March 29. A wounded French captain, whose company was rushed to the front by motor lorry at a critical moment, says tliey found themselves immediately confronted by Germany who had also been brought in motor lorries. The Germans had disguised themselves in British uniforms, and next moment fired point blank o n our men, who engaged and charged the treacherous enemy. They held the ground until they dropped with exhaustion and till reinforcements came. The French Dragoons and Cuirassiers wrote that this was one of the most glorious pages of the war.