THE WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1918, Page 6

THE WAR

WESTERN FROST.

FRENCH ELAN. 3 DIVISIONS DEFEAT ,13 Paris, April 1. M. Abrami, Under-Secretary for War, in a statement to tlie newspapers, said: "We witnessed yesterday an unforgettable spectacle- The Germans brought up three divisions to tlio Mont Didier region, where three French divisions met the shock with incomparable elan, advanced with tlie bayonet and artillery, and put till' assailants to flight after a t«rrilic struggle." The Germans are now constructing a second line of entrenchments in the region of Lassigny-

GERMAN OFFENSIVE BROKEN. AGAINST IRON WALL OF RESERVES. 1 Paris, April 1. Colonel Rousset, in tlie newspaper Liberte, says that the British are standing fast with splendid tenacity. Tlie enemy is exhausting himself in bloody onslaughts, which are bringing only a few insignificant gains of territory. Tlie struggle on our part of the line is terrific and the Germans must feel profound admiration and certain terror at the unflinching valor of our men. The Crown Prince's arnjlds deployed along a front of sixty kilometres, "between Moreuil ami in a peculiar position forming an vfiensive angle on the left, but almost back-to-back with Von Jfarwitz's armies, who are fighting on the west and face-to-facc with the British.

Official comment on the lighting says that the German offensive has broken against the iron wall of our first reserves, anil the Crown Prince has paid ivith thousands of lives for the temporary conquest of a few villages. The enemy effort to obtain Amiens has proved a bloody defeat.

GERMAN TACTICS. NOTHING TO SHOW FOR LOSSES. A IXLS'G BATTLE EXPECTED. London, April 1. . Renter's correspondent at French headquarters says that the Germans, following their habitual tactic 9, are delivering alternate blows. They have transferred the weight of the attack from the Somme sector to the line of the Avie, where a furious battle is raging. As the result of a day's fighting, involving apparently the heaviest losses yet suffered in any of the battles since the beginning of Die offensive, .the Germans worked their way to the bank of the j Avre at Moreuil. The enemy still hold the cast bank of the Avre, and, except that he has enlarged his position alon? the course of the stream, he lias nothing to show for his losses. The French machine-giuis did terrible execution. The Germans are bringing up their heavy artillery, which has not yet participated, and the breaking of the weather must delay its appearance on the battlefield. An extraordinary feature of the battle is that so far it has been fought on the German side almost entirely by infantry. So far the Germans have only been able to use field guns and light field howitzers. They have not kept the heavies inactive from choice, but because the retreating British methodically blew up the roads and bridges.

Hitherto the enemy's quick advance has been due to his employment of masses of infantry and infantry arms, but the costliness of thus fighting, without bringing up artillery, is far too great for him to keep up long. The enemy advance has slackened during the last few days, and gains have only been made upon a narrow front. Meantime our artillery reinforcements are arriving. The opinion is growing that Ludendorff's plan for a swift bloody passage through the junction of the Anglo-French forces will degenerate into a long battle on both fronts.

ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. London, April 1. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We completely repulsed two attacks westward of Albert last evening. The enemy persists in his attempts to advance along the valleys of the Luce and Avre, but made little progress. Attacks and counter-attacks were occurring all day in this sector with varying success. The fighting is expected to continueGerman attacks on the outskirts of Albert and north of Mont Didier have been smashed. The Germans failed to capture Grievesnes after fierce fight : -~. THE SUPER-GUN. Paris,? April 1. The long-range gun bombarded the -•ity twice on Sunday. One person was killed and one injuredMadrid, April 1. Newspapers state that Benito Caero, a Portuguese engineer, i n 1010 invented a jgun throwing a 150 millimetre (Cfn.) shell a distance of 130 to 140 kilometres (80 miles). A commission of French experts reported favorably on the invention. A copy of the plana and descriptive memoranda with telegrams from the Portuguese Minister in Switzerland were stolen from the Portuguese Ministry of War. The theft was attributed to spies. AMERICAN ESTIMATE OF LOSSES. New York, March 31. The Washington correspondent of the New York Times says the Allied Missions in Washington believe that the German drive is nearly spent. They estimate the British killed, missing, and prisoners at about 10,000. The Germans employed 1,2.30,000 men,in the drive, of whom it is estimated tnat only 250,000 are effective for immediate fighting. The rest are killed, wounded, prisoners, \or Forn-oat troopi.

THE FIGHTING REVIEWED. FAILURE OF GREAT COUP. London, April 1. Mr. Robinson, reviewing the fighting, says that thick mists on the first day were one of the most important features, enabling the Germans in many parts to approach closely unobserved, after which the mere weight of masses, despite the swathes of slain, ruptured our line The Ulster divisions at St. Qnentin were almost surrounded before they knew the infantry movement had begun. But the luck was not all on one side, as separate enemy masses attacked each other in the confusion.

Mr. Ktfcinson pays a tribute to the work of the airmen, who worked to the limits of human endurance. The air force has ceased to be an auxiliary arm, and has become one of the major striking forces. He adds: "The German success has fallen far short of expectations. It was intended to make 19,000 yards advance on. the first day, and the Naval Division were promised a clean walk through- In its essentials, however, the great coup has faile'd. but I do not desire to minimise the gravity of the situation. Another great blow is maturing. About half the German western strength has been through the furnace, and losses total a quarter of a million infantrymen. These divisions are not irreparably shattered, and will soon be good enough for manning the quieter sectors or engaging in the later phases of the battle. Tlie clouds may be black, but the spirits of our men are as fine as ever. Everywhere officers are ready to bet any odds that the Germans cannot break them."

Mr- Campbell writes: "The French seventy-fives in the battle at Mont Didier 'literally annihilated many enemy formations. Several divisions withdrawn exhausted after the first day's battle have already reappeared, and we are far from the end of the German masses. No Austrians have yet been identified. Civilians have evacuated Amiens and Compiegne.

SUCCESS OF BELGIANS. ENEMY GAIN AND LOSS. London, April 1. A Belgian communique states that a German attack, after a violent bombardment east of Xieuport during the night of March 30, was completely broken. The Germans have entered Moreuil The Anglo-French troops brilliantly pushed back the Germans westward of Hangard-en-Santerre and recaptured it. GERMAN PLAN OF ATTACK. London, April 1. Renter's correspondent with the French army says that military papers captured include the maps issued to officers and sub-officers, detailing the German plan of attack. On the backs of the maps are reports prepared of the advance corresponding to the anticipated stages of the attack. These reports were to be sent to the rear as each successive objective was reached. The progress of the infantry was calculated at twice the rate allowed in previous oll'cnsives.

On reaching the open country they were to advance by means of heavy blows in rapid succession, in order to bring about local retirements- The moment our troops fell hack the Germans would follow, thus threatening units which had not retired, which would then be subjected to fresh frontal attacks.

German cavalry was repeatedly reported in the Ham, Neslc, and Peronnc districts, but the numbers never exceeded a regiment, and they were chiefly used for conveyance of information and as supports for infantry advanced posts.

CEASELESS PASSAGE OF WOUNDED. Amsterdam, March 31. Trains laden with wounded men dripping blood are ceaselessly passing towards Germany. The hospital trains were insufficient, and many goods trains are being utilised. SPECULATIONS ON ENEMY MOVEMENTS. London, April 1. Renter's correspondent at British headquarters says the first tremendous crash having failed in its purpose, the enemy now i g confronted with the alternatives of making another effort on this front or extending the battle further to ground in w'hich movement is restricted by the marshes and swamps of the Avre and Somme valleys. Perhaps the enemy's hopes of advancing further depend on the impression he can make on the resistance of the Allies in the north. He can take it that with each successive blow his power will be weakened out of all proportion to the capacity for continued resistance. Pmt perhaps he will continue to rely on mere weight of numbers, but he is staking in a desperate gamble. One of the most encouraging symptoms is the extent to which our troops are now successfully assuming the initiative. Amsterdam, April 1. The Tageblatt admits that the British gunners fought to the last, firing •case shot, .which had not been used since 1871. AMERICANS DOING GOOD SERVICE. .Washington, April 1. Americans are taking over more French position "• and releasing the French to assist'.."*suglas Ilaig. THE KING'S VISIT. London, April 1. Extraordinary enthusiasm marked the: King's visit to the front. Everywhere the peasants, British soldiers, and poilus loudly cheered his Majesty. The visit was arranged at a couple of hours' notice- His Majesty remarked: "I would like to see those fellows over there and shake their hands." During the yisit he saw two New Zealand battalions and talked to many of them.

AVIATION TOLL INF MARCH. Loudon, April 1. A record number of aeroplanes was brought down in March, the Allies claiming S3S and. the Germans 221. The losses were mainly on the West front, where the Allies brought down 740, Brrtisft- airmen bagging, 567-&n4 Mng 165,

A DITCH OF DEATH. FOR GERMAN STORMER3. London, April I. Mr. Gibbs, continuing his report of the eariv fighting, says: "It was touch and go several times at different parta of the line, but the gaps always filled at the psychological moment. One British unit holding the line before Hermics and Havrineourt on t'he-'2lst fought like Greek heroes. The enemy attacked Hermies six times and Havrineourt, but fell in heaps and could not break through there. Tlie sunken road at Demicourt, from which the enemy deployed, became a ditch of death for the German storm troops. .TCnemy successes elsewhere, however, necessitated a British withdrawal on the night of the 22ndj when the unit was in danger of being surrounded. The rearguards became isolated, but hacked their way through, and subsequently withstood the most violent attacks until the ragged lines of weary men reached the Anere on the 26th.