WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

. A POSITION OF STABILITY. ENEMY REORGANISING HIS FORCES ONLY HALF WESTERN STRENGTH YET USED. Received April 4, 7.35 p.m. London, April 3. A high military authority writes that there is no material change in the situation. We have somewhat improved our position, whilst the whole front, from Arras to the Oise, has reached a position of stability after the recent series of gigantic battles. We still have the 1918 season in front of us.

It is futile to suppose that the operations have ended because the enemy for the time being is checked.

The two main masses of the enemy are divided by the Somme, and are g-«»«ji' congested, necessitating the enemy having to reduce the situation to some sort of order. This congestion is particularly severe in the northern area, where the splendid Work of the Third Army enabled our more deliberate withdrawal, inflicting great punishment on the enemy. As an instance of how the Third Army retarded the enemy advance, we blew up two enormous mines, and as we fell back we mined the road between the craters. It is now one enormous crater, into which our artillery is firing day and night, preventing the Germans from bringing up reinforcements. Divisions with iron rations are replacing the exhausted divisions. They have now reached a point where the process is inapplicable. They must devise means for bringing up supplies of food and munitions from a greater distance. j Although we have checked the enemy definitely, we must remember that he has employed so far about half his army on the Western front. The enemy Is probably sending up fresh divisions and sending down the tired ones.

He may claim to have broken through' the British prepared positions, and thinks he can now repeat the performance against the improvised ones, but the readjustment of the battlefield is only a matter of time. It is certain the German losses are very considerably heavier than ours. In our withdrawals many of our aerodromes had to be destroyed, but we had improvised new ones further back. ' It might still be said we are a long way from having command of the air The correspondent adds that there are indications that Austrian attacks against Italy are being prepared. ARTILLERY DUEL. .;ORTH OF MONTDIDIER. Received April 4, 8.20 p.m. London, April 4 (12.30 a.m.). A French communique states: There was no infantry action to-day The artillery bombardment continued somewhat violently in the region north of Montdidier, especially between Demuin and Hangard-en-san-Terre.

A DETERMINED ATTACK. REPULSED BY THE BRITISH. Received April 4, 5o p.m. London, April 3. Sir Douglas Haig reports:. We repulsed after sharp fighting a determined attack in the neighborhood of Fampoux. n CLEREMONT-AMIENS LINE. UNDER GERMAN FIRE. United Service. Received April 4, 7.35 p.m. Amsterdam, April 3. A Berlin semi-official message claims that the Compeigne railway, connecting Cleremont with Amiens, is under artillery fire, and that airmen are bombarding Compeigne and Soissons.

CAREY'S CORPS. RENDERS INVALUABLE SERVICE. Received April 4, 8.36 p.m. London, April 3. Carey's Corps, which is under the command of M&jor-General Sandennan Carey, is composed of labormen, mechanics and signallers. They fought not hours but days on the left of the Fifth Army. Under General Carey's wonderful leadership and pluck the men rendered invaluable services. i POSITION UNCHANGED. LOCAL FIGHTING ONLY. Received April 8, 8.35 p.m. London, April 3 (11.46 p.m.). The Press Bureau reports: The situation is unchanged. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The whole front is comparatively quiet. There was local fighting last night and this morning in the neighborhood of Fenchy and Hebuteme, our troops killing many and capturing machine guns and prisoners. RETURN OF GENERAL PLUMER. WELCOMED BY ALL RANKS. Received April 4, 8.35 pjn. London, April 4. General Plumer has returned to the Western front. All ranks welcomed the victor of liessines, which is regarded as the most finished piece of British St*£ work in the front war.

GERMAN LOSSES. APPROACHING 300,000. SUCCESSFUL MINOR OPERATIONS. Received April 4, 11.45 p.m. London, April 4. Calculations based on captured data respecting fifteen divisions suggest that the total German infantry casualties aro probably between a quarter of a million and 300,000.

The Morning Post's correspondent on the French front states that the Germans, during their advance, brought up reserves mainly by forced night marches, one division undertaking eight consecutively. The prisoners are mostly young, and their morale is good. They complained of the lack of food, owing to ammunition having the preference of the transport. They confirm that the losses were slight during the first two days, but were tremendous subsequently. French military authorities anticipated fluctuations between Lassigny and Montdidier, but are uncertain as to the possibility of the Germans broking the line

Mr. Percival Phillips reports: We succeeded in several minor offensive operations between Arras and Albert. The enemy succeeded in none, and would he content to remain quiet, but our men insist on attacking and raiding villages, also harrying the infantry, which are trying to dig in on favorable ground \vlfile awaiting drafts and further orders.

ANOTHER ESTIMATE. FROM 25 TO 76 PER CENT. Reuter Service. London, April 4. Reuter's correspondent at the French front gives an idea of the German losses, which are already disquieting the Fatherland. He says the statements of prisoners, which have been carefully checked, show that the losses in several of the German divisions, which the correspondent names, chiefly the Guards and Bavarians, ranged from twenty-five to thirty-five and even to seventy-five per cent, of their strength.

A QUIET DAY. probable atack at ARRAg. Times Service. Received April 4, 11.50 p m. London, April 4 (1.40 a.m.) Mr. Rawlinson reports the quietest day with the enemy yet experienced. Ha has temporarily abandoned his Amiens efforts, and also seems to realise that our line is firm on the Somme, the Ancre and at Albert. Artillerying at the Scarpe suggests a renewed attack on Arras and Viray The enemy is digging in industriously on other parts of the front. Fresh captured documents and prisoners statements endorse the greatness of the enemy losses, averaging from forty to sixty per cent, of effectives. In fifteen divisions regiments were reduced by from fifty to sixty-one. Some lost eight hundred at Arr&a, while others were annihilated-

AVIATION REPORT. AMERICANS RENDER INVALUABLE SEHVICE. Received April 4, 8.20 p.m. London, April 4. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states: Our men harrassed enemy troops and transport with bombs and machineguns. Hostile aeroplanes are active between Albert and Moreuil. We downed twenty-one aeroplanes and three balloons. Seven of ours are missing, Night bombers dropped four and a half tons on hostile billets and troops. The American air service during the past fortnight has rendered invaluable •ervice.

A RUSSIAN LEGION. FOR SERVICE W THE WEST. Received April 4, 8.20 p.m. London, April 3. The Press Bureau states that the Russian General Lohvicky, who is serving in France, is forming a Russian legion of volunteers to fight against the Central Powers until a lawful Russian Government is recognised by the Allies and makes peace conjointly with the latter. GERMAN OFFICIAL. ALLIES' ATTACK DEFEATED, Received April 4, 8.20 p.m. London, April 4. Wireless German official: We repulsed a nocturnal EngUsh thrust against Ayette. Strong enemy forces attacked in the evening between Marceleave and Luce. They were heavily driven back. We took possession of the height southwest of Moreuil. Our successful thrust south-west of Hizbach brought prisoners

ACTIVITY ON SOUTHERN FRONT. ENEMY GAINS FOOTING AT ONE POINT. Received April 4, 8.20 p.m. London April 3 (4.35 p.m.). A Frencli communique reports: There is growing reciprocal artillery activity on the southern front. An enemy attack south of Moreuil, between Moreuil and Mailly Reineval, gained a footing at one point. Our advanced line elsewhere repulsed the attacks. We also repubed an attempt north of Nollet by a minor operation. North of Plemont we widened our positions. Our air squadrons on Sunday dropped twelve thousand kilogrammes of explosives on railway cantonments at Ham, Chauny and Noyon. A great fire was caused in the railway station at Chautoes.