WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE THRUST AT AMIENS. A DESPERATE ATTEMPT. 14 FRESH DIVISIONS USED, I Reutcr Service. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 5. British headquarters report on the evening of the sth April that fuller details reveal that the enemy thrust, between the Sommc and the Avre, was a formidable effort aimed at getting astride of the Paris-Amiens railway and developing a thrust at Amiens. Thanks to the stubbornness of the resistance to (he enemy, his success was limited to the creation of a salient 7000 yards wide with an extreme depth of two thousand yards.

There is reason to believe that the Germans threw in fourteen divisions of fresh troops, including some crack corps and three Guards Divisions. The Fifth German division, which bore a large share of the early days of the offensive and was withdrawn to refit and reserve is again fighting. It is estimated that practically 100 German divisions have been used in the present battles. Although the enemy yesterday concentrated all his available artillery, the bombardment was relatively not heavy; consequently he relied chiefly on preponderating numbers. BAD ROADS DELAY ARTILLERY.

Prisoners are complaining that the state of the roads, due to our ceaseless shelling, is causing delays in setting up heavy batteries and adequate munitionsYesterday rifles and machine guns played the principal part in the defence. The weather is wet and misty, and is unfavorable for offensive operations. The troops welcome its inclemency gleefully. To-day, the Germans hare shown considerable aggressiveness. At 8 o'clock in the morning they attacked in the neighborhood of Dernancourt, on a front of 0000 yards with an estimated strength of six divisions. After desperate fighting they readied the railway. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ATTACK. An attack of considerable strength in the direction of Blainciville was completely repulsed. We attacked from a sector from Quivillers and it is reported that we gained our first objective. At Bucquay the New Zealanders are i n action again and as the result cf a dashing sortie, they took prisoner four officer? and 130 men.

Fighting is progressing on a considerable portion of the front north of the Sommej but it is not on a grand.scale, Hieh a s would indicate the general resumption of the offensive. British headquarters reports at 4.45

p.m. on April 6, that at daybreak this morning the Germans were attacking astride of the Somme valley in the direction of Sorbie, but there waa.no news as to,how the battle is progressing. The main weight of the thrust seems to be west of Boisdevare. INTENSELY FIERCE FIGHTING. The Germans continued to fight desperately for the possession of the main .Amiens road Some of the fighting, yesterday was of the fiercest character The enemy massed early in the morning west of Dernacourt. We. blew up the neighoring Somme bridge. The very heavy attack followed, wherein the New Zealanders eventually repulsed the enemy after a ding dong battle.

ENEMY THRUSTS. AT JUNCTION OF ANGLO-FRENCH ARMIES. DENSE WAVES HEAVILY PUNISHED. Reuter Service. Received April 6, 5.5 p.m. London, April 5. The enemy is again thrusting at what he believes is tjie junction of the FrancoBritish armies, in the hope of yet separating them. His assaults against tlie British yesterday were apparently aimed at converging movements upon the little town of Cordie, and were delivered in dense waves, which machine-gun and rifle fire heavily punished. He succeeded in straightening out a little salient in our line in the neighborhood of Hamel Wood and village. Our counter-attack was not sufficiently strong to restore the positions. The weather is wet and misty.. It is impossible for our airmen to co-operate. Fragments of projectiles with which the enemy is shelling our back areas bear British marks, showing that the guns and ammunition came from the Russian front.

ENEMY ECONOMISING MEN. ALLIES' COMMAND OF THE AIE. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. Paris, April 0. Semi-official: The majority of the fresh Gorman divisions appear not to be drawn from the reserves, but are troops from other sectors, indicating that the German General Staff is now economising men. Franco-British aviation has definitely obtained the mastery of the air on the Somme battlefield. ' THE SUPER GUNS. MEASURES FOR THEIR V; DESTRUCTION. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. Paris, April 5It is believed that airmen have discovered the site of the long range guns and that artillerymen are taking measures to destroy them. ANOTHER MAMMOTH ON THE WAY. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, April 5. Another mammoth SO-foot gun, carried on five trucks, has been railed to Belgium from Eesea.

GERMAN BID FOR VICTORY. SPEEDY TRANSIT OF GUNS. AIRCRAFT CONCENTRATED. THE ALLIES' STIFF CONTRACT. United Service, ■ Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 5. Mr. Murdoch reports that a formidable resumption of the battle has brought furious fighting to within seven miles of Amiens. The pre-arranged organisation by which the Germans evolved order out of the battlefield, and brought up masses of guns so speedily, gives striking proof that the Huns are making a strong and confident bid for absolute victory. The battlefield extends for many miles on each side of the line, on a frontage of fifty miles. Everybody is digging, when not wiring, trench holding or piling munitions on dumps. Little is visible of the actual area of the fighting, except the brown earthworks, new gleaming wire or shellbursts. The lines seem sleepy during the day, but at night there,'is furious activity everywhere. The Germans have concentrated Gothas and other aeroplanes, apparently having abandoned attacks on defenceless cities in order to produce the maximum effect at the front. Despite repeated heavy aerial attacks on the Amiens railways, the main Paris — Amiens railway continues almost normal running, while the trains along the whole strategic railway system on the French front defy the constant efforts of the enemy airmen.

It'is sheer folly to imagine that the Allies can easily, or even certainly, hold the Germans. Amongst the immediate pressing needs are new crews for the guns. The Allies are getting every possible soldier into the combatant ranks, and drawing all the trained men from America. French opinion squarely faces the prospect and remains optimistic. RESERVES SPOIL GERMAN CHANCES. A semi-official commentator states that the struggle will continue with sustained violence, but as the reserves are entering the battleline, the Germans' chances of breaking through disappeared. VERDUN TACTICS REPEATED. ( L'Echo de Paris states that the German tactics are always rigid, and they continue to pursue the idea of overrunning Amiens from the south. It is now evident that their manoexivres are similar to those at Verdun. French correspondents are satisfied that during Friday's fighting- 3 French divisions withstood 12 German divisions, causing at least 12,000 casualties. The British endured an equally heavy blow in boggy ground. The French continue to predict a counter-attack.

PROLONGED BATTLES EXPECTED. German publicists ai'e preparing Germany for prolonged battles. The Kaiser, Dr.'Kuhlmann, Marshal von Hindenburg, and General von Ludendorff are conferring at the Imperial headquarters. American correspondents state that prisoners are unanimous that Germany means to win the war in three months or to secure peace. 'ALLIES FACING AN AVALANCHE. The Daily Mail states that the Germans are daily creeping closer to Amiens, and that it is impossible to yield much more ground without Amiens sharing the fate of Rlieims. The Allies are not facing an attack but an avalanche. UNDIMINISHED VIOLENCE. OF ENEMY ATTACKS. FRENCH HOLDING THEIR OWN. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Received April 6, 5.5 p,m. London, April 5. A French communique states: The enemy continued his attack during the night with undiminished violence, hurling into the battle fresh forces. We identified fifteen divisions on our battle front, of which seven are fresh. Despite the marked numerical superiority of his effectives, which were used up regardless of cost, the enemy did not attain his objective, namely, the railway line from Amiens to Clermont. This is borne out by the orders found on prisoners. Our regiments, by resisting step by step, and energetic counter-attacks, maintained their line entirely, and inflicted on the enemy cruel losses, while northward we withdrew to the neighborhood of Castel. '

We repulsed the enemy from the Bois de Larrierecourt to west of Mailly and Meneval. South-east of Grivesnes a. brilliant counter-attack gave us St. Aignan farm, which we retained against all assaults.

Between Montdidier and Noyon the artillery struggle attained great intensity. We attacked and conquered the major part of the Bois de Pinette, 800 metres northward of Orvilleressorel, all efforts to dislodge us being in vain. Further east a, local operation enabled the extension of our position north of Mont Renaud, which the enemy, notwithstanding his mendacious statements, never succeeded in recovering. SITUNTION UNCHANGED. LOCAL INFANTRY ATTACKS. Ans. and N.Z. Cable Assoc and Reuter. Received April 7, 11.00 p.m. London, April 0 (1045 p.m.). Sir Douglas Haig reports local infantry %htiiig in the neighborhood ef Aveluy wood, north of Albert without any change of situation. Hostile artillery continues active- There were at ieast ten German divisions participating in the unsuccessful attacks yesterday, north of Somme. Fighting was most were oc many parts af this front as far northward as Bucquoy. VIOLENT NIGHT BOMBARDMENT. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 6 (4.45 p.m.). A French communique states: The night was marked by a violent bombardment north and south of the Avre, especially in the region of Monchel- There was no infantry attack on the right of the Meuse and at Apremont wood. Tlie [artillery duel was sometimes very, live-

NORTH OF THE SOMME. ENEMY ATTACKS FAIL. ' HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED. BRITISH SUCCESS AT HEBUTERNE. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 5. The situation is quiet on the British front south of the Somme.

Sir Douglas Haig 'reports that activity of the enemy's artillery and trench mortars increased this morning north of the Soinme, followed by stnong 'infantry attacks between the Somme and the neighborhood of Bucquay. Latest reports showed that the enemy had practically no success anywhere, the attacks resulting in further heavy enemy casualties. We successfully attacked on the Ham front in the neighborhood of Hebuterne taking 200 prisoners and capturing a few machine guns. The enemy has not attacked to-day on the British front, south of the Somme. Yesterday's fighting was of the severest and most persistent nature. The enemy repeatedly assaulted our positions east of Villereshrettonneux.

Rain and mist yesterday interfered with operations. We brought down seven German machines. One of ours is missing and two machines previously reported missing have returned.

air Raid on Luxemburg. We dropped twenty-two heavy bombs at midday tp-day on the railway station at Luxemburg and many on Luxembourg itself. Many bombs burst on the railway, causing a fire despite considerable anti-aircraft gunfire. All cers all represented by our machines, our machines returned. HEAVY ENEMY ATTACKS. SUCCESSFUL COUNTER-ATTACK. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reutcr. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 5 (C.55 p.m.). War Office communique: The Germans, since dawn, have delivered heavy attacks north and south of Berancourt, southwest of Albert and in the region of Moy-en-Neville. The Germans obtained a foothold jn our defences at Berancourt and south-west of Albert, but our counter attack restored the situation at Albert. The enemy heavily shelled our line in the region of Mesnil and Beaumonthamel. There has been some infantry fighting near Mesnil, where the enemy gained no advantage. We repulsed an attack on Moyen-Neville. We attacked south-east of Gommecourt, taking 120 prisoners.

FRENCH POSITIONS IMPROVED | GROUND GAINED. SUCCESSFUL BOMBING OPERATIONS 1 Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 6 (2.15 a.m.). A French communique reports: The Germans did not renew their attacks today. We vigorously counter attacked north of Montdidiev, improving our positions at several points, notably in the region of Mailly, Raineval and Cantigny, of which we hold the northern and western outskirts. There has been reciprocal violent artillery activity between Lassigny and Noyon. We gained ground this afternoon north of Mont Renaud. Twenty-three tons of bombs were dropped on enemy cantonments andfra'ilway stations. Fires were observed at the railway stations of Laon and St. Quentin. Five enemy aeroplanes were brought down.

FRENCH SUCCESSES. FURIOUS ENEMY ATTACKS' FAIL. CONQUERED GROUND RETAINED.' Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc and Reuter. Received .April ?, 1.55 am, London, April 7 (4 4(1 am.). A French communique states: The artillery duel was continued with violence on the Oise and Somme front. A strong enemy attack this morning between Mesnil St Gaorges and Mtmochel was shattered by our artillery fire and failed completely, numerous corpses being left in front of our linesOur batteries, further ,-iouh, dispersed enemy gatherings in the woods south of Hangard and in the Deninin region. The Germans, In the Noyon seftor, after bombardment by heavy guns, attempted to recaptpre our north of Mcilrenawt, but after a severe fight wo retained the conquered ground. Our advanced lines resisted a series (,f furious German attaik-i on the left of the Oise front at Abbecourt, south of Chnuny and Barisis, and after inflicting severe losses we occupied prepared positions in accordance with orders.

TERRIFIC GERMAN, ATTACK. IN THE SOMME VALLEY. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 6. The Germans terrifically attacked Corbie, in the Somme Valley. Fighting continues. A GERMAN REPORT. Received' April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 0 (1215 a-m.). Wireless German Official: Strong French counter attacks on the west bank of the Avre .failed. Received April 7, 11.55 p.m. London, April fi. Wiraless German official: The English thrust against Puisieux failed.. Our attack on the western bank of the Ancre extended our bridgehead positions. Railway establishments near Amiens were .shelled. French attacks between Morenil and Montdidier broke down heavily, Montdidier has been subjected to French fire. There has been increased artillerytug before Verdun.

CLIMAX OF BATTLE TO COME. ENEMY'S, OBJECTIVE UNCHANGED. PRAISE FOR THE FRENCH. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 6. Colonel Repington states that the enemy's' strategic objective remains unchanged, namely, a separate British and French drive, the latter in the south in order to hold the Somnie defensively against the British, ahd cooping us in a limited area northward and cutting us off from our Seine bases. Probably an inferior German force could hold such a position. ; Col. Repington assumes there is now no risk of this particularly in view of General Foch's guarantee of the security of Amiens. Col. Repington considers that the re lief of our Fifth Army by the French was such a splendid achievement that it should be publicly recognised. '— The climax of the battle has yet to come. We must expect tile enemy to bring every available man and again seek to overwhelm us, believing that success is worth the sacrifice of another 300,000 men- •

ENEMY TAKE CREST. AMIENS SHEIXEU FOOH ADDRESSES CORRESPONDENTS. THE FUTURE IS OURS. Received April 7, 5.5 p.m. London, April 6. The United Press states' that the Germans to-day occupied a crest on the wedge shaped ridge at the confluence of the Noye and Avre Rivers. A few shells have fallen on Amiens, which has hitherto only been bombed. As the guns arrive it seems likely the cathedral will share the fate of Rheiras cathedral.

i The Daily Chronicle's Pari? correspondent states that General Foch, addressing the English, French and American war correspondents, said the German advance had made practically no progress since March 29. His waves die on the beach because they find a sufficient obstacle. The Bosche iB completely arrested. We will try to do better. The future is ours and will show the measure of our success.

GERMAN BARRAGE INCREASED. ENEMI PENNED ACROSS THE ANCRE. BRITISH FLANK FIRMLY HELD. NEW ZEALANDERS AT WORK. Received April T, 6.5 p.m. London, April. 0. Mr. Gibbs states that the Germans, between Albert and Aveling Wood, have employed six divisions on a 9000 yards front. It became apparent this motoring that they had been busy for the past few days in getting up guns, because the barrage was heavy and deep, extending fjor some- miles behind the front. Our troops defended resolutely. The spilling of German blood goes on apace. It is obvious that if the Germans are aiming at Amiens along the Somine, striking at the Anglo-French junction, they must cross the Ancre north of Albert at all costs in order to avoid an acute salient. This, undoubtedly,'was his < ject in attacking thereto-day.

The salient south of the Sonune Is already so ..dangerous that our field guns are shooting the Germans in the back, It seems at present that to-day's action was merely a straightening process and not a drive, which will come later if the straightening is successful. Meanwhile, we hold the enemy pinned across the Ancre, and hold our flank firmly on the 'north bank of the Soma®. Our men are fighting with doggedest resolution to foil the enemy's planaThe Net? Zealanijers made two attacks this morning. They are in splendid spirits and took 120 prisoners.

f HEAVY FIGHTING. NO ENEMY-GAIN'S, BRITISH PPOSITION IMPROVED. Received April 7, 5.5 panLondon, April Q (2,25 p.m), Sir Douglas Haig reports that north of the Somme, heavy fighting has continued along the whole front., South of Anmette, until late yesterday eveningj the enemy constantly attacked in consider? able strength, with no further successThere was figlfbing yesterday morning south of the Somme, in the neighbourhood of Hangard where we improced our position by a counter attack. NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION. ENEMY ATTACK ENTIRELY!' REPULSED. Received April, S, 145 am. London, April 7 (115 am.). The New 'Zealanders have again been in action. They met an attack upon the whole divisional front- Tho machine gunners were in readiness, and supported by a great volume of artillery they succeeded entirely in repulsing the assault.