WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

ENEMY'S EFFORT,

TO BREAK THROUGH ALLIES' LINES.

TREMENDOUS CONCENTRATION OF ARTILLERY.

INFANTRY THROWN IN IN DENSE iIASSE-S.

April 10. A Router correspondent, at British headquarters reports that tlie battle Oegun yesterday morning, continues with unabated violence. The artillery duel extended southward to Arras, the enemy also attacking between Armentieres and Messines.

The bit; gunfire is so terrible that the earth trembles as though under an interminable volcanic spasm. The enemy has a tremendous concentration of artillery and is throwing in infantry in dense masses. He is plainly making another bid for a clean break through. Although the enemy bent our line to some extent between Armentieres and Bethune we are putting up a superb fight- Every foot of our retirement is most orderly and at heavy cost to the enemy. . One of the features of venterday's lighting was the retaking of valuable ground at Givenehy.

The Portuguese suffered severely in " early fighting, but sturdily resisted •eve only pressed back under the

i. i- r weight of the enemy. The enemy's nurtbern Hank is apparently trying to work along the Lys river, but the oirection and extent of his southern advance are obscure. The conditions for the attacker: are difficult owing to the porousness of the ground. In many places it is impossible to dig in. They must substitute breast-•.vor'-'o. The enemy is not astride any n' u important communications.

FIGHT FOR GIVENCHY. ARMENTJERES' FORMS AWKWARD SALIENT.

FRENCH RETIRING TO THE AILETTE

London, April 10. The British recaptured Givenchy. The German attack extended northward to the Ypii.'a-t'omines canal.

The Bavarians twice took Givenchy and were twice beaten out. Sir Douglas Haig holds the village and the high ground. This morning the German attacks on the Messines front failed, but Armentieres now forms an awkward salient. London, April 10.

Tlie Germans have captured a portion of Ploegsteert Wood (north of Armentieres).

The Frenclj are retiring to the Ailette.

Mr. Gibbs reports: Tlie front of the enemy's attack is about eleven miles, between Amientieres and the La Bassee canal. Apparently it succeeded in driving in part of our outpost lines, while we are holding him by Givenchy on tlie right and Fleurbaix on the left.

The enemy used poison gas in immense quantities. It is estimated lie fired at night over 60,000 gas slhells. The Portuguese, between Laventie and Xeuve Chapelle, are now in the thick of the battle and fighting gallantly. All the enemy's efforts do not seem to have carried him far through the marshes. His storm troops are being held back and shattered.

Sir Douglas Haig reports: Fierce fighting continued on the battle front northward of the La Bassee canal last evening and night. We hold the line of the rivers Lauve and Lys and are heavily engaging with the enemy at Estaires and Bac-St-Maur in a fight for the river crossings. On the southern flank the enemy attacked Givenchy, into which at one time he forced his way. We recaptured it by a counter-attack later in the day by the 55th Division, who took 750 prisoners. The enemy early in the morning opened a heavy bombardment of positions eastward and northward of Armentiere3, as far as the Ypres-Comines canal. Fighting is proceeding in the southern portion of this front.

Local fighting occurred southward of the Somme last evening, but the situation js unchanged. The French had a sanguinary encounter with the Germans for the possession of Hangard, which changed bands several times, the French being finally its masters.

French evening communique: The enemy during the night carried out local actions at several points. They last evening, after strong artillery preparation, powerfully attacked in the region of Hangard-en-Santerre. There was obstinate fighting for the village, which changed hands repeatedly. Our attack at three in the morning gave us complete mastery of the village and cemetery. An attempt to drive us from a wood west of Castel was sanguinarily defeated.

AMERICAN TROOPS. MOW DOWN GERMANS IN THOUSANDS.

London, April 10. American troops are about to participate in the battle.

New York, April 10. Correspondents report that the American Engineers participated in the recent great offensive. The Germans advanced in wave 3 twelve men deep a hundred yards apart. The Americans poured deadly fire into t.'he Germans, mowing down thousands, until their rifles were too hot to use. The terrific carnage was sickening, but the Americans held the enemy for days in one sector. BOUZINCOURT RECAPTURED. BYTHE AUSTRALIANS. London, April 10. The Australians have recaptured Boui *y»»ort,Bortsi_«f 'Atotat