WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

A CRISIS REACHED.

Capture of Messines.

United Service. Received April 13, 5.5 p.m. , London, April 12. A high authority states that Messines has been captured. Referring to the loss of Merville, he fays we hare again reached a definite crisis.

IN THE GRAVEST PERIL. BRITISH NORTHERN ARMY. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April 13. The Daily News considers the position at Messines ridge has turned the whole northern army in the air, and that its communications are in the gravest peril. THE FLANDERS BATTLE. ORIGINALLY A DIVERSION. BETHUNE THREATENED. Received April 13, 5.5 p.m. Paris, April 12. Semi-official: The German attack on the British in Flanders was originally intended as a diversion, but, owing to the initial success, it has been changed into an attack and pushed through to the full with fresh divisions. The threatened objective is specially the mining district of Bethune- It is impossible to foresee the issue, but it should be contemplated confidently, for the British possess a second very powerful position which they have not yet reached, and on which their resistance would be considerably facilitated.

SITUATION CONTINUES INDEFINITE.

BRITISH TAKE UP BETTER DEFENSIVE POSITION.

Reuter Service. Received April 13, 5.5 p.m. Loudon, April 12. A headquarters correspondent says: The battle in Flanders was continued in the morning, in brilliant sunshine and clear visibility, with a fierceness which scarcely flagged since the offensive begin. The situation continues indefinite in many parte on a very wide battle field. Therefore only a general and incomplete outline of the position is possible.

There lias been no appreciable change from Givenchy to the river Lawe during the last twenty-four hours. We successfully beat off a heavy attack upon Loisne, and also repulsed with immense enemy losses three attacks that were launched in big waves near Neuve Cliapclle- The ground in front of our line is strewn with corpses. Further north our line has been withdrawn to a more advantageous defensive position, about a thousand yards west of Beaupre, through Neuf Berquin, thence in a northwesterly direction to Lavintie. Thus the enemy salient has become considerably more acute, though I hear the enemy is still pressing on the town of Merville.

We counter-attacked later from the direction of Bailleul and from the north towards Steenwerck, but did not succeed in pushing back the enemy, although we punished him severely. The Germans threw in reserves in the same prodigal manner, as during the opening days of the present offensive. Prisoners unanimously agree that the German High Command's object is to swamp the British by sheer weight of numbers. *

RIDGE DETERMINEDLY ATTACKED. The enemy made a determined attack along the Messines ridge, where the South Africans had hardly rested after sheir splendid share in the recent southern fighting. They did grand work in restoring the situation on Wednesday afternoon. The enfcmy succeeded in gaining some ground, but the South Africans again drove liim out by a spirited counter-attack in combination with British troops.

HEAVY BOMBARDMENTS BY THE ENEMY.

The enemy artillery opened a lieavy bombardment at 2.45 a.m. from east Ploegsteert. No report has yet arrived of the subsequent infantry action. Oierman guns also plastered the Dateatrasse area early in the morning. Our artillery was kept intensely busyOur airmen, in great numbers, are rendering invaluable aid. The Germans are developing great artillery activity in the southern area, which possibly heralds further infantry attacks.

The Bray-Corbie road was fiercely ehelled from 3 o'clock till daylight, and the valley west of Sailly le Sec was under heavy fire all nightTHE CORBIE FRONT. RENEWED BOMBARDMENT. Received April 13, 5.5 p.m. London, April I'2. Correspondents emphasise the significance of the renewed bombardment on the Corbie front, also the increasing power of the mutual cannonading on the French front, where artillery in the next shock will play a full part.

THROWING IN HIS ALL, To Crush the British.

NORTHERN MENACE AS THREATENING AS THE SOiIME. Supreme Courage Of Our Men. . SAVING THE SITUATION, Received April 14, 0.5 p.m. London, April 13. Mr. Philip Gibba, wiring at 1.30 a.m., states: The enemy i s flinging his all into the hazard of war. lie has a stupendous number of men. While holding the lines of the Sorame, lie moved up to the north silently and rapidly large concentrations of troops and guns in order to crush the British before Franco and America were able to draw off his divisions by counteroffensives.

There are thirty German divisions at Wytschacte and La Bassee.

The northern offensive is as menacing as the Somme. We are greatly outnumbered. Only the supreme courage of 6ur men is saving the situation. Hundreds of stories could be given as proof of this. In some cases guns were buried bv shellfire. Our men dug them up and served them again.

Unoccupied officers and men belonging to machjne-gun companies fought with their revolvers and bombs while their comrades kept the guns g<\ug. The Liverpool troops showed great skill in utilising their knowledge of the around, cutting off parties of the attackers. They rounded up 300 Germans) in a single attack, of whom 50 surrendered.

A British brigade-major and his orderly reserves came up to strengthen the line, riding ill London omnibuses and lorries.

The Germans on Thursday night drove in a wedge between Lestrem and Merville and gained the position of Calonne-fsur-la-Lys, where they were trying to force their way through to-day with p. big concentration of machine-gunners and riflemen.

A bloody battle is also being fought below the forest of Nieppe. Old French peasants and young girls and boys continued working in the fields until the sheila began to fall.

However, our men aro full of confidence. If they are forced back they are glad to know they made the enemy pay a heavy price. Our line is still unbroken. They are full of faith that against all odds they will hold their own in the last battle of all. In the heart of every man is the tliougTit that these days are deciding the fate of the world- '

OUR LINE UNBROKEN. A FURTHER RETREAT TO BE EXPECTED. GERMANS STRONGLY REINFORCED. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. United Service. London, April 13. Mr. Murdoch wires: Our line continues strong. Reinforcements are moving thither, but a further retreat i# to be expected. Even if the Ypres salient and Arras positions become untenable, we can maintain the line guarding the Channel.

At least twelve additional German divisions from Russia have arrived since March 23, giving an undoubted preponderance of men to the Gerjnans.' The latter used widely-spread cities like Lille and Roubaix to make secret concentrations.

VIOLENT STRUGGLE AT . LESTREM. STREAM CLOTTED WITH ENEMY DEAD. POSITIONS TAKEN AND RE-TAKEN. ARMENTIERES GARRISON WITHDRAWN. Times Service. , Received April 13, 5-5 p.m. London, April 12.

Mr. Robinson states that violent fighting occurred along the little canalized stream between Lestrem and Vielle Chaplle. The enemy attempted to wade the canal in face of the troops lining the west bank. Successive waves were cut down in mid-stream. The men said it was impossible to cross. The whole channel was choked with dead, the British deliberately allowing the men to come so close that the rest was mere slaughter. Fighting in this zone was> most severe throughout, frequently lie--coming a hand-to-hand struggle, positions repeatedly changing hands. The onemv captured Lestrem twice and also Estaires, but were driven out. The enemy's success at Floegsteert permitted a northern advance, while the Southern fighting was progressing, and so endangering Armentieres that the garrison in it were withdrawn first to Erquingheme and then to the line in front of Xieppe, which is still lield. The Germans onco reached Nieppe, but are now well eastward.

AMERICANS ATTACKED. HEAVY FIGHTING IN PROGRESS. Australian Cable Association. Received April 13, 5.5 p.m. New York, April 12. The United Press' Paris correspondent reports that the Germans attacked the Americans north-west of Toul. Very heavy artillery and infantry fighting is

OUR MEN'S COURAGE AND ENDURANCE. I DEFUSS ALL PRAISE.

ENEMY'S IMMENSE SUPERIORITY IX iSyMBEKS. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April li. lteuter's correspondent at British headquarters, writing on the evening of the 12th, says the courage and. endurance of our troops defies all praise. By the sustained pressure of dense masses and constant blows and shock tactics the enemy lias succeeded in the past 24 hours in advancing in the centre of the attack, the flanks holding firm. The enemy extended his narrow nose in this salient by a way which nothing but his immense superiority i n numbers could render tactically feasible- To-day the battle is fiercely progressing. The clear weather is enabling the airmen to thoroughly reconnoitre and co-operatc in the combat, with most effective results. The enemy had two hundred divisions at the beginning of the offensive on the Western front, of which twenty divisions are believed to ibe practically unfit for the battle line. Twenty have been thrown in twice since March 21, while over four times the number of divisions have been hurled against the British than the French.

The enemy's rate of spending his manpower cannot long be maintained. Already to a considerable extent the 19-19 class is being sent to refit the battle line divisions, while the calling up of the 1920 class began a month ago.

Our reinforcements are steadily coming up. From Givencliv to Laon our line is holding well. Owing to pressure we have fallen back slightly in the area east of Bailleul.

THREE ATTACKING GROUPS. )NLY ONE SUCCEEDS. FIERCE AND BLOODY HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. " Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. Times Service. London, April 13. Mr Robinson, wiring on the evening of the 12th, says: The prisoners' documents reveal that the'attacking forces arc in three groups, the northern being the weakest with six divisions, the aim being to strike through to Bailleul in tho direction of Hazcbrouck, protecting the centre operations, where twelve divisions were instructed to penetrate from Mcrville to the Aire ' The southernmost push was ordered to reaeh Betfiune on the first day, thence to Lillers, spreading southward over the coal area west of Lens aud Bruay.

Only the central thrust ling so far realised its objective, and mu>Ji less rapidly than the Germans expected. This morning fighting is going on across the Clarence river in the direction of St. Venant. The situation here i 3 undoubtedly threatefiing. At Messines on the 9th the Scotch and South Africans continued their magnificent defence, thrusting back the enemy repeatedly from tho ridge to Messines. Wytschaete is holding against repeated counter-attacks. Equally fine fighting retook Ploegsteert Wood after tlie German penetration, though the southern retreat and the subsequent evacuation compelled the gallant troops to give up the bitterly contested ground. After the Germans entered they were driven out of Estaires. They were reinforced and gained an entrance in dense masses, and captured the place after fierce and bloody hand-to-hand fightiiig in the streets. Below here troops were brought up to hold tlie Laventie positions. They • had an intense struggle against great odds and under terrific machine-gun and field-gun fire. The 51st Highlanders fought brilliantly on tho line of the Lawo till the sheer weight of numbers forced t'he abandonment of the canal.

A party of Gordons wer,£ surrounded near Ville Chapelle and hung otf'for 24 hours.

Another magnificent defence was that of the narrow rivulet of the old L&we, below Lestrein. The headquarters staffs of both brigades held the forward lines with rifles. When last seen, one brigade commander was rallying a small party of headquarters orderlies. Others were counter-attacking against the attacking masses. The third brigade of the same divisions at noon to-day was holding the enemy in the region just behind the 51st-

The field gunners continued firing till the enemy were close up, then falling back, leaving one gun to coyer and keep the enemy at bay till all got away. They renewed the same game till they reached their new positions.

Further details of the Lancashires' defence at Givenchy show that the battle was of the fiercest possible description, successive waves breaking against the apex of the line. The Liverpool* held an exposed angle for two days and nights against the unceasing attacks, there being frequent hand-to-hand fighting.

CEASELESS PRESSURE. BRITISH PERFORMING PRODIGIES OF VALOR. iTlnited PressReceived April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April 12. The German pressure was ceaseless today from La Basßee to Hollebeke. The ten divisions with which the thrust began has now been doubled. About threefifths of the enemy's forces on'the West front have been engaged in the offensive since March 21, leaving between 70 and 80 divisions holding the other sectors, only CO of which consist of good fighting men.

The British are "hourly performing prodigies of valor, firing their rifles until they are too hot to hold. Artillerymen aro stripped to the waist blazing at point Wank targets.

CONTINUOUS FIGHTING.

EST THE XEIGHB QfiiiOOD OF BAILLEUL.

BRITISH SLOWLY PUSHED BACK.. |Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Router. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April 12 (11.55 p.m.) Sir Douglas Haig reports that the enemy maintain'ed a strong pressure all day south-west'wards of Bailleul, making constant attacks with great force, which are still continung. We have been slowly pushed back in continuous fighting to positions in the neighborhood of the Bailleul railway, where we are heavily engaging the enemy. There lias been sliarp fighting also of La Bassee canal, where the enemy made slight progress between the Lawe and Clarence rivers. Elsewhere our positions have been' maintained. Over 110 German divisions have been so far engaged since March 21, of which over 40 have been thrown into the battle twice or thrice.

When the mist cleared, our aeroplanes were very actve on the whole front and made seevral long distance re<jonnaisances, taking photographs. There was much fighting. We brought dowti 21 and dr/lve down 14 enemy machines. Four of ours reported missing yesterday have returned. Wo dropped over eight tons of bombs last night at Bapaumo and villages southward of the Sojnme, and on military objectives at Ostend and Zeebrugge. We successfully bombed the Sablon railway station and Metz to-day, dropping 21 heavy bombs, all of which burst on the railway sidings. , ,

HEAVY FIGHTING. ATTACKS BEATEN OFF. Received April 14, 5.5 (p-m. Sir Douglas llaig reports on the 13th at 2 p.m.: Heavy fighting developed last night in t'he neighborhood of Neuve Eglise and Wulverghem, and is still continuing. Late last night we advanced our line slightly in the neighborhood of Festubert. The enemy launched a strong attack preceded by a heavy bombardment, eastward of Loeon, and succeeded in entering our lines at certain points, but lie was driven out by a counter-attack. We beat off a second attack later in the ni»ht, and also repulsed an attacT: eastward of Merville. The situation on 'the remainder of tho northern battle-front is unchanged. Sharp local fighting occurred yesterday south of the Somme, in the neighborhood of Hangard, Anglo-French counter-attacks regaining positions into which the enemy had penetrated. The enemy s artillery is more active north of the Somme.

FURIOUS FIGHTING. BRILLIANT FRENCH RECOVERY. FIRES IN RHEIMS. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April 13. French communique, April 13, 2.25 a.m.: Following intense artillery preparation, the Germans in the morning attacked on a front extending from Hangard en San Terre to Hourgea, and, a furious fight, lasting all day, developed. The enemy in front of Hourges made no progress, but the Germans, after several fruitless attacks, ceaselessly fed by fresh troops, entered Hangard. Counter-attacks brought back ;to us the western part of the village, where the fighting continues desperately. There has been active artillerymg on the Noyon-sector. The Germans bombarded Rheims, where there were several fires, notably round the cathedral. The enemy at the forest of Apremont strongly attacked our positions at Bois Brule, where they gained a footing in our advanced elements, but a sharp counter attack by the French and Americans in combination ejected them. Two German aeioplane3 and a captive balloon were brought down, and twelve were driven down damaged. We dropped sixteen tons of bombs on the station at St. Quentin and the aviation ground north of Montdidier. Hangars at Eliampien were destroyed. French communique, April 13, 4.15 p.m.: During the night our counter-attacks in the region of Hangard en San Terre completely threw back the enemy. We again possess the entire village, also the cemetery. The artillery duel continues violently in this region. Between Montdidier and Noyon there were lively bombardments, and great patrol activity. Enemy raids north of Croillers Sorel, between Niette and the Aisne, broke down. The enemy continues to bombard Rheims, a portion of which is aflame. We are endeavoring to restrict the conflagration.

The enemy is renewing his attacks in the forest of Apremont against Bois Brule. The Americana, in liason with our troop?, shattered most of the attacks.

CROWDED TROOP TRAINS.

GOING TO THE FRONT. WELSH MINER® VOLUNTEERING. Australian Cable Association. Received April 14, 11-50 pm. London, April 13. crowded troop trains are proceeding towards the coast, there being much cheering en route. Thousands of South Wales miners are voluntarily joining-the army.

TO THE LAST MAN. British Enjoined to Hold Out. SPIRITED ORDER OF TN-OHTEKV Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. \ London, April 13. Sir Douglas Haig issued a special order to-day to the troops in Prance as follows:—' " Three weeks ago to-day the enemy began his terrific attacks on a fifty mile front. His objects are to separate us from the French, take the Channel ports, and destroy; the- British army.

Despite throwing already 190 divisions into the battle and enduring most reckless sacrifice of life, he has yet made little progress towards the goals. We owe this to the determined fighting and self-sacriice of our troops. Words fail me to express the admiration I feel for the splendid re. sistance offered by all ranks under the most trying circumstances. Many amongst us are now tired. To those I would say, victory will belong to the side holding out the longest.

The French army is moving tapidly and in great force to our support.

No other course is open to us but to fight it out. Every position must bo held to the last man. There must be no retirement.

With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight on to the end, for the safety of our homes and the freedom of mankind depend alike on tha conduct of each one of us in this-criti-cal moment.

THE GERMAN* ACCOUNT. BRITISH GARRISON AT ARMENTEERES. REPORTED TO BE CAPTURED. Aua. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Keuter. Received April 14, 5.5 p.m. London, April 13. I Wireless German official: In the eap- | ture of Armentiejes, the English garrison, j comprising 50 officers' and 3000 men, laid down their arms after a brave resistance. We captured 45 guns and other booty. The total number o£ prisoners taken in the battle in the Armentieres area isnow 20,000, including an English general; also &00 guns. A French assault westward of Moreuil broke down, leaving 300 prisoners, who were subsequently kliled by French artillery.

MORE CAPTURES CLAIMED. Received April 14, 1150 p.m. London, April 14 (1 a.m.) Wireless German official: On the battlefield of Lys our attacks against English divisions progressed. From the heights of Messines we pushed .forward across the Steenbeck river and reached the eastern border of Wulverghem. We surrounded and captured Ploegsteert wood and took the fortified height of Rosslgnol, between the ra«}ways leading from Armentieres to Bailleul and Merville. We carried our attack forward as far as the railway leading from Baijleul to Merisand, as far as the eastern border of Nieppe wood, southward of Merville. We captured the Clarence river and took Ix)con by storm. We reached the La Bassee canal north-westward of BethuneWe took 400 prisoners on both sides of the Luce (brook.