WEAKENING THE ENEMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1918, Page 5

WEAKENING THE ENEMY.

FOCH'S CARDS UXREVEALED. DECISIVE COUNTERSTROKE POSSIBLE.

Reuter Service. Received April 17, 10.20 p.m. London, April 17. Renter's representative at British headquarters, reporting on the evening of April 10, says: Tlie enemy is continuing his tactics of employing large masses of fresh troops. Since the opening of the Western (offensive the enemy has thrown in L>o divisions, whereof many have been thrown in twice or thrice.

Since the fall of Bailleul, Germans have] been fighting up to Raveisberg. Up to the present, however, he has advanced only a few hundred yards. The, enemy this morning made renewed assaults upon Wytschaete, employing fri'.ijh troops.

To-day's news is not so good as oue could wish, but I suggest the following viewpoint: We are confronted with enormous concentrations of men and guns, tho purpose of the enemy being revealed as the separation of the French and English Armies, and crushing England. General Poch, in the closest agreement with Sir Douglas Haig, is aiming not only at arresting the enemy, but at the counterattack which shall'defeat the Germans.

Therefore, within certain limitß, it is sound policy to allow the Germans to spend their surplus power as lavishly as possible in order to reach a stage of equality or even inferiority. On the other hand, General. Eoch is endeavoring to avoid the enemy obtaining a great strategic advantage, simultaneously placing definite prices upon certain places as worth such and no more in defending. Thus when the price of defending Bailleul had been paid, Bailleul was evacuated. General von Ludendorff practically has laid down all his cards. General Foch has not yet shown his hand. What little I know of General Foch's dispositions inspires me with a degree of confidence which the situation seemingly does not justify.

SAVING HIS MEN.

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG'S POLICY.

GERMAN SHEAR THRUST HELD UP.

Received April 17, 8.30 p.m.

London, April 1G (7.35 p.m.). The loss of Bailleul and Revelsburg means a menace to the British position at Messines, but it entails but a small surrender of territory, particularly as the railway station has been in the enemy's hands throughout. Sir Douglas Haig's policy is to give ground rather than to expose the troops to excessive casualties or the possibility of the capture of the garrison. This was likely at Bailleul after General von Stettin had seized Meteren, westward of the town.

Meanwhile the defenders of Nieppe forest lield up General Bernhardi's spear thrust froni Melville towards Hazolbrouck, though he is constantly replacing his shattered and exhausted 'troops. It is noteworthy that Bernhardi, who •was the strongest pre-war advocate of the use of specially trained storm troops, as distinguished from holding troops, now has the place of honor in the German attack towards Calais.

The desperate struggle north of Bethuno has given the Australians, who are holding the Ancre and Albert region, a much quieter time than was expected when they hurriedly entrained for what was deemed to be the hottest sector of the front.

THE GERMAN ATTACK.

BRITISH LINES BENT BUT UNBROKEN. . Received April 17, 1.55 p.m. London, April 16. The United Press correspondent states that late at night General von Stettin, with fresh troops, attacked from the south while General von Carlowitz hurled storm troops northward of the post past the city, simultaneously assaulting Sa-' velsberg heights, which are south of most of our bastions. Against Bailleul alone several German divisions swept up, ineluding the German Alpine Corps, the 117 th and 11th Bavarian Divisions, wlrile at least three divisions followed the barrage up the slopes between Bailleul and Neuvo Egb'se. The British lines established behind these places were bent but not broken. On the Somme battlefront General von der Marwitz's artillery is speeding up, showing that the battery area of the Germans' secondary line is bristling with guns. There is considerable shelling.along and behind the British front.

ENEMY'S HEAVY LOSSES.

A- STUBBORN DEFENCE,

FURTHER ENEMY SUCCESS.

Received April 17, 10.15 p.m.

London, April 17. Mr. Gibbs states that the enemy's capture of Bailleul must have cost him heavy losses. When the news came that the concentrations of German infantry, guns, transport and cavalry were moving on the roads in and northward of Mervillc, our artillery and airmen rained shells and explosives on them. Our men were stubborn in their defence, and, after a great resistance, our lino was withdrawn beyond the town. Thousands of our men will regret the loss of this •charming old town, for its associations' sake. It was here that the King camo once when the old square was lined with fighting men, including New Zealanders, Australians and Scots. After taking Bailleul, the enemy this morning developed again by pressing westward, simultaneously delivering separate fierce attacks against Wytschaete village, witch ho appears to have taken after desperate fighting, and also Spandbrockmolen. 'Probably the nest attack will be directed against the hills of Kemmel, Mont Noir and Mont Reuge, iwhickrun east and weat-above Bailleul.