WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

LULL AFTER ENEMY DEFEAT. HUN HARVEST OF BLEEDING MEN. ANOTHER ATTEMPT PENDING. ■London, April 21. Mr. Gibbs writes: Since the offensive began a month ago in the attempt to destroy the British armies and divide us from the French, Saturday was the first day there was no attack against us. | The front .quietened down to desultory shelling. We may honestly and thankfully claim that this \vas due to the most determined resistance of our battalions in the line from Wytaehaete and Mount Kemmel to the Ancre and Somme. Against fresh storm troops far outnumbering them they beat off to break through, and hurled the enemy back with ghastly losses. Our men lying in the Flanders ditches, with French troops intermingled, repulsed all attacks on Thursday and Friday. What the Germans have reaped in the preliminary attacks beyond Bailleul and still more in the desperate break through between Robecq and Givenchy is a harvest of bleeding men now garnered in the field hospitals behind the lines. Another blow was bloodily repulsed by the Belgians on Wednesday. The enemy had prepared an attack in force between the Ypres-Staden railway and Kippe. He hoped to surprise and annihilate Belgian resistance by the weight and quickness of the attack. The Belgians 'were waiting, standing in the swampy fields which they have held for 3% years, always shelled, always paying toll, and not getting much glory because the great, battles were elsewhere. The attackers had no great artillery behind them. Prisoners curse bitterly, because they expected to get through easily. The enemy's main pressure was exerted along the Bixschoote road. The Belgians delivered a qliick counterattack, and. owing to their perfect knowledge of the country, drove the enemy towards a swamp where many sank to the neck in the icy water. Seven hundred surrendered. The German casualties grow apace, but this will not interfere with Ludendorff's policy of bringing up all the possible weight of men and guns. Possibly in another few days he will make another greater attempt to capture Mount' Kemmel. The inactivity on the Somme does not mean the enemy's abandonment of the idea of seizing the high ground beyond Albert. LudendorfT is biding his time. FRENCH RECOVER LOST GROUND. AMERICANS REPULSE ATTACK. London, April 21. A French communique states: There is sustained artillery activity on the left bank of (he also between Montdidier and Novon. Fighting continued during the night in the region of Seicheprey, where we have re-taken almost the whole of the (Found lost. American units repulsed a heavy German attack in the same sector. New York, April 21. After a terrific bombardment German storm troops attacked the Americans north-west of Toul on a mile front. They penetrated the first line trenches, captured the village of Seicheprey, but later were driven out, the Americans regaining,most of the lost ground. SUPER-GUN'S TOLL. Paris, April 21. To date 118 have been killed and 230 wounded by the long-range bombardment of the city. , Arrangements are being made to re- . move 100,000 children of the poorer tlasses from Paris to avoid enemy action. BULGARIANS MAY ASSIST. New York, April 21. The Paris correspondent of the Sun says that the Bulgariaiy negotiations will probably result in Bulg&r troops going to France. INHUMAN TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. New York, April 21. The Hague correspondent of the New York Times reports that there is irrefutable evidence that war prisoners are compelled to work behind the German lines under shell fire and that many have been wounded by French and British fire. The correspondent adds that the American prisoners are inhumanly treated. DEVASTATION AT RHEIMS. IParis, April 21. During'the week over 100,000 shells fell in Rlieims. The city is still burning find becoming a wilderness of scorched and blackened stones. The roofs of the cathedral are splitting and crumbling. 4 TURN OF THE TIDE. Washington, April 21. The Senate Military Affairs Committee, after a conference with the War Council, issued the following statement: "The tide has turned on the West front and the Allies are preparing to meet a further offensive if it is forthcoming, and have no fear of the outcome." BRITISH SUCCESSES. London, April 21. Sir Douglas Baig reports: After some fighting we repulsed an attack upon a post southward of the Scarpe river. Our artillery stopped nn attempted advance north-eastward of Ypres. We carried out a successful local operation in the neighborhood of Robecq. Hostile artillery was active yesterday afternoon in the Somme, Ancre, and La Bassee canal sectors.

SUSPENSION OF LYS BATTLE. FAILURE OK UKRMAN PLAN. Palis, April 21. iSemi-officia]: There lias been 48 hours lull in the struggle 011 the Anglo-French fronts. It most probably murks the suspension rather than the end of the battle of (he Lvs. The Germans must reconstitute their shattered divisions nfter their bloody defeat by the British before Mont Keimnel mid St. Tenant on the Givenehy front, but they have engaged themselves 100 deeply in the salitiit north of the La Bassee canal not to persevere in their attempts. Since the offensive is always more costly for the assailant than for the defenders if, as there is every reason to believe, the new and very severe battles to be expected do not bring the decision which is necessary, the Germans' offensive power wil), vastly decrease. French opinion therefore awaits the course of events at the front coolly and most confidently. The future presents for the British more favorable conditions than the first phase of the great enemy offensive, which nevertheless endin the failure of the Gorman plan. BELGIANS CONGRATULATED. ON DEFEAT OF EX T EMY Paris, April 21. Documents seized from an officer prisoner show that the Germans were six days preparing the operations against the Belgians on the 17th, with the view of reaching the Yser canal westward of Ypres towards Poperinghe. They hoped thus to envelop the Allies' western wing. The Belgians, besides taking 700 prisoners, inflicted severe losses,. re-estab-lished the line, and prevented the Germans launching two projected counterattacks. ' ' General Plumer sent the Belgian Chief of Staff his warmest congratujatipns on their billiant success, and added: "The British Second Army is very grateful for the assistance lent by the Belgian Army, with which it so long worked in such close co-operation." SUPERB HEROISM. OF DOCTOKS AND NURSES. s Received April 22, 8.30 p.m. London, April 21. Mr. Robinson pays a tribute to the splendid devotion and heroism of the medical men and nurses, who were working close to the firing line alid assisting numerous hurried retirements in the earlier stages of the offensive. Sometimes a large clearing station with 1500 beds and-equipment would bo moved in a few hours without injury to the patients. Once, where tho retirement wag delayed, 70 patients were left in charge of an officer and twelve orderlies. They wen* carried off by passing Ambulances at tho last moment, tho Germans firing 011 the rearmost ambulance. The medical men in some instances piled their valuable instruments on wheeled stretchers and trundled them for twenty-five to thirty miles. Some who were marching were worn out by their ceaseless care of the wounded, and swayed about like drunken men along the toads. RHEIMS A WRECK. N<}T A BUILDING INTACT. Received April 22, 8 pA. London, April 21. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at the French front says the Bheims conflagration has nearly exhausted itseif. Probably not a house in the city is intact from fire or shells. The rich centre of tho city has 'been gutted, and the famous public buildings, warehouses, mansions, and bazaars are heaps of smoking ruins. LOCAL FIGHTING. ENDS IN BRITISH ADVANTAGE. Received April 22, 8.25 p.m. London, April 21. Sir Douglas ITrtig report?! Local fighting ended to our advantage this morning in the neighborhood of Robocq. We ejected the enemy from some advanced posts. There was considerable activity of hostile artillery in this area. Twelve tons of bombs were dropped in the daytime on Menin, Armentieres and Thourout railway junction. We downed nine enemy Three of ours are missing. Our night-fliers dropped eleven tons on Bapaume and the railway junctions at Jumiville, Bethenvillc, and Chiiuhies. FRENCH REPORT. Received April 22. 7.30 p.m. London, April 21 (1 a.m.). A French communique reports: There was no infantry action to-day, but there was reciprocal artillerying on the fronts of tho Somme-Avre-Oise, to the right of the Meuse. Our line north of Seicheprey was entirely restored. The enemy bombarded Rheims, causing several fires. GERMAN REPORT. t Received April 22, 5.25 p.m. London, April 21. Wireless Gerjnan official: Reciprocal reconnaisances on Prince Rupprecht's and the Crown Prince-s battle-fronts led to violent infantry engagements. J We attacked the Americans near Seicheprey and penetrated two kilometres, returning at night time to our original lines. The American losses were high.' We took 183 prisoners. We have opened the way to the Crimea, after overcoming resistance.

THE HUNS' GAMBLE. NOT LIKELY TO SUCCEED. Received Ap r i\ 2 -> 8-30 l l ™- London, April '22 Reuters headquarters correspondent, feTiewing the German methods, says no leader of a democratic army dare gamble away man-power as General von Ludendorff is doing. No general of any other nation dare s-et one and a half million lives as the price for channel ports. At the present, ratio of casualties to progress it is a question if .twice 1£ millions will achieve the result. OFFICIAL REPORTS. ANGLO-FSESiOH SUCCESSES. London, April 19. . Sir Douglas iliaig reports: We repulsed the hostile attaekg whi(,lt were reported in progress yesterday morning (southward of Mount Kcmmcl. Artillery and machine-gun fire broke up the attacks in the evening in the same locality. The night was comparatively quiet on the whole British front save for reciprocal artillery fire in the battle sector. Regiments from six German divisions participated in tlio unsuccessful attacks yesterday in the Givenchy-St. Venant sector. The fighting at Givencliy, as elsewhere, ended in a complete repulse of the enemy who, by determined and very eostlv assaults, only secured a limited footing at one or two points of our more advanced defences. Our artillery inflicted heavy casualties before tile attacks opened, and the enemy losses in the day's lighting were equally severeA French communique reports: We attacked on Thursday morning enemy positions on both sides of the Avre. on a front of two kilometres between Thennes and Mailly Eainehtal. Wo made appreciable progress east of the Avre, while westwards tve carried the greater part of Sencat Wood, advancing onr lines to the outskirts of Hastie. Southwards we reached the western slopes of the heights dominating the Avre- Wo took 500 prisoners, including 15 officers.