WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE SITUATION REVIEWED. ENEMY HAS SO FAR FAILED. A VERY DIFFICULT I'UOBLEAI BEFORE MAI. GERAIAN STATEMENTS CONTRADICTED. ■Received May 5, 5.5 p.m. London, May 1. A high authority states that the German effort to outflank the line of heights, with a view to cutting off the troops in the Ypres salient, lias failed, after great enemy loss, though he gained some ground at the cross roads in the Neuve Eglise region. Summing up, the enemy gains consisted of 1J to 'Z miles along a 'seven-mile front. It might he considered that lie holds Kernmel fairly securely. The capture of Kemmel gives him more elbow room. He has securely established his right flank from Kernmel to Wytschaete. This is all on the credit: side, while on the debit side he has failed in his main object—to capture the. chain of heights—and has used up five fresh divisions of his general reserve, in addition to seven or eight other divisions. Although the enemy gained a tactical result, he did not gain a single strategical aim. The effect of the lighting on the north front has been to materially rejduce the number of divisions which the Germans have to put into the fight. It is true there is a number of tired divisions now recovering, and able to participate in any future attack. It is plain that if the enemy continues his offensive in the north he must impair his chunces if he resumes 0:1 the Somme. 'l've main Ger-man-aim is still to separate the English from the French. In the south the problem before the German stuff, therefore, is very difficult. The German statement that the Australians have been asked to take a greater share than the English in the present battle is untrue. The Australians maintained their high reputation. One cannot give them higher praise than that. Tlie authority pays a tribute to their gallant work at Villers Bretonneiix. Of thirty-one divisions engaged, each division lost more heavily than the whole of the Australian divisions together. General Foeh has congratulated General Rawliiibon on his magnificent defence of the Villers Brelouncux-Hangard front, describing it as a most masterly series of operations. The high authority also refuted the German allegation that the French were pulling the chestnuts out of the fire. It was known that neither the French nor the British could hold their own by themselves, and therefore it was arranged that each should come to the other's assistance. The left wing had to bear the brunt, according to plan, a:iu thus enable the Allies to conserve their reserves. accused us of using hollowno-,"; -aiiets, the heads being rilled with paper. Xo bullets were hollow-nosed, though paper pulp was being used in place of aluminium in the core.

There was no foundation for the statement. that General Mackensen lias arrived on the Western front with six hundred thousand men. He is the bogey who is to appear to deliver the coup <le grace, but he has not yet appeared.—fress Association.

BRITISH POSITION IMPROVED. INTENSE ENEMY BOMBARDMENTS. SUCCESSFUL AVIATION WORK. ZEEBRUGGE AGAIN BOMBED. Received May 5, 5.5 p.m. London, May 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We slightly improved our position north-east of Hinges, capturing two machine guns. The French secured prisoners in successful local operations in the Locre sector.

Enemy artillery on the morning of the fourth opened an intense bombardment of the French and British positions from the neighborhood of Locre to south of Ypres, and has shown great activity on the Fort Dieppe and Mien sectors. Despite the haze on the second, we dropped 3J tons of bombs on Bapaume and other targets. In severe air fighting we brought down fourteen enemy' machines and drove down four others uncontrollable. Five of our machines are missing. Our night fliers dropped 5J tons of bombs on the Chaulnes-.Tuniville railway junctions, Bapaume and Caix. They also dropped three heavy bombs from a low height on the lock gates at Zecbrugge. We successfully raided on the third the railway station ami hidings at Thionville, and again hit die Carleshutte works, and observed bursts on the station, sidings and gasworks. All our machines returned.—Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.

ENEMY CONCENTRATIONS DISPERSED. AVIATORS' GREAT BOMBING ACTIVITY. Received May 5, 5.5 p.m. London. May 4. A French communique states: There has been fairly great reciprocal artillerying north and south of the Avre and on the right bank of the Meuse. Our artillery dispersed enemy concentrations south of Villers-Bretonneux and towards Cassel.

During May 2, eight enemy aeroplanes were brought down, while twelve others were compelled to descend behind their own lines. Twenty-seven kilogrammes of projectiles were dropped on stations, bivouacs and cantonments at Ham, Nesle, Eoye, Chaulnes, St. Quentin and .lassy. Eight thousand kilogrammes of bombs were dropped on enemy establishments at Rethel and the railway station at Asfeld la Ville. —Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association.