WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

WILL GOME SOON. THE NEXT OFFENSIVE. London, May IS. _ Sir. Cibbs writes: 'Hie Somme 'battleHeld is again n. ([lin.jniire. following Hie heavy rain. The Germans are evperi-cnriii-r the diliiciiltics our men had in 1»17, but tlie dillieuKic; are not insuperable. The next pha::e of the offensive bar, been postponed, not prevented, I believe it will come very soon. Tin enemy has merely revised his timetable. One thing he cannot do now, namely, separate the British and French. It is ton late, as tiny are one homogenous army.—Aus. X.Z. Cable Assoc.

ARTILLERY BARKING LOUDER. AUSTRALIAN* AGAIN BIFF THE BUSS, Received May lfi, 8.30 p.m. London, May ]S. The United Press correspondent writes that the battlefront was moderately quiet to-day. There was "some lighting northward of Kemmel, where Hill 44 has been taken already several times by von Armin's stormers and been regained by the French in a snappy counter-attack. A similar state of things exists eastward of Amiens, where the Australians sturdily biffed the Germans out of Morlaneourt. The artillery has been narking louder durincr the past 24 hours around Corbie, Morlancourt, Arras, and elsewhere, botih sides jostling for position. The Germans are desperately eager to obtain certain advantageous juniping-off ohices before the big smash.—Aus.-N.Z, ('able Assoc.

FRENCH SEIZE A WOOD. STRONG ATTACKS' REPULSED. Received .May 10, 8.30 p.m. London. May 1"> (p.m.). A French communique reports:—There have been violent bombardments north of Montdidicr, between Montdidier and Noyon. We last night seized a wood on the west bank of the Avre. A strong counter-attack this morning was repulsed with heavy 10-ses. A German attack south of Rolot was also completely defeated.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. NORTHWARD OF KEMMEL. FRENCH ADVANCE TK2IR LINE.

Received May Hi, 11.45 p.m. London, May 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The French captured prisoners, and successfully advanced their line, in local fighting northward of ICemmel. A French communique states: There is great reciprocal artillery activity north of the Avre. One of our air squadrons dropped seven thousand kilogrammes of projectiles on the railway station at Chatelet s.ur le Toulne. The enemy bombed the region of Dunkirk, with slight damage, there being no victims. Wireless German official: We took 120 prisoners during successful attacks northward of Kemmel. There was intense artillerying in the Kemmel region, where fresh "infantry engagements developed. We bombed Calais and Dunkirk.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. ENEMY CONCENTRATIONS DISPERSED. London, May 13. A French communique reports: T'nre is an intermittent bombardment of the Grivesnes sector. Enemy assemblages and convoys in the region of Montdidier and the Noyon-Guiseard road wer? dispersed.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter.

A GERMAN REPORT. London. May 15. -Wireless German official: We carried out a successful local thrust or. the Bvay-Cor'oie road. Vigorous counterattacks failed—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoo. and Renter. HOSTILE ARTILLERY. London, May IS. Sir Doufthiß Haig reports: We repulsed an attempted raid northward of Lens and made a successful raid north-east of Robeeq. Hostile artillery was active during the eight in the Nomine and Aneie valleys, northward of Bethune, and in the Xicppe Forest. There was also increased activity this morning south-westward of Movlaiicourl and northward of Kemmcl. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Renter.