WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

OFFICIAL REPORTS. Battle Developing. With Sustained Violence.: London, May 20. A French communique states: On the 27th, last night, and to-day the enemy, again profiting by his numerical superiority, made fresh efforts to accentuate the drive southwards'and towards Soissons. Our troops on the left counterattacked vigorously, stoppc-d the German advance, and shattered the attacks on the heights of Neuville-sur-Mnnrival. from Yreorny to north-east of Soissons and on the hill in the region of CircvSalsogne and Vasscny. which immediatelv dominate the valley of the Vesle to the south. In the centre, where the enemy made the principal elfort, the battle is developing with sustained violence on the lines of the Vesle. which the Germans succeeded in crossing this morning at iever.il points, notably in the region of Bozaches and T.es Fismes. On the right the T'ritish. on the St. Thierry ridge. resisted the assaults of the onesnv, who seems to have suffered particularly heavy losses. West of Montdldier the American.-, supported hv our tanks, brilliantly carried on a front of two kilometres the salient of Cantigny. also the village which the enemy had strongly fortified. German counter-attacks in the afternoon against f f corc*>letelv failed. The artillery duel continued with great activity during the night on the Meuse. and at several points on the Lorraine front. Two strong enemy coups-de-maine in the region of Vcso Embertesi.il were repulsed. Sir Douglas Haig reports: French and British counter-attacks early this morning re-estr.olis'ned the line eastward of Diekebusch Lake. It is known that four German divisions were cni;a?ed in the attacks oil the 27th in this sector and as far south as t.ocre. Heavy losses were inflicted on these divisions. The Allied line was maintained at all points—Alls. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. The battle is raging on the height--south of the Vesle. Some of the Allied reserves are arriving.—United Service. GERMANS ELATED. Great Victories Claimed. Amsterdam, May 2!'. German paper;* are enthusiastic- over the success of the Crown Prince's attack on the ChcKiin-des-Darues, which is not only a demonstration of Germany : unbroken offensive powers, but a dynastic victory for the Hohenzollerns. It is a matter of the utmost importance that the final blow of the war should be meted out by the future Kaiser.— Alls. XX Cable Assoc, London, May 29. A wireless German communique save: On the morning of the 27th we penetrated the French lines between Voorme.Teele and Locrc. The Crown Prince's attack southward of Laon was completely successful, defeating the Franco-Enalish Divisions. Von Boehm's army stormed and captured the Cheniin-des-Dames, whose long ridge, which we evacuated for strategic purposes last autumn, is again in our hands. Our infantry, after tremendous artillery preparation, crossed the Ailette between Vauxnillon and Craonne and penetrated the English lines further east, between Coroenv and the Aisne. The occupants of the trenches were completely surprised, and generally offered slight resistance. In the early hours of the morning we stormed Pinon, Chavignon, Fort Malmaison, Courteconeerny, Winterberg. and the fortified works to the northward of Berrv-an-Bae.

Towards afternoon, by steady fighting. we readied the Aisne between Vailly and Berry-an-Bac, capturing Vailly. The attack continued in the afternoon. We are on the heights between Vauxaillon and Vailly and near Xeuville, Laffnux, and northward of Condo. We crossed the Aisne, carrying ths battle into an area untouched since 1914. and drove the enemy from the fortified wooded heights on the south bank of the river. We reached the heights northward of the Nesle. Von Bulow threw the enemy out o» strong positions between Sapigneul and Brimont back across the Aisne-Marn' 1 eanaJ, stormed Cormicy. Caurov. and Loisvre. on the west bank of the canal. Up to the present we have taken 15,000 prisoners. Visrhting activity lias revived between the Mensc and Moselle and in T.orraine. Tn continuation of our attack across the Aisne we extended our successes, and are now fighting on the Xesle sector between Soissons and westward of Rheims. Wc have captured the south bank on both sides of Fismes.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received Hay 30, 11.20 p.m. London, May 2!>. Wireless German oliicia 1: lncnv..;e>. fighting activity continued from the Yser to the Oise. The enemy, during a local attack westward of Montdidier, penetrated Cantignv. General von Boehm and General von Billow, i>n the 28th. victoriously continued the attack, defeating the French and British reserves which had been rushed up. General von Larisom, after repelling the French counter-attack, captured the Ternysorny ridge and the heights northeast of Soissons. General Wichura's troops broke the enemy's resistance on the plateau at Bonde, storming the fort of Bonde and also capturing Vrcgny. We occupied heights westward of Ciry. Three corps crossed the Vesle, capturing Braine and Fismes. Wc are now standing on the heights southward of Vesle. We stormed and captured the hills north-east of Prouilly, and captured Villers Franqueux and Courey, and are now fighting for the heights of Thierry. The "prisoners total 25,000, including one Knglish and one French generalPress Absoc. London, May 29. British military dispatches state that Allied airmen on the West front destroyed 252 aeroplanes from May 10 to » '

BRITISH FALL BACK.. Germans Will Es, Stopped. Within 48 Hours. i Is It tho Real Offensive? London, May 28. The British have fallen back to south of St. Thierry. H is expected that within 4S hours the German advance will definitely be stopped. The French arc falling back to the eastern outskirts of Soissons. British and French military circles take a calm view of the now battle, and opine that General Fucli will not be induced to weaken the forces at his command, which must deal with the enemy's main attack.

II is by n« means certain that the real offensive ims been launched on the Aisno. General IVrtlmut, in the Petit Purisien, however, opine;; (hat this time we are in the presence of the German offensive. Operations on a 40 kilometre (25 miles) front cannot ha a diversion. Nevertheless the enemy has enormous reserves, anil the strategy may be planned on a huge scale. Other critics say that the first shock on the Aisne was extremely heavy. The Germans returned to Ihe assault again and aaain, but the Allied front did not break at the end of the day. as sufficient re.-orvp* were present.—Aus. X.Z. Cable Asscc. ATTACK ON CHEMINDESDAME3. Defenders Have No Room for Manoeuvre. Retirement Without Serious Loss. London, May 29. Renter's correspoiiduil at headquarters says that the morning attack on the -i tji was preceded by lour hours of gas .-.hell bombardment. the enemy engaged with 2."i divisions, including some moved from the Hirson and Alezieres regions at the last moment' bv a night march and attacking on the front held by Generals von Boehm and Frit:; von Bulow. General von Boehm held from Xoyon to Craonne with nine divisions, 'and general von Bulow I'roiu Craonne to Aubenve with eight divisions. Ihe Chemin-des-Dames iine was attached m tlie flank from the Corbenv ami Juviiicoiirt region. The enem'y launched his infantry i u dense wave's against the eastern end of the plateau, and captured C'raonne, turning the flank of our division. He stormed the Califorme and Vauclere ridges. The Hermans outnumbered our men by •> to 1. The position attacked was long and narrow, topped by a barrier along whicu the Ladies Way rima f ro m iiurtebise to the head of the valley The defenders of the ridge had no room to manoeuvre, and could not retreat even a few yards without losing the crest. It was inevitable they should recoil under the shock, with the result that the Germans remained in possession of the ridge. The position had been drenchod with jras for hours. The officers and men had been wearing masks for hours, and when the attack started could not remove them even momentarily, consequently it was almant impossible to »ive or understand orders. ° A battle tinder such conditions becomes an affair of individuals and small units. The difficulty had been foreseen by our command, and as soon as it was clear the Hermans were established on the crest, the order was piven to abandon the whole of the Ladies' Way and fall back to the Aisne. The retreat was executed in excellent order, and the French and British retired without serious loss.—Keuter. A frontal attack on the Craonne ridge promised little, owing to the declevitie* of the ground and the paucity of good roads across the valley of tlie Ailette. Tlie ciuef assault was between .Tuvineourt and the Aisne, most of which sector was held bv Britisli troops, who were Dressed back to Pout Arev. The French also fell back in good order. The British troops at Bermericourt, withstood the pressure. The Germans hoped, by breaking the line, to throw the French holding the ridge into confusion and make a eanture of prisoners. The hope was disappointed, as the British retirement was dogged and slow.

Renter's correspondent at French headquarters, telegraphing on the 28th, says that Ohemin-des-Bames was never more than the curtain of a fortress, the main defences of which were tile Laon plateaux. We held the curtain. hut the fortress itself was never ours. The Germans utterly failed this time to do what they succeeded in doing on March 21. Our front Mas not. broken, and for us the battle hitherto has gone more satisfactorily (hail the March battle. The Germans are not likely to make serious headway before they are arrested and ihe arrival oT the reserves restores equilibrium.—Renter. SOISSONS CAPTURED. Evacuation By Civilians. London, May 29. The Germans have captured Soissons. New York, May 29. Civilians have been ordered to leave Soissons, which is being heavily bombarded. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, May 29. Tho war news has made things quiet, on the Stock Exchange, but gilt-edged securities are steady.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Though blankets are dear, hot water is cheap. Get a North British Rubber Co.'s serviceable rubber bottle made with i "Unique" stopper—the brand that ipells satisfaction. Recommended by

RHEIMS SAVED. By British Stubbornness. Enemy Advances 13 Miles in Centre. And Few Miles On Wings. Received May 30, 5.20 p.m. Paris, May 20. Le Potit Journal ao.ys that thanks to British stubbornness Jvheims liaa been saved, {hough the enoiny rook oiled after t-hn first day's success to easily capturo tho city. Le Petit Parisian says tho fienv.ans have advanced 13J miles in tho centre j nnrl a few miles 011 the right and left S wings.—Press Assoc. A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS. * Germans Use Reserves Prodigally. Allied Retirement to Prevent a Massacre. Received May .'3O, 5.30 p.m. London, .May 29. Mr. George Ferris, the Chronicle's correspondent on the French front, says that Marshal von liindeuburg scored another spectacular success after a three hours' bombardment, largely consisting of gas shells. The attack began at dawn, the Germans outnumbering the defenders fourfold or fivefold. To attempt to hold the Ohcmin-des-Dames would have meant the massacre of our troops before the reserves reached them, so that the onlv thing to be done was to retire steadily, punishing the enemy as much as possible. The enemy used the same methods ai in the March offensive, with some improvements. He used his reserves prodigally, and the interior lines of communication skilfully, for throwing masses suddenly and unexpectedly on a chosen sector. Only seven German divisions held twenty-five miles of thb attacking front until the eve of the battle. Though the exact number of divisions employed is unknowu yet, there were probably twenty-five, equivalent to over a quarter of a million men. Those figures are noteworthy, since the Germans on the 21st, had seventeen divisions on a forty mile front. Prior to the battle they used thirty-four for attack, and probably used denser masses on Monday, because they intended to carry tiie Aisne heights in a single rush. fn the circumstances, the enemy necessarily won some ground. With sound tactical sense he directed the heaviest assault at the eastern end, near Craonne, It. was soon evident that the line was untenable, and the whole line in danger of being turned. The attackers included some of Von Hiitier's specially trained units employed in the March offensive, also two Guards divisions and other crack formations, who got forward quickly at a heavy cost. The English and French retired orderly, firing continuously.

Mr. Perris in a later message, says (lie French reserves have begun to arrive on the Aisne front, and it is believed the worst is over.—'Press Assoc. SHOCK. OF GERMAN ADVANCE. Heroic Work. By British Division. Received May 30, 9. IS p.m. London, May 29 (1.40 a.m.), Mr. Robinson states that twenty division:! attacked on nearly thirty miles front at YauMullon, north of Soissons, Briment, and above Rheims. The British held twelve miles and fought with extreme stubbornness, and when the extreme British left was compelled to swing bad;, it did so methodically, pivoting on the left centre and fighting hard all the way. The left centre held its original positions until ordered to conform with the retirement. The Aisne divisions, commanded by Sir Douglas Haig. fought, gallantly. In the previous sfaies of the offensive the 2M and 2otli Divisions had been twle» commended. I have already recorded their glorious doings. The Fiftieths were in the front line again yesterday. They supported the retreating troops on March 21, and were moved northwards subsequently. They immediately- faced the shock of the next German advance. Kach of the four divisions have this year been compelled to withstand the weight of the heaviest attacks of (he war. The successive shelling alone was sufficient to break the hearts and spirits of men less magnificent. Remembering what they have gone through, it is difficult to imagine anything more moving than that these four divisions should once more fight as they have during the last two days. They necessarily included numerous new drafts, which are behaving splendidly. The situation generally is unchanged on the remainder of (he British front. Lesser attack-: between T.ocre and Voormezeclc have been resultless, despite the wave of German material. The position here has now been restored. The American attack,at Montdidier was the first definite offensive which (ho Americans have undertaker. They fought with the expected dasli and gained all (heir objectives.—Times Service. AMERICAN ADVANCE. A Village Captured. 'Washington, May 2!). A communique from the American army in France on the Picardy front says: American troops attacked on a 1%-niilc front and captured the village of Catigny and 20(1 German prisoners. They also inflicted severe losses in killed and wounded on the Germans. Tlu> American casualties were relatively »maU.—Aus. NX Cabla Assoc.

A DESPERATE RACE. Between Allied Reserves and Advancing Germans. Situation Crave but Not Perilous Received May .'JO, 9.50 p.m. v London, May 29 (1.30 p.m.). The .surprise in the Champagne brought about a desperate face between tlie Allied reserves and the advancing Germans. Most optimistic messages from Paris do not anticipate the immediate stemming of the tide. M. Marcel T-lutin sets IS hours as the time required to bring up the necessary reserves, adding that a stand is now being organised. Some commentators regard the A'esle line as definitely lost, and discuss the possibility of the enemy reaching the Ma rue. The Petit Parisien considers the situation grave and serious, but not perilcas. as no vital communications are threatened or a cleavage of the Allied armies likely. Paris is gravely impressed, but not panicky. L'Homme Libre states that the reserves are already arriving, and the enemy is paying dearly. A semi-official commentator states thai what happened was a surprise, which resulted in the French troops evacuating all the positions at the Chemin-des-Dames, necessitating a general retirement in order 1 o avoid a massacre of the whole of the outturn!, bered forces. A r on Boehm immediately and rapidly developed his success, throwing in increasingly more powerful forces, failing on both wings, but succeeding in the centre.—United Service. A RISKY SALIENT. Enemy's Advance Will Be Blocked. ALLIED RESERVES CHANGE CHARACTER OF BATTLE. Received May 30, 9.50 p.m. London, May 29. Some Parisian critics are of opinion that the Crown Prince's operation was originally a big demonstration, but owing lo the success of the first shock this was changed into a thorough offensive. The heights south of Vesle form an excellent defensive position. The French reserves arj now altering the character of the battle. The enemy's advance will be blocked as at Noyon and Montdidier and before. Amiens. The enemy, by advancing twelve and a half miles in the centre, has maile a risky salient for himself. —Australian Cable Association. THE AMERICANS' SUCCESS. Enrages the Germans. Received May 30, 9.50 p.m. ' London, May 29. Reuters British headquarters correspondent, telegraphing on the 29th at 3.30 p.m., says the front Locre—Voormezeele remains prefty quiet. The Germans, apparently, are very. vexed at the Americans' success at Cantigny. They opened a tremendous bombardment on the ne\v positions. The enemy counter-attack was met by Allied gunners with such a hurricane of fire that the waves in mass stopped dead, and were thrown back with heavy losses. —Reuter. ARTILLERY OUTDISTANCED. Enemy Rely on Machine-Guns. Received May 30, 9.50 p.m. Paris, May 29. Stubborn lighting is centred at Braisltes. The strong position on the top of the hill at Enismes was lost and retaken, but is now behind the German line. To-day's development is that owing to German movements, each flank of the infantry outdistanced the artillery, the Germans relying on machine guns "and a filtration process similar to that at the Somme—United Service. BOMBARDMENT OF PAR'S. New Guns Being Used.

Received May 30, 9.50 p.m. 'Piiris, May 29. Tho long range bombardment was continued this morning. The shells being larger than previously, it is suggested that new guns are being used.—■ Renter. BRITISH AVIATORS' ACTIVITY. Raids on German Towns. Received May 30, 0.40 p.m. London, May 29. Sir Douglas Haig reports;. Fine but cloudy weather prevailed on the 27th. Our aviators dropped sixteen tons of bombs on various objectives. We downed eighteen enemy machines. During the night our aviators bombed Zeebrugge and Bruges docks, besides a great many enemy dumps. Hostile night bombers were active. Our long distance night bombers were very active, and bombed chemical works at Mannheim, railway stations, and other objectives in various places, large explosions following. A Belgian communique states: Enemy artillery activity was specially lively in our back areas, inflicting many civilian t casualties in the bombarded localities. NTGHT RAIDING PARTY DRIVEN : OFF. Received May 30, 10.15 a.m. ; London, May 29 (10 p.m.). Sir Douglas ITaig reports: We drove < oil' n night raiding party in (he neigli•Whond of Beaumont Hamel. The '•Vni-h cnii'pWelv repulsed a local at- I lack northward of Kemmcl.—Aus. N.Z. < Assoc. aud Reut? <

| EXPANSION OF ENEMY'S WING. Renders Our Position Difficult. Superb Fighting of Anglo-French A Critical Phase t Our Reserves Hastening Up. ■ Received May .'iO, 10.20 p.m. London, Ma|y 20. Renter's correspondent at French headquarters, writing on the evening of the ! 29th, says: The expansion of the enemy's '■ wings enabled, him to bring liis right ' within a short distance of Soissons, while the left reached alignment 'whereat the ■ forma were practically a semi-oircle . around Rheims. , Last night the position' of the French and British holding the extreme right line had become difficult.. They were under fire on three sides, from the old German line between Courcy and Rheims and from the new lines which the Germans established in passing thein to the south, so they are now obliged to face the east, north and west. We are entering a critical phase of | the battle, but the issue is awaited calmly. Our reserves are hastening up. ! The morale of our men is superb. The Germans had the ohoice of the point of attack, and were able to concentrate masses against a sector thinly held. The choice of the real line of re- - sistance will be ours. Regarding the role of the British divisions on the first two days of the Aisne fighting, we had four divisions which held the front fronj Craonno to Bermericourt. On the right was the 21st Division in liaison, with a French division, our left consisting of the 50th Territorial Division, in touch with the French holding Chemin des Dames. The weight of the German attack on our sector fell on the flOth Divisioii, which had the worst of the gas bombardment, and sustained tho heaviest part of the German infantry attacks. The troops bore the attack magnificently, and held on until the men were drowned under the German numbers. The same. fate overtook the French division on the crest on the right, and retirement to the second line was inevitable. A gallant attempt by the 50th Division to recapture Craonno was defeated, chiefly through tlie machine-gunning of tho German tanks, which attacked on the right flank. The enemy used tanks in greater number than ever before. Finally the 50th Division was obliged to fail bad: in general retreat to the river, keeping .vouch with the French left. On the right sector our 21st an<f French divisions stood the assault like rocks. The Germans, attacking in tlie proportion of two'to one, did not make any progress. It was along the Chemin des Dames that the density of the attack was greatest. There the Anglo-French line was submerged. The 21st and French after beating off a fantastic number of attacks, held last night almost integrally the ground whereon the battle had begun. Our 21st Division v.'as sent to support them. Units of this division are now fighting with the French in close amalgamation. FIGHTING FOOT BY FOOT. Battle Continues Bitterly. Received May 30, 10.30 p.m. London, May 29, 12.40 a.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We successfully raided south-east of Arras, and repulsed raids at Givencby, La Bassee and the Ypres-Comines Canal. A French communique, at 4.20 p.m., states: During the night the German drive, supported by the arrival of fresh divisions, increased, notably on the two wings in the direction of Soissons and Rheims. On the left we retired, fighting foot by foot, to the outskirts east of Soissons, where the battle continues bitterly. On the right the French and British troops, after an energetic defence on the massif of St. Teery, have withdrawn slowly south and south-west of these heights, where they are holding on between the Vesle and the Aisne Canal. In the centre the fighting was continued with various fluctuations on the south bank of the Vesle, the heights tvhereof our troops are defending with ndmirable bravery. West of Montdidier the Americans shattered two enemy counter-attacks at Gantigny. The artillery duel continues lively on both banks of the Meuse, in the Woevre sector, at Imbertesnil and in Lorraine. A series of hostile raids north of Bezonvaux, in the region of Badonviltars, and near the Rhine-Rhone Canal, failed. —Aus. and N.Z, Cable Absoc. and Reuter.