WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE AISNE STRUGGLE.

NUMBERS TELL.

British Heroism. Germans Like A Tidal Wave. London, Mav 30. Mr. Perris says that the British divisions on the Aisne bore the brunt of the fiercest assaults on the Aisne front on Tuesday. A portion of a British brigade was retiring near Pontavert on Tuesday evening, and, in company with French Territorials, took refuse in Gernicourt t\ood. The Germans surrounded them and the British and French decided tn make a last stand. A handful of Territorials survived, but the British fell to a man. In another instance it became necessary to blow up the Aisne bridges near Craonne. British officers offered themselves for the job and succeeded, though they perished. ° The British 50th Division, consisting of Territorials, encountered the heaviest shock of the bombardment, which saturated the air with poison gas. The Germans. looking hideous in masks, broke like a tidal wave, on our thin line, overwhelming it. Then the heroic line withdrew step by step through wooded and marshy ground to the Aisne. the French on the left resisting with equal bravery. c The :i(,th Division lost contact with the French for a brief period, also with the British divisions to the eastward, and it was necessary to retreat further south, reaching the hills north of the \ esle at nightfall, after losing a number of officers and men.

Enemy's Great Strength. London. Jlay 30. Mr. Campbell says: British and R|ench officers agree that the enemy's mKeess was due to bis great numerical superiority in machine-guns, tanks, infantry and artillery. There is little congestion and no confusion on the front, though the roads • behind are covered with homeless fugitives. The British and French troops fought in perfect comradeship The 50th British Division withstood the most violent thrust at Craonne, including the largest number of tanks ever seen in action. The 50th was finally compelled to fall back with the >rench and British divisions on the right and left. British officers blowing up the bridges over the Aisne were themselves blown up. The Times says: Xow there are 210 enemy divisions on the West front there is ample strength to attack elsewhere. Paris is endangered. but Paris has been threatened before bv an enemy far nearer her gates. The Allied reserves are going up. but the enemy is increasing his advantage, and it is to be feared the advance has not yet been stayed. ' The enemy is now on the hiah road leading to Villers Cotterets, 45 miles from Paris The Paris newspaper Liberte says: How the Germans are able to surprise ur arid suddenly appear four times more numerous must be investigated later. Prisoners taken on the 23tli described the enormous concentration of troops and tank*, and stated that the attack was fljed for the 27th. It is impossible £ for us now to parrv the blow merely by standing on the defensive.

The British centre, ro.isistin? of portions of the Sth and 2.3 th Divisions, was more fortupate. The latter had been in reserve in the support line in low difficult ground at the end of the Aisne valley This became an important centre, and the division maintained the second line until late in tlie afternoon. The 2m h Division held the British right, defending the line of the canal against four German divisions and the strongest fleet of tanks the enemy had vet employed. This north-western edge of the Champagne plain is favorable to (he use of assaulting ear-. The defenders held on obstinately until the left wing's retreat obliged them to move corresnondingly.

ENEMY TACTICS. Opportunism and Vigorous Thrusts. tireat Secrecy of Movements. Received Hay 31, 5.3 p.m. London. May 30. Mr. Hamilton Fvffe states that Von Hlndenburg'i and LudendortFs strategy seems to consist of politic opportunism, to try here and there, and, where successful, to press on. Seven divisions first attacked on the Aisne front. Six leap-frogged over these, and eight followed, keeping up the Vigor of the thrust. Since then the attackers' numbers have largely increased, being principally drawn from the reserve*. The Germans are much more careful to preserve secrecy than formerly. Officers lire unaware till the last moment what they have to do. Troops are moved at night, the reserves being scattered as much as possible, so that the Allied airmen cannot detect the coneent rat ion—United Service.

To-day's fighting was again severe, with results necessarily favorable to the enemy, because our reserves arc only beginning to reach the front. A strong thru«t towards Soissons simultaneously with drives south of the Vesle suggests that the enemy is strongly reinforced. The enemv's boldness has hitherto won through, but the French resistance has increased and the enemy will be obliged to act with greater prudence and the Aisne may render communications difficult. Though we were unable to destroy all the bridges the nir squadron have an opportunity to'complete the work.

Tt is still debatable whether the attacks are a major or minor operation.— Ans. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

The Kaiser Views the Advance. Received May 31, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, May 30. Th.» Kaiser watched the advance from a hill at Craonne, returning with Von Hindenburg.—United Service. Airmen Active. London, May 30. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Yesterday was fine and our aviators did a full day's work. They dropped 25 tons of bombs in the daytime on billets, dumps, railways, and aerodromes. They destroyed 13 enemy planes and drove down four more. Five British planes are missing. At night time we bombed various targets. Long-distance bombers attacked Thionville station and the MetzSablons railway and barracks.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Germans Report Progress. Paris, May 30. A wireless German official message states: We further progressed between Soissons and Rheims.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. German Claims As To Captures. Received May 31, 5.5 p.m. New York. May 30. The Germans claim to have taken 35,000 prisoners, and that the forts on the north-western front of Rheims were captured.—Reuter. Americans Stand Firm. Washington, May 30. General Pershing's communique announces that the American troops have consolidated the positions they captured in the Oantigny salient. Three counter-attacks by the Germans in the attempt to regain the lost terraiii jr^tß

night attack repulsed. British Position Slightly Improved. Received May 31, 5.5 p.m. London, May 30 (evening), •sir Douglas Haig reports: We completely repulsed a night attack northwest of Feetubert, and conducted minor operations in the neighborhood of Hertis, Improving our line slightly.— AM- N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. ALLIES' RESERVES AMPLE. Advance WHI Be Stemmed yoch's Problem. Received May 31, 55 p.m. London, May 30 (evening). 'Paris and London are convinced that the Crown Prince will be stemmed shortly. The Allied reserve? are l>elwv*d to be ample. General Foeh's problem is to economise them. He is leaffllrg sufltcient to bar the road to Paxil without unduly weakening the nttthtn position. The railways and Nftls an crowded with Anglo-French mm* Americans moving battlewards. Commentators view most seriously mterfcy's widenings, pointing got that the dominant factor throughoat Ik* Flanders offensive waa the Brit- £ the Uanka.-

STORIES OF HEROIC SACRIFICE.

Four British Divisions Oppose

the Hordes. Eight Hours' Fighting and Massacre. Furious Fighting at Soissons, Received May 31, S.lO p.m.

Paris. May 30. Stories of the heroic sacrifice of four British divisions are thrilling France. The Bth, 21st, 25th, and 50th'Divisions were sent to Berry-au-Bac to undergo a complete rest after their ion.; engagements in Picard.v and Flanders, where 'they had fought brilliantly. The Crown Prince's horde.? broke suddenly upon the exhausted divisions, who were swamped with gas, charged by Fquadrons of tanks, and assaulted bytwenty German divisions, yet the Britishers withstood the crushing superiority without flinching, moving back foot by foot. They held the "heights entrusted to their keeping. Thrice thev threw back the assaulting waves, and still held the heights after eigfit hours' hand-to-hand fighting and massacre. At the end of the day some handfuls of the heroes, submerged by the overwhelming mass, fell back across the j Aisne.

The gallantry of the Frencli troops at Soissons on Tuesday was equally splendid. Their resistance constituted a. threat to the Germans pouring over the Vesle. The German generals therefore launched two divisions upon the devoted Frenchmen, parties of whom fought to the last man.

The fighting at .Soissons was furious. The town was taken and re-taken three times

Finally the French occupied the heights immediately west of the town, where- they are still holding out. There was an equally fierce struggle southeast of Soissons, where the French are now holding the hills south of the f.'risc stream.

General von Isle again and again failed to take RheimS, and only accentuated his enormous losses.—jpress Association.

ENEMY ADVANCE DESCRIBED. Rheims Surrounded on Three Sides. Loss of Soissons. Germans Have 5 to 1 Superiority Received May 31, 8.3.i p.m.' London, May 3(1. Renter's French headquarters' correspondent. writing on the 2f>th, states: The most encouraging feature of the situation to-night is" that during the last twenty-four hours the enemy's rate of advance very appreciably slackened, as lie is encountering greater difficulties. The enemy, after faking Soissons] pushed out his wing between Soissons and Arcv St. Restitue an average distance of two miles. On his left the British were forced hack in the angle of the Vesle, Aisne and Oise canal. The enemy now surrounds Rheims on three sides frontallv. The Germans continue to push in the direction of Fere-en-Tardois, and are at grips with the French on the heights south of the river vallev.

Our reserves are beginning to arrive on the battlefield. The Germans at present have a superiority of about five to one. It is calculated they have engaged about forty divisions and have another forty in reserve. It is quite possible they may strike another sudden blow in the direction of Amiens or Dunkirk.

The problem for us is to so distribute our reserves as to be able to hold the enemy on both_fronts. Momentarily the enemy's whole strength is in the battle between the Aisne and the Marne. Soissons was taken after fierce street fighting. The Germans, after reaching the centre of the town, were ejected by a French counter-attack. They renewed the attack, and finally pushed the French back to the western edge, which is in flames. The Germans suce#ded at first in the three days' battle in cutting Tetrehedron, our front four corners of which are approximately marked by Crecy Aumont, Juvincourt, north of the Aisne, and Arcy St. Restitue and Rheims south of the Aisne. During the 27th tliev advanced about six miles to the bank of the Aisne. On the 28th they carried the front forward 'o the line BruysVillers Franqueux. They made another advance of six miles with a maxirautg depth of nine to ten miles. At Broys to-day they gained two to three miles, although at certain points, notably at Brouillet, they progressed further.— Reuter.

WIDENING THE SALIENT. What Capture of Soissons May Involve. Received May 31. 7.20 p.m. London, May 30. The Pall Mall Gazette's military correspondent says that the loss of Soissons renders possible the enemy widening the Compeigne and Montdidier salient, whence a grand break through may possibly be attempted. The ground south of Vesle towards Paris is broken and studded witli woods, offering extensive facilities for defence.—United Service. French Confident. Paris, May 30. The French High Command is confident that it will bo able to stem the Gprrnan k'w- & N.Z.

PRESS COMMENTS,

Retirement Before Ceaseless Pressure.

A Critical Moment. Troops Saved from Envelopment Received May 31, fi.a p.m. Paris, Mav 30. The newspaper Intransigeant says 1200 shells fell on Soissons an the 27th before the. hospital ambulances and civilians evacuated (he town. The dofenders in the front lines were blotted out. The bombardment with gas shells was of unprecedented violence and lasted for two hours. The destruction of the wires made communication impossible. The defenders emerged from their dugouts as the Germans left the trenches. The latter crossed the canal slowly, and the seventy-fives and ma-chine-guns made the most of the target, but yie defenders had to retire before the ceaseless pressure. La Liberte's correspondent says the most critical moment was when the Crown Prince's army, having forced the defences, reached the river between Vailly and iPontarcv at noon on Monday. The passage of the Aisne by the enemy, when the British on the right and the French on the left were still engaged on the opposite bank, might have entailed the gravest consequences. The desperate task of holding the enemy till these troops, with their material, had crossed, was entrusted to picked divisions.

Most furious fighting developed at one o'clock in the afternoon, lasting till nightfah. The Germans three times crossed tiie Aisne between 1 and C o'clock in the evening, without succeeding in ejecting the French heroes from their positions. The village of St. Mard changed hands six times. One regiment withstood repeated assaults during the evening by the enemy, who was sixfold stronger, and by frequently counter-attacking held the enemy till midnight, the hour fixed for the retreat. Thus the Anglo-French troops in the direction of Saillv and Pontavert were saved from envelopment. Almost all the material was saved, the remainder being destroyed.—Renter.

ANGLO-FRENCH STANDING DETERMINEDLY. Enemy Pushing Steadily Down. Received June 1, 12-25 a.m. London, May 31. Mr. Campbell writes that there was another big advauce on Wednesday night. The Anglo-French troops are standing determinedly north-west of ltlieims, the French successfully stopping further progress in the direction of Compiegne. but between these two points the enemy steadily purehed forward towards the Marne, advancing some miles at various pointsMr. Roiv.nsor. writes that the' British front is qiv'et, except for artillerying and immense aerial activity. The enemy continues promiscuous long-range shelling behind the lines, including hospitals. More nurses have been killed, and Amiens severely fhellcd. —Times Service.

MAURICE'S COMMENTS,

Effect of the Advance. Condon, May 30. General Maurice, writing in the Daily Chronicle, states that the latest estimates of the German reserves on the West front are SO divisions, of which 70 are between Rheims and the coast. Assuming it is true that the Germans drew 10 divisions for the Aisne attack and others since it began, it is doubtful if they have drawn in more than a third of their battle reserve. We must therefore expect further developments. The German command mav well be tempted by its success to draw more reserves, aim at the Marne and cut the Paris-Chalons railway. Unless it reaches the Marne the advance southward will not materially affect the general situation.

Moreover, in order to reach the Marne safety requires the enemy to widen his base. He must secure Rheims and Soissons, which apparently lie is trying to do. Rheims has ceased to havo more than a sentimental value, but Soissons is important because it links the Aisne and Somme battlefields. Us fall would enable the enemy to widen his attacking front towards Amiens or Paris. The real problem now is whether Foch or the Crown :T*rincc will be compelled to use up most of his reserves. THE BATTLE CONTINUES. Heavy Fighting Near Soissons. London, May 21). A French communique states: The battle has assumed a particularly violent character on the left wing, in thfc region of Soissons. We evacuated the town, of which we hold the exits. The battle is continuing west and south-east of Soissons on the plateau between Belleu, Septmontlis, Ambries, and Chaerise.

In the centre, while we gave ground under pressure in the region of Lonperane to the north of Fere-en-Tanl-ensis. Franco-British troops further east succeeded in maintaining their positions on the line Broillet-Savigny-Tilloy. On the right the troops covering Rheims fell back behind t.lic Aisne canal to the north-west of the town.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received May SI, 11.35 p.m. Tho French communique further states:—On the right, as well as northwest of Rheims, v.'e sre holding on to nur positions. The aviation report states: —Our aviators participated in the battle with endurance and daring beyond all praise. The crews fought against the enemy air force, -which was most aggressive, and numerous, flying low. They machinegunned enemy troops and carried out reconnaissances for into the enemy lines. , They also played an important part in maintaining communications.—Aus.-N.Z. LiWtyg.Astoc. and Reuter.

UNDIMINISHED VIOLENCE.

On the Whole Front. No Slackening of Enemy's Efforts. Received May 31, 11.30 p.m. London, May 31 (1.20 a.m.). A French communique states:—The battle continued with undiminished violence on Iho whole front. Our troops are hanging on to the western outlets c{ Soissons, and prevented all enemy progress. From there southward we sol'dlv hold the left bank of the Crise in the centre. The intense struggle lias not slackened. The. enemy captured Fere-en-Tardenois and Vevillv, and is multiplying his efforts towards Ville-en-Tardenois.—Aus-X.Z. Gable Assoc and ReuterTHE BATTLE CONTINUES. Extremely Violent Fighting. Enemy Masses Resisted. Received May 31, 7.10 p.m.

London, May 30 (5.15 p.m.). A French communique states:—The battle continues uninterruptedly. AVe energetically held the western outskirts of Soissons, whence the enemy has been unable to debouche, despite repeated attempts. Farther sout/h, extremely violent fighting has occurred in the region of the Soissoiis-Hartennes Road, and on the Fere-en-Tardenois-Wezillv front, where we were supported by our reserves, we resisting the enemy masses with untiring tenacity On the right the FrancoBritish troops, on the Brouillet-Thellois front, also north-west of Rheims, broke all assaults and maintain our positions. —Press Assoc.

GERMAN PEOPLE WARNED. Not to Expect Too Much. Received May 31, 710 p.m. Berne May 30. An official notice from grand headquarters is published in the German newspapers warning the people not to expect the advance to continue at the same rate as in the past few days, and adds: —"The enemy's resistance is desperate, and counter-attacks may be expected. Our lossses have only been commensurable with the importance of the struggle."—Reuter. AVIATION REPORTS.

Our Airmen Very Active,

Received Hay 31, 8.10 p.m. London, May 30. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states that low clouds and poor visibility prevented much flying on the 29tli until late in the day, when the weather cleared. We brought down five German machines, and drove down one other uncontrollable- No British machines were lost. Our aviators dropped five tons of bombs in the daytime on dumps and billets in the neighborhood of Armentieres and Bapaume, and also heavily bombed, on the night of the 28th, the railway triangle at Metz and Ablons. One British machine failed to returnOur night-fliers dropped sixteen tons of 'Bombs on the night of the 29th on railwav stations at Valenciennes and Bu-

<signy, also on the Bruges docks. All returned. Sir Douglas Haig also reports that the French, on the night of the 29bh, carried out a successful local operation eastward of Dickebusch, improving their position. There was reciprocal artillerying on the rest of the front.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL.

Further Successes Claimed,

Received May 31, 11.15 p.m. London, May 30. Wireless German official: —Fighting activity frequently increased between the Yser and Oise. There have been some local infantry engagements The Crown Prince continues his successful attack. We gained some ground north of the Aisne. After hard fighting at Crecy-au-Mont, Juvigny, and Cullies, we captured Soissons. Our uninterrupted attacks south of the Vesle broke the new French front which was in course of formation, throwing the enemy back across we line Villemonvoire -Fere-en-Tardenois-Coulog-nes-Brouillet-Branscoiirt. We capturod forts on the north-iweratern front of 'Rheims, also the northern parts of Lanenvillette and Betheny. Our total prisoners are. now over thirty-five thousand. We have secured tremendous booty, including railway guns of the heaviest calibre. We captured large depots at Soissons, Braine. and Frismes, also extensive munitions depots, trains, hospitals, and aerodrome, including aeroplanes. During the past three days we brought down thirty-eight enemy aeroplanes.—'Press Assoc.

Bitter Fighting at Rheims. London, May .10. The centre of the German main attack is now at Vezilly, 18 miles south of the Chemin-des-Dames. A German attack at Festubert has been beaten off. The British are holding tho Germnas north-west of Rheims. Bitter fighting continues. M. Clemencean narrowly escaped capture during hia visit to the front.—Aus. JSf.Zr-CJ&WeAsAOft

[allies holding the rush

ft Firm Stand Made. Received May 31, 11.05 p.m. London, May 31. On the Soissons-Rheims front ' the Allies now seem to be holding the Ger--171 ans' rush more firmly Reserves are arriving in greater numbers. The Brandenburgers, who captured Soissons, have not yet been able to widen further the German front of advance nn the west, where they are beinpc held at the outlets of the town. From Soissons the battle line rung smith-east to the Paris railway through the Uretj valley.

In the Pere-en-Tanlenois region the enemy advanced eighteen miles in four days from Fere.

The Franco-British troops are making a firm stand along the high wooded ground running north-west towards Rheims, through Brouillet to Thillois.— Times Service.

fbWARDS THE MARNE,

The Enemy's Thrust Southward,

Allies Hold His Flanks. #

Received June 1, 12.25 a.m. London, May 31

Reuter's French headquarters correspondent, writing on the 30th, held on bis flanks at Soissons and Rlieirns, Is throwing his whole strength this morning into the thrust southwards, hiß obvious goal being the Marne. During the night and early morning he pressed forward about Ave miles towards the river, advancing hi 3 front to the line Fere-Vzeilly Probably the Germans hope to establish themselves on the Marne, with a, view to turning the direction in a main effort westward, trusting to the river to protect his right, as he used the Olse in April. The hottest fighting is proceeding on the whole southern front. Tn the advance this morning for the first time reserves were engaged to support the divisions which had borne the weight of the onslaught since Monday.—Renter.