WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

•SHE GERMAN PRESSURE.

No 9ign of Relaxation. Constantly Feeding His Front Lines. f*ry Heavy Fighting. XMtxFcdi Jane 2, 5.5 pja. _ , LondoH, June 1. iMOters French headquarters corre■imiMTit, writing on the 31st, gays i» no lign of relaxation of the prewure. The enemy on the tMpite gallant resistance, was loto to push out his line north and ■OMb of Soissons, astride the Aisne. In the centre his advanced parties are still pWjiWMin* along the whole front. DeUonnta of German infantry are «Uadily through the woods and WVg the valleys wherever there is a fflMkjpot in the thinly-held French line. The enemy is able to maintain his progress by constantly feeding his front with fresh troops. Over forty Q<UiiiU divisions have already been Identified, but a larger number must kavt been engaged. tie heaviest fighting yesterday was along the valley of the Crise. Attacks and counter-attack alternated across the valley east to west. Divisions attacking this morning dashed across the valler tod recaptured Berzy-le-Sec and pushed at far as Noyart on the east side of the river. The Germans counter-attacked in great strength and re-established their line after most bitter fighting. Further south, in the region of Hartames, another battle is raging. The Germans are supported bv numerous tanks. Wherever there is a chance of sr.ccess we do not hesitate to counterattack against superior numbers, even though the utmost to hope for is to delay the enemy On the extreme right the FrancoBritish are gnllantly holding the line Jh front of Rheims. Yesterdav the French stormed anil captured a jrronp of hills north of Rheinis.' on the bnnk of the Aishe. known a* the "Courcv horsemen." The French later were driven out by a German counter-attack, but achieved their object of gaining precious time.

One nf' the most memorable storms in the battle wan connected with three French battalion*. Thev were surrounded In the Ailette valley on the morning pf the 27th. cut off from the rest of the army. From the first the position was hopeless. Thev could neither be relieved ilor helped. They sent a carrier pieeon wying they would fight to the last. They must have held out for forty-eight hour*. The lait message was received on the afternoon of the 28th. and it reneaWd the assurance that they would fight to the end.

Neuter's French headquarter* correspondent. writing on Friday afternoon, states: Our retreat from the Ailette line to the line north of Blerancourt ftWd Kparprny vast far more a manoeuvre by the French than a fresh Herman rucccm. The German advance on Soi«*oni left us an awkward salient expo<«d to flank attack from the new German line between the Ailette and the Airae. Consequently, when the enemy prcfßttre began, we retired gradually, fightin? rearpard actions to the new line, the defence inflicting the greatest possible losa. The operation, which widbase of the enemy salient, was effected practically without casualty. Our troops on the right of the enemy t main advance are holding the plateaux •west of the Crise valley, between Sois*oiis and Hirtennes. The Herman centre ha* not seriously progressed during the last twelve hours. On the right we are "till holding firmly west and north of Kheims, around which the Germans now hold an almost complete semi-circle. On the whole the enemy has gained nothing of importance on the whole battlefield during the last twelve hours. With Inferior number* we pre still holding the enemy on the whole front.— Iteuter. VIOLENT ENEMY ATTACKS.

Smashed by French Troops. Thillois Re-taken. Received June I, 5.5 p.m. ' London. May 31. A French communique state;": The enemy continued hi* effort on hip right as far as the Oise by means of violent attaeke in the region of the Ailette. We fell back, fighting, to positions Dorth of the Bleranconrt-Epagnv line. In the region of Soissons, and further south, enemy attacks were smashed against the heroic reristance of our troops, who maintained their positions at the western entrance to the town and along the Chateau Thierry road. In the centre, the enemy succeeded in riightly advancing in the region north pf the Marne, farther east also. In the north-east all the enemy's efforts were fruitless. Energetic counter-attacks enabled us tq retake Thillois. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We rushed A German post south-westward of Arras. The efeeny raided a post north-eastward of Robeeq. Hostile artillery has been active in the Villers Bretonnenx and Albert sectors, and between Festubert and Clareneerive —Aui. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. Captures Claimed by Germany. Received June 1, 5.5 p.m. Vancouver, May 31. A Berlin message claims that, in addition to 45,000 prisoners and 400 guns, thousands of machine guns have been captured.—Renter. Received June 1, 5.5 p.m. London. May 31. The Germans claim to have takes •'".000 prisontrs and 400 guns.—Ana. Cabel Assoc.

REDOUBLED VIOLENCE,

French Counter-Attacks.

Drive Back the Enemy.

Received June 2, 5 p.m. London, June 1 (0.30 p.m.). A French communique states:—The enemy's drive continued yesterday Towards the close of the day and during the night it was conducted with redoubled violence in the region of Sois-•ons-Chat-eau Thierry, in the region of Soissons and on the Ohandon-Vierzv line.

Our troops continued their counterattacks with tireless energy and have driven back the enemy masses hurled against this front and gained ground everywhere and taken hundreds of prisoners. South of Soissons, the enemy was driven back on the Crise, further south. After obstinate fighting, Chaudin and Vierzy were captured and lost several times and remained in our hands. »hc battle was no less violent in the region of the Qiouy-Xeuily front. Our troops smashed the enemy's attacks and maintained the line immediately east of these localities. On the northern bank of the Jlarne, the enemy pushed advanced elements from the northern and eastern edgs of Chateau Thierry as far as Verneuil, on our right. There were very lively engagements on the road from Donnans to Rheims. The situation north-east and north of Rheims is unchanged—Aus.-N.Z. Press Assoc. and ReuterTO ENLARGE THEIR SALIENT. Germans Fighting Furiously. French Throw Back the Enemy. Received June 2, 5.5 p.m. London, Tune 1. Tile Hermans on the Marnc front have reached Vemeuil. The Hermans arc lighting furiously to enlarge their salient between Soissons and Thierry. French counter-attacks recovered lost ground.— Press Assoc. Received June 2, 5.5 p.m. London, June 1 (210 am.). A French communique states:—On the left, in the region of the Lower Ailette, thi' Germrns continued their pressure. We broke all enemy attacks in the reqion of Bleraucourt and west thereof. The enemy attack, which succeeded in crossing the Oise, east of Sampigny, was thrown back to the right bank The ■•nemy's efforts were chiefly made in the sector of Soissons and further south, in the direction of Neville's front, westward of Soissons. We vigorously counterattacked and stopped all attempts of the enemy, who suffered heavy losses and was unable to make any progress on this side However, he succeeded in gaining ground west of Soissons, on the Chateau Thiery Road, and toward that town, passing beyond Oulchv-la-Villc and Oulchy-le-Chateau. In the centre, weak Herman elements reached the north bank of the Marne, between Charteres and Janlewine

The situation is unchanged on our risrlit, also nortli-we?t and north of Rheims.—Aus.-X.Z. Cable Assoc- and Renter.

GRAVITY OF EVENTS. Defensive Tactics a Failure. New Victory of the Marne Wanted. Received June 2, 11.50 p.m. Paris, June 2. Xewspapers are impressed with the gravity of events on the Marne, and are anxiously awaiting a counter-stroke to relieve Paris. The Matin states that the last two months have shown tha defensive tactics are a failure, and asks, Has not the hour arrived for attacking?

Gustave Eierve stated, to be victorious to-day, as in 1914, it will be necessary to believe in the superiority of the offensive over tie defensive. Everybody knows the enemy will be driven out of France, but only by a new victory of the Marne. GERMANS ON THE MARNE. Composed of Cavalry.

Received June 2, 11.50 p.m. Paris, June 1.

The Matin states that the German right forces which reached the Marne are composed of cavalry, and guns and mitrailleuses mounted on armored cars.— Press Assoc. EXODUS FROM RHEIMS. A Saddening Plight. Received June 1, 5.5 p.m. London, May 31. Mr. Campbell writes: West of Rheims I watched a great civilian ex odus. It was an unending, slow-moving stream of humanity; old men, women, children and babies fleeing from destruction, afoot, in carts and waggons, and pushing perambulators. Every kind of vehicle was piled up with household goods, and horses and herds of cattle formed part of the procession, which frequently mixed up with the Allied troops on the march. I have seen many straggling trains of fugitives since the war began, bat nothing so big or so saddening. It may continue for days. Already it has lasted two days.—Times Service.

British Official.

Receivuu yiine 3, 12.45 a.m. London, June i (10.15 p m.j. Sir Douglas Haig reports: —We repulsed raiders east of Villers Bretonneux. Local fighting to our advantage took place at Vveluy Wood, north of Albert, where we advanced our line. Considerable hostile artillerying took place at. the Villers Brettoneux and Helmeterne sectors, south and west of Lens. In the neighborhood of Givenchy \va took 1158 prisoners during May, including twenty-nine officers- —Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assoc. GERMAN OFFICIAL. Great Successes Claimed. Received June 2. 5 5 p.m. London, June 1. Wireless German official: —(Jur attack is favorably progressing from Nov on to westward of Rheims. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc and Reuter. London, June 1. Wireless German official:—The Crown Prince closely pursued Hie enemy in retreat from the Aillette front to southward of the O'se, across the Aillette, capturing the Crretigny-St. Paul-Trosly-Loire line.

We drove back the eiumy in constant fighting northward </. the Aisne, via Bieuxy and Ohavigny. The French, southward of Soissons, brought forward cavalry and infantry for a violent counter-attack, which were caught disastrously by our fire and de-. feated.

We pierced the enemy's rear posiRoad. French divisions, brought up to Fere-en-Tardenois from the south-west across the Marne and from the southeast, desperately counter-attacked, but were una>blc anywhere to successfully resist our advance.

Wo piereced the enemy's rear positions at Arcv and Grandrozoy We reached the Marne southward cf Fere-en-Tardenois, and captured the heights of Chompoißy-St. Gemme-Romigny, also Germigny, Queux, and Thillois, on tha couth bank of the Vesle, westward of Rheims. Prisoners are increasing continuously. We now have 45,000, over 400 gum. and 1000 machine-guns.—Aus.->T.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. Received June 3. 12.45 a.m.

Wireless German official: We threw out the enemy from strong positions near Cute and southward of Blerancourt. Northward of the Aisne we reached Nuv-ron-Fontennoy. Desperate French coun-ter-attacks on the Soissons-Hertennes Road led to bitter fighting, which ended in our favor. We pursued the enemy as far as the heights eastward of Chaudun, Vierzy and Blancchy, on both sides of the Ourcq. We crossed the Soissons— Chateau Thierry Road, reaching the heights of Neuilly, and northward of Chateau Thiery reached the Marne, between Chateau Thierry and eastward of Dormans. We advanced towards the Verneuil—Olizv —Sai'cy—Champigny line and took prisoner several thousands on the 31st.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

AVIATION REPORT. BRITISH MAGHTNTES DO SUCCESSFUL WORK. Received June 3, 12.55 a.m. London, June 2.

Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report states: —Aeroplanes did successful work on the 31st. Our long-distance planes, in the morning, deapite strong opposition from enemy aircraft, dropped over a ton of bombs on the station and workshops at Karlsruhe. One British machine has not returned.

Another group of British aeroplanes dropped a ton of bombs, with good effect on the railway triangle at Metz and SaMon. We dropped a further 31 tors in the course of the day on different targets behind the enemy's lines. We brought, down.2o German machines, six being driven down uncontrollable. Our anti-aircrafters shot down anothej one. Two British machines are missing. We dropped 10 tona at night-time, including sis tons on Bruges docks an<J the Canal In addition, we dropped four tons on the railway junction and stations of Metz-Saib-lon, Karttoaets, and Thomville- All ou-j machines returned.

A German night-bomber was brought down in flames in our lines.—.Press Assoc.