ANOTHER OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1918, Page 5

ANOTHER OFFENSIVE.

On the Metz-Lorraine Front. Received June 7, 7.20 p.m. New York, June G. The United Press correspondent at the American front expects that a new offensive will begin on the Metz-Lorraine front, where heavy enemy concentrations are piling up, apparently of Austrians.—■ Press Assoc. OFFICIAL REPORTS. French Successes. All Ground Recovered. British Repulse Raids. London, June 0. A French communique states: The enemy in the daytime at different points multiplied his efforts to accentuate his progress, but was repulsed everywhere, losing heavily His attempt to cross the Oise in the direction of Mont Alagache completely failed. Our counter-attacks north of the Aisne recovered all the ground the enemy had momentarily occupied. The Germans progressed somewhat in the wood region of Longpont, but were driven back, leaving prisoners. Our positions everywhere else were maintained. Our airmen were active and dropped 17 tons of projectiles on concentrations of troops, whom they dispersed. They also dropped 14 tons on various stations. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy made another attempted raid southwestward of Morlancourt, but was repulsed with loss. Another who rushed a post in the neighborhood of Boyelles was repulsed. There have been attempted raids northward of Lens, northward of Bethune, and eastward of Nieppe Forest. Hostile artillery is active in the Stratiele section.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

French Press Back the Enemy. Received June 7, 8.5 p.m. London, June C. A French communique states: East of Sampigny yesterday evening we continued to press back enemy groups, which had succeeded in crossing the Oise north of the Aisne, and appreciably improved our position north and west of Hantebraye There is lively artillerying, especially in the regions of Longpont, Neuilly la Poteris, and west of Rheims. A Belgian communique states tliat there is intense artillerying in the regions of Dixmude and Merekem. Sir Douglas Haig reports: The French repulsed local attacks in the neighborhood of Locre. German Official. Received June 7, 10.30 p.m. London, June C. Wireless German official: We captured, since May 27, 55,000 prisoners, including 1500 officers, 05 guns, and 2000 machine-guns. We downed 40 aeroplanes between 4th and sth June. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. The New Zealand Division. Wellington, Last Night. The official monthly summary of the New Zealand division's work at the front states, under date June 4. that the division remained in the Hebuterne sector Several small raids were carried out, resulting in the capture of prisoners. There was nothing further to report.

ISOLATED ACTIONS. Allied Line Advanced in Place. A Successful Counter-Attack. Received June 7, 11.15 p.m. Paria, Juno 6. A French communique states that isolated actions continued in the day time at several points. Our troops, supported by tanks, progressed and took prisoners west of Longpont. The attack of the Franco-Americans between Ourcq and the Marne advanced our line a kilometre in the region oi Nevilly-a-Potine, taking 270 prisoners. The Germans between the Marne and Rhcims delivered several local attacks. A violent attempt at Cbaplet completely failed. Farther north tho Germans captured the village of Bligny and the hill south thereof. The British counter-attacked and recaptured the hill. We also recovered a little ground which the Germans took in the morning south and west of St. Eupliraisc. There is yothing noteworthy to report elsewhere. Nineteen enemy aeroplanes wore felled on the sth. Twenty-five tons of explosives were dropped at night in the enemy zone.—Aust.N-Z. Caible Assoc. and Reuter,

CRITICISMS AND COMMENTS.. The Next Stroke. Clemenceau Counsels Calmness. Paris, June 0. M. Clemenceau, in his speech in tlie Chamber on Tuesday, said the position was of a grave character, and stressed the approaching crisis. He indicated that the French line, after four years of war, was becoming weaker, while the Allies were sustaining enormous losses. He added that in the recent offensive the French had fought fivefold their numbers, and almost without sleep during the last four days. M. Clemenceau paid a tribute to the devotion to duty of General Foeh and the officers and men, although they had yielded more ground than he liked. He counselled calmness and to hold on to the end. The Government depended on the Fatherland to fight to the death. The enemy was staking his all upon his present blow. All the Allies were pledged to fight on until victory was achieved. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. London. June 6.

Mr. George Perris writes: An American machine-gun unit and the French colonial infantry covered themselves with glory by holding the Marne bridgehead at Chateau Thierry when the Germans were immediately threatening the town from the hills north and northwest. The French and Americans crossed the river and drove back the Germans to the outskirts. The Germans returned at nightfall, marching along the boulevard to the Marne, throwing smoke bombs ahead of the column. The Germans were upon the bridge when the central arch was blown up, with many German infantrymen. The American machine-gunners, afte» covering the retirement, held sheltered posts for two days and nights, preventing the enemy building and repairing the bridges. Veteran French troops praise the vigilance, energy, and sang froid of their younger comrades, who inflicted heavy losses on the Germans while sustaining less casualties themselves. Allied and German war experts are discussing the halt in the attack. French critics are of opinion that the marked pause may be duo to the necessity of refilling the German ranks after the heavy losses of the preceding two days At any rate the pause is a sign of German weakness. General Foch is pursuing provisional Fabian strategy with great skill. The Vossische Zeitung announces the temporary end of the German offensive, and says it is no earthly good to continue the advance when the French reserves are awaiting us. Any further advance will cost much. Onr enemies will say the offensive has missed its goal. Let them clamor. Our leaders are preparing a fresh surprise. Some correspondents on the French front state that the Allied aeroplanes have not discovered any attempt by the Germans to entrench or fortify themselves on the Noyon-Chateaii Thierry front. There are indications of the probable resumption of the battle. The Germans are bringing up artillery and relieving weary battalions, "while fresh positions are being steadily strengthened.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. Amsterdam, June G. German military critics admit the unexpected strength of the Allied reserves. Von Holzmann, in an 'article in the Vossische Zeitung, says the offensive will be pushed later, and other surprises await the Allies. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Association. Mr. Campbell writes that the ue\'t stroke may take the form of an abandonment of the frontal attack for a double lateral push north of the Oureq and southward, in order to complete the process of filling the pocket between the Marne and the Oise. —Times.