WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

■iv ALLIES' SUCCESSES. Americans Gain Ground. British Re-enter Biigny. Received June 9, 5Jj panLondon, June 7 (5 pjn.). A French communique states: —North of Monfcdidier, west of Nov on, we made several successful coups-de-main and took prisoners. North of the Aisne, we, by a night attack, captured tlhe Tillage of Leport. West of Fontenoy and south of the Aisne we improved our positions. Sourft-weat of Arnblez, between the Ouroq and the Mame, we continued, local operations in tihe region of Verilly la Poterie. We increased our progress and captured the Tillage of Yinly, north of CHignon, also the woods east of the station at Verilly la JVleric- We also possessed the outskirts of this Tillage. Farther south, the American troops gained ground on the front Torey-Bel-leau-Boulesches. West of Chateau Thierry a spirited attack gave us hill m. Between the Manic and Rheims, British troops regained a footing in the village of Biigny, and effected heavy losses on the enemy.—Aua.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter.

IMPORTANT FRENCH CAINS. Position Appreciably Improved. The Whole of Bligny Captured. Received June 9, 5.5 pjn. London, June 8 (1.10 ajn.). A French communique statra: Between the Ourcq and the Mame we successfully continued local operations. Franco-American troops extended their gains north of C&uly to Chesy, and captared Xeuilly, La Foterie, and Bournesches, appreciably improving our positions on the front Torcy to Bournesches. Between the Maine and Reims our action against Bligny was continued, resulting in the capture of the entire village. Daring the day thirteen German aeroplanes were downed and twenty-seven farced down. Bombs were dropped in the region of Roye, St. Quentin, and Soiasona, with good results.

FRENCH LINE IMPROVED. Successful Raids. | Aeriat Activity. ReceLwd June 9, 5>5 pan. London, June 7 (10 pjn.). i Sir Douglas Haig reports: The French [improved their line in the neighborhood of Locre in a successful local attack. ' We raided a post in the St Bazeele sec;tor. A later message reports successful f raiding in the neighborhood of Hulluch 1 and St. Razeele. Artillerying was active I northward of Albert and south-east of Arras. We downed 23 aeroplanes and dropped 39 tons of bombs on objectives, includiing Valenciennes, Le Cateau, Busigny, "and St. Quentin. —A.ns. N.Z. Cahle Assoc. and Reuter. Received June 9, 55 pjn. Amsterdam, June 7The Vossische Zeitnng's military correspondent saye: Geneml Foah has been ensdbHed to organise strong resistance owing to tin briiliaiitly-oonsijTKjted railway system. He oonsidere the German High Oonsnand should not attack the newly-ocaißoKdatrf Fremch front, richly provided with reserves and thereby expose the Germans to high losses.—United Service.

THE ALL WISE MAURICE. Expounds Britain's Failures. Beoehned Janer 8, 5.5 pjm. London, June 7. General Maurice, writing in the Daily Chronicle and commenting on the declaration of the Supreme War Council and M. Qemeneetufs speech, says: "Speaking blrmtly, we are now in. the same situation as in 1914, when our aHiea •were obliged to hold on until we threw in our new armies. Now, having failed adequately to provide for the new situation which resulted from Russia's collapse, we are again holding on until America throws in her weight. The vital question in the meantime is whose effectives are dwindling the quickest." General Maurice details the measures taken, and sums up thus: "Apparently we have again let the enemy get a start by allowing him to train fresh drafts before ours are ready/'—Press Assoc. American Captures. London, June 7. American troops captured Torcy and Bouresches, west of Chateau Thierry.— Aua. HX. Cable Assoc. Success of Paris Barrage. Baris, Job* f. ' Official: Twenty enemy aeroplanes were reported coming to Paris at eleven o'clock last night. They encountered a terrific barrage. Some bombs were dropped, and it is reported that one person was killed and a number injured. "All clear" was signalled at 18.20 this morning.—Ans. NJZ. Cable Assoc. and Renter. A GERMAN CLAIM. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. London, June 7. ■Wireless German, official: We advanced | westward of Kemmel and captured th! Imtm astride Andre, south-eastward of Sony, prisonering 300.—Ans. &Z. Cable -Assoc. and Renter.

GALLANT FIGHTING OF ■:] i AMERICANS. Haif a Million in France. America's Effort Looms Large. Men of Splendid Physique and Deadly Shots. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. London, June 7. The gallant fighting of the Americans has made a dramatic impression in France. Mr. Baker's promise that half a million Americans would reach Europe by May has been fulfilled. Maay thousands are actually in the firing line. America's effort suddenly looms large. She has taken a share which is comforting to the Allies when help is urgently needed. During a recent visit to the American front, a correspondent was most impressed by the splendid physique and intelligence of the infantry. They are undeniably amateurish, but have a way all their own. They are teeming with questions like simple youngsters. Their physique is indisputably far better than that of Europeans. The Daily Mail's correspondent says the Americans are distributed on wide fronts in addition to the sectors which the American divisons solely hold. In every fourth village behind the line, from Switzerland to the sea, you find Americans, who are rapdly learning the craft of war. One thing, they already know how to be deadly shots. After a recent German raid it was notable that every enemy corpse was shot through the head or the heart. —United Service.

AMERICANS PUSH FORWARD. Heavy Losses Inflicted. A Battle Near Neuilly. GERMANS PUT TO FLIGHT. Received June 9, 5.5 panLondon, June 7. American official: —In an attacknorthwestward of Chateau Thierry, on the morning of the 6th, we, in conjunction with the French, advanced our line southward of Torcy about a mile, rapturing prisoners and inflicting heavy losses in killed and wounded.

Renter's correspondent at French Headquarters, writing on tlie Oth, states that tho first American infantry engaged in battle and took part in the defence of Neuilly Wood, on the south bank of the* Ourcq, on the 3rd. They left for the front in the highest spirits, resolved not to yield an inch of French ground. On the morning of the 3rd the Germans crossed the railway running along the Ouroq Valley and took the village of Bussian, a mile from Neuilly, also the height southward. They advanced in strong force against our line at Neuilly Wood,, their oibject being to gain a footing at Slarigny Wood, south of Neuilly The Franco-Americans took up positions south of the wood, tlie Americans being on the left. When the Germans came within range, the Americans opened flank machine-gun fire, causing the heaviest losses. The Germans halted to rally, when the rout was completed by a French counter-attack, which put them to fligjht.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

AMERICANS SAVE THE SITUATION. A Typical Episode Their Bravery Extolled. Received June 9, IL3O pjn. London, June 8. Battle one, sent on Saturday, also battles two and three, were typical of the Americans. An episode has just teen disclosed which oocurred at Jaulgotme, where the French were holding the northern edge of a loop on the Maine. The Germans succeeded in throwing across 22 light bridges, each .allowing the enemy to cross two abreast. Two battalions of infantry succeeded in crossing and forming a bridgehead in the railway station, assisted by six machine-guns. The French were ordered to counter-attack, and their cavalry made a frontal attack on the station while the infantry were attacking in the rear, but both failed owing to the vigilance and activity of the German machine-gunners, until the American machine-gunners came into the fight and supported the frontal attack, which enabled the infantry to strike the Germans in the rear. A few Germans escaped by swimming, also two boatloads of forty men. The French and Americans took 100 prisoners and all the enemy's machine-guns, the rest of the German battalion being destroyed. The French ,are enthusiastic at the splendid bravery and self-sacrifice that the Americans displayed at Jaulgonne, also in the wood fighting at Neuilly and La Poterie, where the American ma-chine-gunners enabled the French to surprise a German detachment and rout ENEMY RAIDS FAIL. ' Mr. Percival Phillips says the enemy raids constitute the sole actvity on the British front, all of which have been lamentable failures. AUSTRALIANS TOO SMART FOR HONS. The Australians are the heroes of the following typical raid. At least 200 picked German infantry participated in an expedition against the Australians south of Morlancourt. They expected to catch the Australians napping, but disillusionment could not have been more complete. The Australians prisonered twenty-one, captured four machine-guns, while twenty-ftve bodies were counted in "No Man's Land."" Other raids north ol Leas, north-east of Hinges, sear La Bassee, eastward of Nteppe forest, and southward of Ypres, all left prisoners in our hands. Only bis ons place were any Bri&hMdn§gped,Am**- - — v

ENEMY'S PROGRESS CHECKED. Reluctance to Attack Rheims. Received June 10, 12,55 ajn. London, June 7. Tlie Australian Press Association learns that the enemy's progress for the time being has been cheeked. The immediate danger is over, but until it is known where Prince Euppreehtfs reserves will be thrown in anxiety must continue. The Germans show reluctance to directly attack Rheims, where the defence has been well prepared, and would involve the enemy in heavy losses. He has nothing to gain by the capture of the city unless he is able to drive the French sufficiently far back to enable him to make good use of the lateral communications between Soissons and Rheima.—-Australian Cable Association. SIGNIFICANCE OF AMERICAN r AID. May Even Help Russians. London, June 7. War experts are insisting upon the far-reaching significance of the appearance of American forces in the battle of the Marne. The Supreme Allied War Council, envisaging the war from the standpoint of a strategic reserve, rely on the American armies to end the struggle and to give the British and French a reserve power which may even enable Russia to throw off the Teuton bondage and participate in the final struggle. It must also be remembered that the German casualties already far exceeded tho number of killed and wounded agreed upon between the Pan-Germans and the Socialist leaders when the desirability of tile present offensive was mooted.

AIR MASTERY,* French Establish Supremacy. London, June 7. A despatch from the French headquarters, dated the evening of June 5 say 9 that during the first twenty-four hours of the battle the Germans had the mastery in the air "between the Aisne and the Marne. Their triumph was shortlived, however, as an attack was opened on Monday by a powerful aviation group, including some of the best kno-wn French aviators, who started for the Aisne via the German Oise front, causing damage en route. The group took the air on Tuesday morning, engaging the German airmen and descending to within twenty feet of the ground in order to attack the troops and convoys. In the course of Wednesday our supremacy in the air was definitely established, and since then it has liardlybeen challenged. The French squadrons carried out systematic attacks at such places as Fismes, twelve miles 'behind the German front. Scores of tons of explosives were dropped on German camps and communications. Tt is remarkable the number of enemy balloons that have been destroyed lately. These the Germans used almost hi front of the line in order to compensate for tlieir inferiority in their air service. They haul them down with remarkable quickness on the appearance of a French aeroplane.—Reuter.