WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

... A LARGE . DIVERSION. Enemy Intentions Foiled. > London, June 14. Reutcr's correspondent at French headquarters, writing yesterday afternoon, says: Along the Matz our counter-attack pushed the enemy back, aad we recap tured the whole of the enemy's yester day's gains, This morning our infantry cleared out the last enemy remnants from Melicocy, on the south bank of th 6 Matz. Between the Aisne and Villers G'ottereta foreßt the enemy, attacking on a front of four miles f crossed the Dommiers Plateau and obtained a footing on the west side of the ravine separating it from the Montagny and Monte Fontaine plateaux. Although markedly inferior in numbers, the French are resisting gallantly, and the enemy's progress is slow and costly. The enemy so far has engaged five divisions on this battlefield, of which two are fresh.

At present the attack apparently is ( only a large diversion, with the object j of drawing our reserves from the main battlefield west of the Oise, where, since j Tuesday, the enemy has had consistently ( the worst of the fighting. On the 11th the enemy sought, by a j general attack in great force, to transform the terribly costly successes of the first two days' fighting into a decisive . victory. This intention was foiled by the French counter-attack, which broke his preparations, restoring to us an important series of positions. Thus the enemy's whole front was thrown into a state of confusion on the third day. On the following dav he merely attempted local attacks, without result. If to-day passes without fresh efforts we may conclude that for the present the enemy has had enough, and that the army which stopped the first rush in March can claim the nonor of bringing the third onslaught to a standstill. The object of the enemy in this battle was the possession of the forests barring the approaches to Paris on the north. This battle of the forests will be remembered as another victory for the French command and the indomitable French infantry. The same correspondent, writing last evening, says the only enemy move today was an unsuccessful enemy attack on Courcelles. The enemy seems to have accepted defeat along the rest of the front between Montdidier and the Oise. The German advance during: the past five days of the battle has been along and east of the Matz valley, but in some cases he has been driven beyond his original departure line. His progress elsewhere has been due to the topographical conditions favoring the enemy. The decisive episode was the counterattack on our left wing on Tuesday, which frustrated the enemy effort to gain a front line near enough to bombard Paris with ordinary guns. The enemy's intention on Tuesday was to straighten out his line on the right wing between Ressons-sur-Matz and the Montdidier-Senlis railway. When news of the success of the French counter attack teached the German headquarters the same evening the enemy opened a diver- ■ sion on the sector between the Aisne ' and Villers-Cotterets forest. —Renter.

FRENCH MAKE PROGRESS. Hostile Attacks Fail. Received June 15, 5.5 p.m. London, June 14 (3.50 a.m.). A French communique reports: Only local actions occurred to-night. We made several successful raids northward of Griveßnes, in the region of Courcelles. We made progress near Desloges farm. Hostile attacks in the region of Antheuil completely failed. Between the forest of Villers Cotterets and Chateau Thierry the artillery duel continued actively during the night.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

LIVELY ARTILLERYING. Effective Air Work. Received June 10, 6j5 p.m. ' London, June 15. A French communique Btates that there has been mutual artillery firing between Montdidier and the Oise, also south of the Aisne and near ChamplatBrigny. London, June 15 (2.15 a.m.). A French communique states that there was no infantry action to-day. The artillery duel was fairly lively in Hangar wood, south of the Aisne, and in the region between Villers-Cotterets and Chateau Thierry. To the material captured from the enemy on June 11 the following must be added: Nine guns, including seven heavies, and forty machineguns. On June 13 our aeroplanes shot down five German machines and two balloons, while seven enemy aeroplanes were put out of action. Nineteen tons of bombs were dropped on enemy zones, causing great damage.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. i and Reuter.

The Position Established. Received June 16, 5.5 p.m. London, June 15. The Australian Press Association learns tliat the position on the Western front has been established. Forced Belgian Labor. Received June 15, 5.5 p.m. Washington, June 14. A Belgian memorandum presented to Mr. Lansing (Secretary of State) shows that during March 2700 men were taken from East Flanders for military work on the Western front. The names of the girls and women have been collected. — Press Association.

60 GERMAN DIVISIONS USED. . - ■ Secret of Their Success. ... .

Special Training. Received Juue 10, 5.5 p.m. London, June 14. The Australian Press Association learns that the Germans used, approximately, forty divisions on the Aisne and twenty in the latest attack, totalling sixty since May 27. The situation, therefore, gives no cause for dissatisfaction. Tiie enemy's objective is unknown, but it is undoubtedly his intention to cap. ture Compiegne and establish himself on the Noyon-Compiegne-Ciiateau Thierry line, giving him an opportunity to advance on .Paris. Although the situation has improved to the extent indicated, there is still cause for anxiety, because the Germans have not shown their hand. A few of Prince Rupprecht's divisions have been used, but the bulk belonged to the Crown Prince, while Prince Rupprecht's reserves are still practically intact. The German ability to advance after initial successes is due to the exceptional training given to the infantry, machinegunners - and artillery. The assault troops possessed great initiative, pushing forward and capturing tactical point 9. Their action was supported 'by mobile artillery. These were the principal factors in the enemy's success. The Germans, last year, utilised the lull in Russia to instruct vast numbers of troops in open warfare. The Allies never had enough men, after the line was manned, to spare large bodies for such intensive training. The Germans are now getting the benefit of this training, and when the specially trained men are exhausted the rest of them will not be superior, but possibly inferior, to the British and French. It is unjustifiable, however, to suggest that the Germans have evolved a system which is beyond the ability of the Allies to counter. The weather also Has consistently favored the Germans.—(Press Assoc.

AMERICANS VAINLY J ATTACKED. \ New German Divisions to be Sent. Received June 10, 5.5 p.m. Washington, June 14. The Germans attacked the Americans on Thursday at Chateau Thierry, but failed to gain any ground, leaving many dead. A party of 50 Germans surrendered under a flag of truce. Tt is believed the Germans have ordered new cavalry divisions to the American front.—Press Assoc. GERMANY'S FLEXIBLE TIMETABLE. Orders for Decisive Battles. Fresh Troops from Russia. Received June 18, 5.5 p.m Paris, June 15. According to documents captured on the American front, the Germans were timed to Teach Paris on June 28. An intercepted order of voa Falkenhayn reads that the battles now fought on the West front are to be critical and decisive. The Kaiser has ordered the high command to take all measures to transport to the French front within a week the majority of the German forces now in white Russia, leaving only the smallest detachments necessary to maintain order. He has sent General Eichorn to Ukraine, adding that he must take the strongest measures possible to stop sabotage on tha part of Russian railway officials.— Times Service. MAURICE ON THE SITUATION. Not so Formidable as in May. Three Vital Points to Guard. Received June 10, 5.5 p.m. London, June 14. General Maurice, reviewing the situation at the end of the fourth phase of the German offensive, says the Allies' line has lengthened by 70 miles compared with the middle of March, thus necessitating sixteen to eighteen more Allied divisions than were in the line before the 1918 campaign 'began: Therefore, apart from losses in battle, the attacks had caused a serious drain on General Foch's reserves. The enemy also increased his front, but not to the same extent, because he was 'everywhere inside the curve. The battles had brought the Germans within forty miles of Calais, Boulogne, and the mouth of the So in me. which enabled them to keep the Hazen-brouck-Bethune-Amiens railway junctions under close fire. The front between Montdidier and the Marne was less satisfactory for the enemy. As long as the French hold the Aisne eastward of Compiegne, and covered the junction of the Aisne and the Oise, it would be difficult for the enemy to make a broad drive in Paris, owing to the front of the attack lieing split up. We have three vital points to guard— Paris, tlie Channel ports, and the communications across the Somine. Revised estimates show that the Crown iPrince employed at least 43 divisions from the total reserves at Hindenburg's disposal on the West. Therefore, there were only 27 left out of 70 available at the end of May. General Maurice expresses the opinion that the attack on the Cliemin des Dames was merely an experiment, which was followed up because it opened successfully. He does not believe the advance to Paris across the Aisne was part of the original plan. The German menace is still formidable, but not so formidable as at the end of May, owing to 1 the heavy cost of the enemy's gains and ■ tho steady increase in the American forces,—Press Assoc.

A COSTLY GERMAN REVERSE. In Spite of Ground Gained. Received June 10, 5.5.p.m.

Paris, June 14. Mr. George I'erris, writing from the front, says that local actions westward of the Oiso ended in a costly German reverse, despite the gain of ground varying from two to' six miles, which demonstrates the brilliant success •of Allied generalship.—i Press Assoc. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH OPERATIONS, Aeroplanes at Work. Received June 10, 5.5 pjn. London, June 14. Sir Douglas Haig reports that French patrols, northward of Bailleul, brought in a few prisoners during the night. Low clouda and poor visibility impeded air work on June 13, but the machines took advantage of spells of clear weather and dropped nine tons of bombs on Zeebrugge and more on Armentieres and Comines stations, also on targets In the Freuch battle area. We destroyed ten German aeroplanes and drove down two uncontrollable. The British lost five. Heavy mists prevented night-flying. English and Scottish battalions prisonered sixty in successful local operations northward of Betlume. Successful raids in the Villers-Bretonneux sector yielded a few prisoners. We repulsed an attempted raid on a pdst at Aveluy wood. Local night-fighting occurred eastward of Nieppe forest. The Admiralty reports that during night and day operations, from June 10 to June 12 inclusive, aeroplanes dropped eighteen tons of bombs in Belgium. Hits were observed at the mole and bursts at the seaplane shed at Zeebrugge, fires at Bruges, and bursts at the naval basin and maritime station at Ostend. A British squadron bombed an aerodrome and enemy works at Drava and other places on the Turkish-Bulgarian coasts. Enemy formations over the Dardanelles were attacked, and two of their fighting scouts brought down in flames. —A us. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

A GERMAN REPORT. Usual Successes Claimed. Received June 10, 5.5 pjn. London, June 14, German official: We repulsed French attacks between VooTmezeele and YierKtraat, prisonering 150. We repulsed counter-attacks ill the neighborhood of Courecles and Mery, also in the Matz legion. We penetrated the VillersCotterets forest. The Crown Prince since May 27 captured 1050 guns,—Aus. N.Z, Cable Assoc. and Reuter.

THE PHASE ENDING. Enemy Weakening Daily. Allies' Reserves Increasing. Received. June 16, 5.5 p.m. Paris, June 15. A semi-official report assumes that the latest battle has now ended. Each successive offensive is of less duration, on a narrower front, and yields less ground, the resistance proving more effective and the German losses proportionately aggravated. Still, there is no doubt the enemy will renew the offensive, all the more hastily because he is weakening from day to day, whereas our reserves are being incessantly, increased by the Americans.—Reuter. Shelling on American Sector. Received June 16, 5J5 p.m. London, June 14. American official: There has been heavy reciprocal shelling, including gas, northward of CJhateau Thierry. Our aviators shot down two hostile machines. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc and Reuter. Military Governor of Paris. Received June 10, 11.55 p.m. Paris, June 15. General Guilluamit, commander of the army in the Orient, has been appointed Military Governor of Paris, vice General Dubail, who hag 'been appointed Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor. — Reuter.