WESTERN FRONT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT.

THE GERMAN MENACE. PREPARATIONS COMPLETE. - Received July 9, 1.50 a.m. London, July 8. Mr. Gibbs states that the success of the Australians must not blind us to the truth about the general situation. The enemy is still holding a powerful army against the British, and all his preparations are complete for a violent offensive on a big scale. Good fortune lias enabled us to strengthen our defences and build up bayonet strength, so that the peril is less than it was two months ago, but the menace is still there, whatever may be the meaning of the delay.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assoc. Received July 9, 2.5 a.m. London, July 8. American official: We successfully raided in the Vosges, and killed and wounded a number, besides taking several prisoners.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. THE AUSTRALIANS' ADVANCE. GIVES COMMAND OF IMPORTANT .VALLEY : Received July 8, 10.35 p.m. London, July 8,. Mr. Philip Gibbs writes that the Australian push on Saturday amounted to 400 yards on a mile front. Three German divisions were so cut up on Thursday that they were utterly incapable of a counter-attack, and must be relieved and refitted. —United Service. Mr. Robinson states that the advance on Bretonneux gives the Australasians command of an important valley position three miles in length.—(Press Association. ENEMY POINTS ATTACKED. AERIAL ACTIVITY, Received July 8, 9.35 p.m. London, July 7. The Air Ministry reports: On the afternoon of the 6th our squadrons successfully attacked the railways at Metz Sablons, and dropped 2£ tons of bombs on this objective. Enemy machines attacked our formations over our objective, one of the hostile machines being driven down. All the British returned safely. At night-time on the 6th inst. our machines successfully attacked the railway station and sidings at Saarbrucken end the railways at Metz Sftblpns. Sir Douglas Haig reports: We repulsed attempted hostile raids on the morning of foe 7th near Locre. There was hostile artillerying and trench mortar activity in the Bethune sector. Three German aeroplanes were destroyed and one driven down uncontrollable. One British is missing. Seventeen tons of bombs were dropped on various targets during the last twenty-four hours.-—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. and Reuter. Received July 8, 10.10 p.m. London, July 7. A French communique states: There was artillerying south of the Aisne, in t'he regions of Long Pont and Coroy. American troops executed a coup de main in the Vosges and brought back prisoners. IN FRANCE. JfIEW ZEALAND MINISTERS. | ADDRESS TO DOMINION TROOPS , j i (From Captain Malcolm Ross, Official Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces in the Field') France, July 1. Mr. W. F. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward arrived at the Headquarters of the New Zealand Division on the Western front on Saturday evening. They lost no time in getting in touch with the men of the division, for, after their long journey by train, Ship, and car, they attended a performance given in the late afternoon by the divisional theatricals. The scene was a memorable one. The stage Was set in a natural amphitheatre in beautiful woods, and in the interval of the performance, to the accompaniment of the booming of the guns, the great crowd of soldiers listened to the message that these ambassadors had 'brought to their soldiers from the furthermost part of the Empire. For the moment this Wood in France became a little bit of New Zealand, and the spirit of democracy invaded a portion of Republican France that not so far back in history had been part of a ducal demesne. This friendly spirit of democracy was evidenced in the good-natured interjections with which speeches were punctuatedj and in calls of "Bill" and "Joe" that arose from the soldier audience. An English visitor was struck with the heartiness and informality of the proceeding, and the interest taken in the visit. The excellence of the performance | (surprised the visitors. AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE. The Ministerial party was early astir on Sunday to attend the church parade of one of the infantry battalions. The scene was an impressive one, as the troops paraded in the open with the great expanse of sunlit rolling downs and woods around. Addressing the troops, Mr. Massey said Sir Joseph Ward and himself had como on a very important mission. They were representing New Zealand in conferences in which previously the Dominions had had no say. It brought home to one what New Zealand was really doing when he was able to see such' a large number, of men on parade at the front. He' was especially pleased to see present members of an Auckland regiment), 1 many of whom,had come from his own I district and with whom he was personally acquainted, and he could assure them that New Zealand wanted bQf ,«n back again, but she was detent-' - to keep t/he division properlv mn' j > »cd and reinforced until a satisfactory victor waa aitatoed. New Zealand's effort <o-> » -i , t

in the war was second, proportionately, only to that of England hergelf. He was glad to be able to tell them that the feeling in England was even more optimistic than it was a few weeks ago, and that if we held our own during tlie next few months we could look forward to a satisfactory ending of the war. He wished to tell them that New Zealand would stand by her returned soldiers. Meantime her message was: "Carry On." As to t'he future, he said emphatically that Germany should never again bo allowed to get the footing she had before in the British Empire. The German must go out and keep out. In a speech during the interval, Mr. Massey said he would be very pleased to listen to any grievances the men had. He added that he was intensely proud of the splendid record the Division had put up, and he could tell them that the people of New Zealand would not go back upon their soldiers, but would stand by them and see that they were properly reinforced. After the war was over, he felt that New Zealand would be proud, not only of what had been done by her soldiers, but of what (had been done for her soldiers. "THIS DETERMINED SPIRIT." Sir Joseph Ward expressed great pleasure at seeing so many New Zealanders under such strange circumstances. Even in New Zealand he had not seen so large a gathering of New Zealanders for a long time. The scene made one realise to what a great extent New Zealand had helped, and _he felt sure they would continue in this determined spirit until the great victory had I been won. There had been some criti'cism about the Ministers taking a trip round the world, but he assured them that the trip was undertaken purely in the interests of the Empire, and if they had not undertaken the journey New Zealand would have been entirely iinrepresented at the most important conferences in the crisis in the Empire's history. At the conclusion of their addresses both speakers were heartily applauded. In the evening the Ministers dined with the general in command of the division. UNITY OF ALLIES. Sir Joseph Ward said they were fully determined they would never yield to the enemy, and so far as our troops were concerned they might rest assured that nothing would be left undone by America and our other allies to enable then to win out. On their return to New Zealand the Ministers would be able to convey to the people some idea of the line appearance of her men in the field, and what splendid work they had done in stopping the gap in the line during the recent German advance. All in New Zealand would like to gee them back in their own country, but not until an end had been made of Prussian militarism. Visits were paid to the Machine Gun Battalion, the Maori Battalion, and the Engineers. Brief speeches were made in each case, and the Maoris returned the compliment with their war dance. A BUSY DAY. Monday was a very busy day, the Ministers travelling in motors over miles of dusty roads and through small French villages, in order to see as many units of the division as possible. At the end of a long and tiring day they had personal interviews with many officers and men who came to headquarters for this purpose. The day began with an inspection of part of the Rifle Brigade, which was on parade on the edge of a picturesque wood flanked by fields of wheat and rye. The Premier recalled the historic parallel of troops bivouacking in rye fields on the eve of Waterloo, and expressed the hope that on this occasion also victory would rest with our troops and their allies. .He said the appearance of the troops spoke well for the quality of the army rations and the ability of the'men to enjoy them. He congratulated the brigade on its record, than which none was better. We were at a crisis in the war, the length of which would largely depend upon whether we were able to hold the Germans in the coming offensive. He felt sure if the enemy failed to break through he would come to the conclusion that it was no Use going on. This was not the time for any weakening on our side. Sir Joseph Ward said that among the divisions in the British lArmy there were some that were known as superdivisions, and he was told by a high authority that among these was the New Zealand Division. All spoke well of the New Zealand soldiers, and what they had done in the war would undoubtedly stand out prominently in the history of their country. In the coming clash the whole world would be looking on with bated breath, nnd he was pleaßed to say that responsible men regarded the situation with a considerable degree of confidence. Subsequently the Ministers had an opportunity of seeing the troops carry out a tactical exercise in open country. The afternoon was spent in visiting the Field Ambulance, the Divisional Train, and the Entrenching Group.