GERMANS SEIZED WITH PANIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1918, Page 5

GERMANS SEIZED WITH PANIC.

rax likic harks. STRONG GERMAN OPPOSITION ON WINGS. , Received July 2!), 11.15 p.m. London, July 27. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent nt French headquarters wriUs: Early on Sunday morning the Allied patrols were making their way ahead, and reached Fere en Tardcnois, which will soon be in our hands. German opposition in the centra is much less determined than on the wings, but the enemy massed many guns on the western flank along the Aisne, near Chavighy. The guns were hastily withdrawn in the centre while the troops engaged in a fierce rearguard battle. The Germans south-west of Rheims are also_ trying to hold fast, under the protection of the massed artillery round St. Thiery. The sudden panic of a German division at the height of the battle on Thursday had much to do with the final failure of the troops to defend the Maine. The Germans defending the positions north of Jaulgonne were seized with panic, and dropped their arms and ran like rabbits, with the Franco-Americana in hot pursuit. The German high command threw in two fresh divisions, brought up in motor lorries, and retarded the Allied advance during the night, but the rest of the Germans were forced to abandon the Marne.—Press Association. BROKEN DOWN. THE GERMAN RESISTANCE. Received July 29, 7.45 p.m. Washington, July 23. General Pershing reports that between tho Ourcq and the Marne American and Allied troops are pursuing the Germans, whose resistance has been broken down. —Times Service. FRENCH TACTICS. NEW PLAN SUCCESSFUL. London, July 27. Reuter'.s correspondent at French headquarters, reviewing the recent German offensive, says the German attack was foiled by the system of defence of Generals Gouraud, Berthelot, and I)e Goutte, acting under the orders of General Petain. From lib experience of past offensives the Commander-in-Chief came to the conclusion that, the first line could not be held against such an attack, therefore ho ordered the advanced zone to be evacuated as soon as tho bombardment began, and its defence left to small detachments of determined men under competent officers, whose mission would be to delay the Germans as long as possible, so that their rush would lose vigor by the time it reached the principal line of: defence. The plan worked perfectly, and the main line of resistance was nowhere pierced. The enemy on the Marne front was able to make more progress against General Berthelot, because he was defending unorganised ground. General Petain's plan went further than a successful defence. He decided on a counter-attack on the left, assembling divisions under the shade of the Villers-Cotterets forest, where the troops might hope to escape observation. The double plan was submitted to General Foch on July 12 and approved. Tho following day the enemy failed altogether east of Rheims, and found himself engaged in a desperately difficult attempt to advance up the valley of the Marne on Epernay, when he was suddenly attacked between Chateau Thierry and the Aisne.—Reuter. SUPER-GUN SITE DISCOVERED. Paris, July 28. The Americans discovered, north of Tournelle wood, the emplacement of one of the long-range guns which: bombarded Paris. Apparently the stubborn defence of this region was designed to secure the withdrawal of the gun.—Am N.Z. Cable Assoc FOR GERMAN EDIFICATION—— London, July 27. I Wireless German official: We ejected the enemy from his front lines north of Oulchy-le-Chateau, and drove off attacks east of Orets. South of the Ourcq we cleared the wooded district, and west of Vrigny repulsed violent counter-attacks. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.