FLANDERS TO BE SCENE OF MAIN ENEMY EFFORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16837, 30 April 1918, Page 5

FLANDERS TO BE SCENE OF MAIN ENEMY EFFORT.

| ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE GROUND COVERING YPRES. I|f FURIOUS STRUGGLE WITH FRENCH ARCUNO lOCRE. By Telegraph—Press A Copyright. . Australian and N.Z. (Received 12.10 ajn.). LONDON, April 29. iff. Mr. Percival Phillips states that the British line has been readfff- justed in the Ypres sector. ? It is fairly certain that the enemy, thwarted at Amiens and Arras, $)• has now decided to hurl his fullest weight northward, striking towards the Channel through Flanders. Developing the capture of Mont Kemmel, he will endeavour to pinch off tie three remaining hills, ijfi Scherpenberg, Mcnt Rouge, and Mont Noir, the dominating high ground south cf Poperinghe. The enemy was feeling his way towards o'iti Scherpenberg on Friday afternoon, until repulsed with great loss by ■||lthe French. He will attack more furiously, hoping to capture the •i|§Jiigh ground, making the Ypres salient and the country round t'operinghe untenable. One of the enemy's most desperate efforts was against the 1 French holding Locre village below Scherpenberg, >'*• where distinguished visitors, including kings and princes, formerly ' watched the British shelling Wyfcschaete. The enemy's storm troops three times attacked Locre on Friday and were flung back with heavy casualties. On the fourth attempt, with fresh reserves, they entered the ruins of the village. The French, after falling back, delivered >,f a counter-attack early on Saturday, recapturing the village. The • ' Germans have made little progress since the capture of Mont Kemmel. "hursday had broken the fighting qualities of some of their most , renowned regiments, which must be taken out to reorganise. ; 1 Military critics find satisfaction in the fact that the Germans V are not progressing rapidly past Mont Kemmel. The enemy will find f.'" increasing difficulties if he endeavours to continue the thrust directly westward, encountering the next height in the chain, namely, Mont -v\" des Cats, where there is a Trappist monastery. It is more likely ; that the enemy will endeavour to advance in a north-easterly direction, '-. which movement will make Ypres untenable, but our resistance is like & buffer spring, becoming stronger as it is pressed back. Australians ; and New Zealanders know every inch of this country. Practically the -V- ' whole of the Australian and New Zealand forces raided and fought '/lor many months past along the line which is now in the enemy's • hands between Armentieres and Ypres.