ATTACKS REPULSED AT MANY POINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 82, 6 April 1918, Page 5

ATTACKS REPULSED AT MANY POINTS.

ATTEMPT TO BREAK FRENCH FRONT AT ALL COSTS. LONDON, April 5. The Press Bureau states:—North of the Somme the situation is unsnanged. The enemy south of the f>omme launched heavy attacks early this morning against the British and French. They progressed on the British front U the direction of le Hamel, a mile south of the river, and Vaire Wood, one mile and a-quarter south-west of le Hamel. The British beat back the attacks elsewhere with considerable loss. The fighting continues. The enemy gained ground against the French on our immediate right, in the angle between the Rivers Luce and Avre. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The enemy this morning, after heavy artillery Preparation, strongly attacked on the whole front between the Somme and the Avre. He was repulsed upon the right and centre of the British front, "°t upon the left the whole weight of the assault succeeded in pressing us Back a short distance in the neighbourhood of le Hamel, where fighting concuss. An enemy attack this afternoon, west of Albert was completely repulsed. A Canadian cavalry brigade greatly distinguished itself during the plst few days in heavy fighting south of the River Luce. It was engaged in Many successful actions, both mounted and dismounted.A French communique reports:—The battle was resumed most violently on Thursday morning north of Montdidier, and still continues. The enemy winched enormous forces on a front of over nine miles from "riyesnes, five miles north-west of Montdidier, to the north of the - Rove road, revealing a determination to break the front ■* all costs. So far we have identified 11 enemy divisions. The French "itrepidly resisted the shock of the assaulting masses, which the artillery tt °wed down. The Germans, notwithstanding that their efforts were ten times only succeeded at the cost ot sanguinary sacrifices, in gaining some andreds of yards of ground, and capturing the villages of Mailly-Raineval, ° miles south of Moreuil, and Morisel, on its outskirts, whose adjacent e 'ghts w e hold. Grivesnes, which was attacked with special fury, was toed by the French, who shattered all assaults, and then counter-attacked *&<l made progress at this point. Exceedingly great artillery activity prevails ""ween Montdidier and Lassigny. w, earlier report stated:—The artillery struggle became very intense on ednesday night north of Montdidier. We penetrated the enemy trenches at ttal points north-west of Rheims and on the leffl bank of the Meuse. envy raids east of Rheims, at Avocourt Wood, north-west of Verdun, north of St. Die, on the Lorraine border, were unsuccessful.— (A and NZ ■j» Keuter.) _. *^ utc r"s correspondent at British headquarters writes:—Rain continues y. The ground is mushy. This affects the Germans more than the *H_\ Use they are movin S across battle-pounded country, honeycombed shell craters brimful of water, while our communications are untouched. water.)