Furious Combats Favour the French.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7011, 19 July 1918, Page 3

Furious Combats Favour the French.

Australian and X.Z. Cable Assoc.

Eec July 19, 10.40 a.m

London, July 18

A French communique states : — "The battle continued with unbroken determination on the whole front, west* of Rheims, but notwithstanding his efforts the enemy did not succeed in increasing his ad vance. The heroic resistance of onr troops and the incessant counter-attacks

stopped the enemy's thrust after all fluctuations of the advance and retirement of the' day. Actions are progressing .south of the Marne on the wooded slopes northward of St. Agnan and Monihodoi. Chapeile. The sharpest lighting was north of Camblizo and Festismv and resulted

in the holding of the enemy to the southern outskirts* of the Camtuigny I and Chataigniels Woods. The enemy succeeded east of Oeniilo in regaining a footing in Monvoisin between the Marne and Rheims. The battle continues north of Reuiliii King's Wood, which the Germans penetrated. We are defending foot by foot. The forest of Court on is the theatre of furious combats. The enemy continues to be held westward of Autenil. The Germans did not succed in reaching Paurcydich, which has been the objective of several renewed powerful attacks.. A brilliant Italian counter-attack drove the enemy back. The number of enemy corpses lying iv front of the lines in tbe Valley of Arbre de Ombreux testify to the heavy losses. The situation is unchanged in the Yrigny sector and south-west of Rheims. East of Rheims we broke the attacks between Beaumont sur Vesle and Sillery. Our positions are intact along 'tho whole Champagne front."'