GREAT FRENCH THRUST.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15895, 8 May 1917, Page 7

GREAT FRENCH THRUST.

CONQUERED TERRITORY EXTENDED. DESPERATE COUNTER-ATTACKS BROKEN AUSTRALIANS HEMMED IN AT BULLECOURT. RUSSIAN SITUATION STILL SERIOUS. SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT BY WAR MINISTER.! (3rd YEAR—2Blst DAY.)

THE WESTERN THEATRF.

IMPORTANT FRENCH SUCCESS. CLEARING THE AISNE HEIGHTS. PRISONERS' TOTAL 6100. (By Cable —Press Association— Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received May 7th, G. 45 P- in -) LONDON, May 6. The "Daily Chronicle's" Paris correspondent states :-"Tho Germans are still holding out round Fort Malmaison, tho only part of the Aisno heights still in their possession. The ground captured bv the French at Craonno was most important to the enemy's scheme of defence, and thoy therefore fought with the utmost determination and reckless expenditure of life in face of a stern order to hold the first line at any cost. "Tho Germans in tho Craonno fortress had held out for a: fortnight against a tremendous bombardment from a great crescent of hidden batteries. "Finally a famous French Corps surrounded tho Craonne village, fought its way across the Chemin-des-Dames plateau, and joined hands with its comrades who were already established at Hurtebise Farm."

THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT. V SIEGFRIED LINE ALMOST CAPTURED. ONE ARMY CORPS TAKES 1800 PRISONERS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Router's TolegTama.) (Received May 7th, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 7. A French communique states North-east of Soissons wo completed yesterday's successes and extended the conquered ground, capturing several strong points north of Laffaux and north of Braye-en-Laonnais. There was a furious artillery duel over the whole region of Chemin-des-Dames, where the Germans again launched strong counter-attacks against our positions of Froid Mont Farm, \ auclerc plateau, and Craonne.' On this sector wo everywhere maintained our gains, and repulsed the enemy, inflicting heavy losses. During one of these attacks, a German battalion, caught by our fire, retreated in disorder, leaving a great part of its effectives on the ground. Prisoners already counted total 6100, including 150 officers. One Army Corps took 1800 prisoners, and on a front of four kilometres captured almost tho whole of the Siegfried line.

Generally the operations carried out on May sth and 6th, sin harmony with the British operations, rendered us masters •of the crest on which Chemin-des-Dames runs, over a front of 30 kilometres. There have been violent artillery actions north-west of Rhcims and in the Champagne.

Wg carried fortified points d'appui west of Mont Cornillet and repulsed two attacks on our trenches in the region of Mont Haut. THE BRITISH FRONT.. FIERCE GERMAN ATTACKS. HEAVY FORCES REPULSED. (Received Mav 7th, 8.20 a.m.) " LONDON, May 7. Sir Douglas Haig states: —Later reports show that the German attacks on the Hindenburg line eastward of Bullecourt were particularly severe. The enemy threw in heavy forces, which we repulsed after fierce fighting. We repulsed two counter-attacks this morning, the enemy endeavouring to recover the section southward of the Souchez river, which we captured yesterday evening. e drove off raids southward of Acheville and westward of Hulluch,and carried out a successful raid southeastward of Wo brought down 11 German aeroplanes yesterday. Two British machines are missinsL

POSITION AT BULLECOURT.

AUSTRALIANS EXTENDING THE BREACH. BOCHE SLAYS BOCHE. (Received May 7th, 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. Router's correspondent at HeadquarteiV; states:—A feature of tho past twenty-four hours has been a succession of intenso German counter-attackg in tho vicinity of Bullecourt, where the Australians are tenaciously maintaining their position and extending the broach in the H'indenburg line. The fighting has bccomo a great bombing match, in which the Anza-cs excel. The German machine-guns at present dominate tho ruined village of Bullecourt, where th© struggle ebbs and flows, but our artillery is rendering the enemy's tenure ex'tremely costly.

Tile Australians have repulsed thirteen desperate counter-attacks sinco Thursday, inflicting exceptionally heavy losses on the enemy. Ono attack was delivered from four directions simultaneously. On . one occasion a large party of Bodies emerged from a dugout and wcro blown up by another Bocho section who had been reduced to jumpiness by the Anzacs' pressure.

On another occasion the Anzacs swept a German trench, and found a couple of "minnenwerfers" and plenty of ammunition, which wcro effectively turned upon the enemy. They also took over 100 prisoners.

AUSTRALIANS' POSITION. SURROUNDED BY THE ENEMY. DEEP IN HINDENBURG'S FORTRESS. (Australian and N.Z, Cable Association.) (Received May 7th, 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. Tho "Morning Post" says:—"The Australian wedgo east of Bullecourt is an undoubtedly dangerous salient. They have Huns to the right, EDuns to the left, Huns behind them, and Huns in front of them, but they are stuck in the deep trenches and concrete dugouts of HSndenburg's fino new fortress, which they hope to transform into a kind of 'jigsaw' puzzle.

"When tho Australians attacked Bullecourt some detachments actually drove the enemy into the open country around lleincourt, but they had to be withdrawn in order to conform to the battle line,"

THE GERMAN REPORT. FRENCH SUCCESS ADMITTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Retitor's Telegrams.) (Received May 7th, 9 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. A wireless German official message states: — J'We repulsed strong English advances southward of Lens, on the Scarpe. and in the region of Queant. "A fruitless English attack on a three kilometre front between Villersplouich and Gonelieu suffered heavy looses. "The French artillery on the Aisne developed the greatest power yet recorded in preparations for renewed attaoks by fresh divisions, which were launched yesterday morning between tho Ailette and Craonne on a front of 35 kilometres.

"A hand-to-hand struggle continued until late at night, when the enemy was entirely repulsed. Wo occupy the northern slope of Chemin-des-Dames.

"The French occupy Chevreux and Winterburg Height, where the positions wore completely destroyed. We took several hundred French prisoners. "Attacks eastward of Lanenvillo and south-west of Mauroy were unsuccessful. ''The enemy lost fourteen aeroplanes." A LATER REPORT. (Received May 7th. 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 7. A wireless German official message states:— "Contrary to to-day's report, Chevreux remains oars."

THE ALLIES' PLANS. $ SMASHING THE GERMAN ARMY. WIPING OUT lIIXD EX BURG'S RESERVE. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) LONDON, May 0. A military export summarising the results of tile "Western offensive, states that it is not at the present timo a question of breaking through, but of smashing the German army. The plan of Sir Douglas Ilaig and General Nivelle is to wipe out the German reserve of one million rnen which Hindenburg massed for the groat German offensive in 1917. About half of these have already gone, and Hindenburg's plan is spoilt unexpectedly, as he is compel led_to use the reserve for defensive battles in France. Tho reserve represents Germany's last supplies of fit men obtainable from any source except youths and wounded men recovering. If tho present rate of wastage continues on the West front, Hindenburg's last reserve will be used up in a few weeks' timo. AISNE VALLEY DOMINATED. LAON THUEATJvN'ED. LONDON, May 6. Router's correspondent at Headquarters says the French success at Craonne assures them definite possession of the long rocky crest dominating the Aisno Valley, and makes another breach in the defences of Laon. He mentions that airmen flying at a great height see great numbers of German dead, which are quite a feature of the landscape. GERMAN ATTACKS REPULSED. ALL POSITIONS HELD. (Beuter'o TV.ojrrams.) j LONDON, May 6. Sir Douglas Haig reports as follows. "The enemy during the night in a sharp fisrht, unsuccessfully endeavoured to re-establish himself eastward of Le Verguier. "Wo successfully raided_ a front of 14 miles north of Gonnelieu. ''The enemy again determinedly attacked our positions on tho Hindenburg line eastward of Bullecourt, but were entirelv unsuccessful. "Our artillery stopped a renewal of the attack in the morning. "Wo captured a section of trcnch south of the Souchez river." GAINS MAINTAINED. NEARLY 6000 PRISONERS. The High Commissioner reports:~ LONDON, May 6th (4.5 p.m.). The French official report says: "North-east of Soissons, thp Germans during tho night made numerous heavy counter-attacks on the positions captured by us yesterday. "The fighting was specially desperate in tho rcsion of Lafflanx, north of the farm Froiil Mont, north of Braye-en-Laonnois, and north of Cerny. "Everywhere the efforts of tho enemy were broken, the -waves of tho assault were expelled by our fire or bayonet, and wo wholly maintained our gains. "The German sanguinary losses in the combats of yesterday, as "well as in tho counter-attacks of last night, aro confirmed. "The prisoners hitherto counted roach 5800, including 150 officers. "Wo also captured seven cannon, including several .heavy guns."