"WE ARE ALL RIGHT."

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16205, 7 May 1918, Page 7

"WE ARE ALL RIGHT."

THE GREAT OFFENSIVE. BRITISH ACTIVITIES. SEVERAL LOCAL SUCCESSES. (Bv Cable. —Preea Association. —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Reuter's TclcgTams.) LONDON, May 5 (12.30 p.m.). Sir Douglas Haig reports:— "We have improved our line in tho neighbourhood of Sailly-le-Sec and eastward of Hebuterno. Wo repulsed an attack on our new positions. "North-eastward of Hinges our lino is intact. "We successfully raided the Nieppe Forest sector. "Artillery on both sides is active on the Lys battle-front." (Received May Gth, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— "The French took a number of prisoners during local night fighting in the neighbourhood of Locre. "To-day there was artillery activity and local encounters at different points." (Received May 7th, 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 6. Sir Douglas" Haig's aviation report states:— "Tho mist yesterday cleared slightly, and during the afternoon our aviators dropped nine tons of bombs on Chaulnes and tho railway at Estaires. Thero was littlo air fighting. We brought down ono machine and drove down four uncontrolled. Two of ours are missing. Two which wero previously reported missing hav© returned. Despite the continuance of unfavourable weather during the night, our night fliers dropped over three tons of bombs on Chaulnes and Bapaume." THE FRENCH FRONT. ! (Australian and N".& Cablo Association.) j (Router'b Telegrams.) PARIS. May o. A French communique reports:— "Thero is reciprocal artillery activity north and south of tho Ancre, and also in'the Donsumont-Flircy sector." (Received May 7th, 12.30 a.lri.) LONDON, May .G. A French communiquo states:— "There is intermittent reciprocal artillery activity north and south of the Avre. - "Eleven Gorman aeroplanes were brought down on Friday and Saturday, and 23 others were forced to descend behind their own lines. "Our machines dropped 28,000 kilogrammes projectiles on railway stations, depots, and cantonments in Ham, Chaulnes, Jussy, Poronne, and St. Quentin." WHAT THE GERMANS SAY. (Australian and Cablo Association.) (Renter's Telegrams.) Admiralty per Wirelees Prese. (Received May 7th, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. A German official report states:— "After a strong firing preparation French divisions attacked at Kcnunel and near Bailleul, but were heavily repulsed. We took over 300 prisoners. "Our fire prevented the development of an« English attack west of Bailleul. "Strong English thrusts south of Hebuterne failed. "Reciprocal artillery fir© revived in tho evening on both sides of the Sommc, especially at Villers-Bretonneux, and on the west bank of the Arre."

I THE ARMY'S MESSAGE. (Beuter's Telegrams.) LONDON, May o. Mr Lloyd George, interviewed by a Reuter representative, was asked his impressions of his visit to tho armios. He said: — "1 saw General Foch, Sir Douglas Haig, Generals Petain, Pershing, Byng, R-awlmson, and other officers of tiio Higher Command. They are all very confident. I also saw a very largo number of regimental officers and soldiers who had actually been in the fightingline during tho last six weeks' very strenuous work. Their confidence also was amazing. I met no pacifists and no pessimists among themi They could not in the least understand the wrangles in certain quarters in England, which, seemed to proceed on the assumption that they had been defeated, and that tho only question of importance was who was to blame. Apart from the mishap of the first few days, which they all recognised, they were confident that they wore the winnors, and were inflicting great losses on the enemy. 'When tho enemy get ground,' the generals said, 'wo make them pay an. enor- . mous price. In these offensives you . can always buy land if you are prepared I to pay the purchase price. But the cost for the Germans is great, and is in- J creasing.' Our generals," Mr Lloyd ! George continued, "are certain that tho J Germans will soon be sorry that they j committed themselves to theso attacks, ! even if they are not already so." That was the general feeling which the Prime Minister found among the men in all ranks of the British and French armies. Asked about the American Army, the Prime Minister said that a good number were already there, and many more would pour in steadily during May. Tho French, who saw their fighting lower j down the line, said that thev were first- j class fighting material, full of courage j and resource, and very keen. Tho Germans had rendered at least two great services to the Allied cause. They had accelerated the advent of the American troops, and made unity of command at last a reality. The French and British were fighting in close comradeship, each with & full appreciation of the qualities . of the other. 1

THE ARMY'S MESSAGE TO BRITAIN. CONTINUED LULL ON WEST FRONT. 4th YEAR—275th DAY.

"The message 1 bring from tho British Army to the people at Home is: •Be of good cheer. We are all right.' " CORRESPONDENTS REVIEW SITUATION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received May 7th, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, May 6. Mr Pereival Phillips writes: — "Our harassing fire npon the German trenches and communications duHngthe past three days has had the desired effect. Wherever the enemy infantry or guns assembled tho British guns punished them terribly, and movement has been impossible. An annihilating bombardment of tho German forward area continues day and night, pounding tho reliefs coming up to take over tho broken trenches from tho remnants of the exhausted divisions. Th© reliefs thus arrive at their destination greatly weakened an- demoralised. Prisoners .iu;u;t that the reliefs often lost their Avay, and drifted helplessly over tho wide area, unable to locate their units. "Every day's delay adds to the enemy's loss and difficulties. . We have not any illusions' about the German plans. Despite their enormous casualties they must try to take tho chain of hills behind Kemmel. lam convinced that their plans would have already materialised but for the British gunners. "Rain has also added to the difficulties of the offensive, working havoc in the roads and fields in waterlogged Flanders. It will tako a long period of steady sunshine to stiffen the crust enough to bear infantry and guns. The 4tli German Army is now inhabiting broad patches of impassiblo ground, where streams have overflowed their shallow banks ftnd which have now become lagoons.- Tho Germans' present front lino around Ypres and Scherpenberg is a living bog. British forays keep the enemy in a stato of tension." (Keuter'a Telegrams.) (Received May 6th, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. Reuter's corresponudent at .British Headquarters states.:— "Some disorganisation is indicated among the enemy troops, who are being hindered by heavy rains.

"Tho French and British in tho courso of a successful operation between Locre and Droucourt advanced their positions on a thousand yards front to an averago depth of 500 yards.

"Wd drove tho enemy from two ruined farms, and took some high ground near Koudekot. Tho French, continuing the operation on our flank, carried some strongly-held buildings' in the Neighbouring sectors."

"All tho enemy's counter efforts have been broken up with considerable loss. These local sucoesses are of distinct tactical value, strengthening our defences of the approach to ocherpenberg and Mont Rouge.

"There is little doubt that th© new German tanks are proving a disappointment and developing various defects. In actual service their v ponderous weight makes manoeuvring in bad ground difficult. The German tan Ira generally are much inferior to ours." THE STH ARMY'S GALLANTRY. (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Received May 7th, 1.20 a.m.) LONDON, May 6. Tho Lord Mayor of Belfast has recoived a letter from General Gough, in which h© pays a tribute to the most gallant conduct of the Ulster division in stemming an immense German attack on March 21st. The main feature of tho situation, to which the whole of the 6th Army was exposed, is shown by the odds against them, 14 infantry divisions fighting 40 German divisions. On March 21st tho Germans wero reinforced by from eight to ten more divisions, and on March 22nd and 23th the otli Army'B splendid tenacity saved the British .Empire and France by permitting the arrival of reserves.

SIDELIGHTS ON THE OFFENSIVE. (Reuler'4 Telegrams.) WASHINGTON May 5. Cables to the British War estimate that the British casualties since March 21st number a quarter of a million, and the German casualties half a million. Everything points to an almost immediate resumption of the German offensive. Messages admit that owine to the severity of the fightinjg, the entire combatant force of the British Army has been almost continuously engaged since the opening of the offensive, and urgo the serious necessity of providing sufficient reserves to strengthen the lines and relieve the Britisf Hai'rr'« 1C f OUS 01,10 doingß of Sir Douglas thnfliff related, indicating npr rani cl i r ' s,ons have sustained 80 Sting ° asua,tles > ar© still The Mission states that 2000 000 were brought to a 'halt hw slightly over half amilliS by e renc h authorities the (Australian and *.Z. Cable Aviation.) knoUed repo f rted that £vo -nge toneofthe G*™** long? fvLi— Urcq ' Stroller of the the L«t3 SS,on ' c con , firms the news of estruction of a long-rango gun. P re f n .t \hon a French battery, after repeated shots, scored a bull'sThe Germans bombed and destroyed Rockefeller s Hospital at Compeigne, oonducted by the famous American surgeon, Dr. Carrel.

SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN RAID. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK. May 5. Tlie American Army in France, facing the German lines south of Balloville, in tho Lorraine sector, mndo a raid on a GOO yards front. Tho American troops penetrated tho enemy's third line, and the American artillery levelled tho German positions. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Mav 6th, 1.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, April G. American Headquarters reports that tho Germans are using a now liquefied gas, contained in bottles. When tho latter burst thick white fumes arise, causing nausea, sneezing, and coughing, but apparently tho gas is not fatal.