COUNTER-ATTACKS BY BRITISH AND FRENCH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 165, 2 April 1918, Page 5

COUNTER-ATTACKS BY BRITISH AND FRENCH

MOREUIL RECAPTURED BY BRILLIANT DASH AMERICAN REINFORCEMENTS MARCHING FORWARD THE KING VISITS THE FRONT The British Prime Minister has addressed an appeal to the people of New Zealand to increase the strength of their reinforcemont drafts. He declares that the struggle is only in its opening stages, and that .before the campaign is finished tie last man may count. : The same appeal is being addressed to tlio other oversea Dominions, and comprehensive measures are about to bo taken in Great Britain, by ! raising the age limit and in other ways, to augment existing reserves. Although a comparative lull is reported on the northern section of the battlefiont in France, the struggle is being continued with, unabated violence south of the Somme. The Allies have brilliantly countered and repelled formidable en,emy thrusts in this region, but a fluctuating battle is still in progress. Interesting accounts aro given of the King's visit to the battle zone. The British army in Italy has removed from the Montello Ihills to the Asiago Plateau, an area in' which the enemy strove desperately in his last • off ensive to'break through the Italian front and gain a footing .on the Venetian plain betindi the Piave line. . ENEMY'S ATTACKS THROWN BACK MAKE PROGRESS AT DIFFERENT POINTS GERMAN CASUALTIES EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY . By TeleKrapli-Press Aesociation-Copsri'elit _. _ ' London, March 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "North of, the Somme, after a short lull yesterday, the battle broke out afresh this morning, The enemy repeated his costly and unsuccessful assaults in the region of Boiry and Boyelles and immediately north of the Somme, all of which, though delivered with fresh ( troops in considerable strength, were thrown back with heavy losses. Our positions aro intact, and we took a number of prisoners. Heavy shelling of the defence line east of Arras accompanied the above attacks. South of the Somme and the Avre, fighting continued incessantly, attacks and counter- • attacks occurring at frequent intervals. The enemy forced his way to Demuih' this morning, but is held up in tho western outskirts of the village." A'later report states: "A vigorous counter-attack restored our line in the Luce Valley. We repulsed heavily ,two attacks on our front from Marcelcave to the Somme. The enemy's infantry attack yesterday immediately to the north of the Somme was delivered in four waves, and was repulsed at all points by our outpost line. • The enemy's casualties here are estimated in thousands. We carried out local operations in the neighbourhood of Serre, advancing our line a short distance. We also advanced our line slightly elsewhere and took prisoners. The hostile artillery was active last evening in tho neighbourhood of Bocquoy."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. April 1, 9 p.m.) „:■"_■■,'./ London, March 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—"The enemy has not renewed his attacks northward of the Somme since Sunday, but there has been heavy hostile shelling on different parts of this front. Local fighting secured us a few prisoners and machine-guns. 'A hostile attack developed in considerable force at midday southward of the Peronne-Amiens Road. The fighting has continued in and between the valleys of the Luce and the Avre for the possession of tactical features, woods, and villages."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. / BRITISH AEROPLANES CONCENTRATE SOUTH OF THE SOMME '•HEAVY FIGHTING BETWEEN LOW : FLYING MACHINES. London, March 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Our aeroplanes concentrated yesterday on the battlefront southward of the Somme, where large columns of the enemy were advancing, and dropped on them many bombs, besides firing thousands of rounds. Tnere was a good deal of air-fighting, and the enemy's low-fliers were particularly active. We dropped twelve tons of bombs on Bapaume and - on the roads in the vicinity, also on roads and villages eastward of Arras, direotly hitting dumps, transport, and railway lines."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Reuter. (Rec. April 1, 9 p.m.) London, March 31. Sir Douglas Haig reports-.—"The weather completely broke at midday on Saturday, but despite the driving rain our pilots have continued to participate in the battle south of the Somme, bombing and firing their machineguns until a late hour. There has been heavy air fighting between lowflying machines. We brought down twelve German machines and drove . down three others. Our anti-aircraft guns shot down two. Fivo of our ■ machines are missing."—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. COUNTER-ATTACKS REGAIN GROUND MOREUIL RECAPTURED BY BRILLIANT OPERATION. (Rec. April 1, 9 p.m.) on. -m nax *j. ,« , , London, March 31. Ihe War Office states:—"The day has been quiet north of the Somme. 'Immediately south of the Scarpa our line has been advanced eastward of . I'enchy. It is confirmed that the enemy's losses in yesterday's fruitless . attacks were heavy. Our successful counter-attacks south of the Somme on Saturday regained Demuin. The Canadian cavalry and tho British infantry, in conjunction with tho French, carried out a brilliant operation on Saturday, recapturing Moreuil and tho wood to tho north. A heavy German attack developed this afternoon in the angle between the Rivers Luce and !Avre, and fighting continues. The Germans are attacking southward of Moreuil, in the direction of Tilly and Rameval. The French this morning had progressed from south of Montdidier to Lassigny, retaking several villages 'lost on Saturday."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORTS FURIOUS ASSAULTS STOPPED THE ENEMY LOSSES EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY •i -n t. • l , m, , . London, March 31. A French communique states: "The battle begun on the Morouil-L'is signy front continued through the entire day with increasing violence and extends over a front of sixty kilometres (nearly forty miles). The Germans' in spite of their enormous losses, multiplied their assaults, but incessant 'French counter-attacks everywhere stopped their furious thrust. The region of Orvillers, Leplemont, and Plessis do Roye was especially tho soeno of desperate fights, the villages changing hands several times. Two German divisions gained a footing in Leplemont and Plessis do Roye, but were swept out by a magnificent counter-attack, which restored the line. The attacking masses at certain points were caught by terriblo artillery fire, and retired in disorder leaving the ground covered with corpses. The enemy losses excoed those of preceding days."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter. (Rec. April 1, 9 p.m.) London, March 31. A French communiquo states: The fights which continued last evening with tho same violence confirmed the check to the enemy's formidable attempt xo break through between Montdidier and Moreuil. Our infantry fire mowed down the enomy battalions, which roturned incessantly to tho assault. Moreuil was taken by the Germans, retaken by us, lost again, and finally captured by a bayonot chargo by French and British fighting side by eido i'n the same ranks. Tho woods north of Moreuil wero also wrested from the enemy after ficrco fighting, in which wo took numerous prisoners. The check to the enemy between Moreuil and Lassigny is complete. We succeeded in progressing to the approaches to Cannysurmats. A picked division which retook Leplwont and retained it against all assaults took 700 prisoners.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter.