FRESH THRUST AT THE HILL CHAIN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 194, 6 May 1918, Page 5

FRESH THRUST AT THE HILL CHAIN

INTENSE PRELIMINARY SHELLING UNCEASING AND PITILESS RAIDS BY THE AIRMEN By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright. London, May 3, 12.35 p.m. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "There was local fighting, in which wo had the edvantago, oni Thursday night in the neighbourhood of Villers Bretonneux. We carried out successful raids to tho south of Arras and east of St. Venant, capturing prisoners. There was reciprocal artillery activity at night between Givenchy and the Nieppe Forest, and In tho neighbourhood of Locre and to the south ot Ypres."—Aus.-N.Z. .Cable Assn.-Router. (Bee. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, May 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "Acting in co-operation with tho French, we took prisoners in local fighting southward of Villers Bretonneux. Tho enemy's artillery is active north of Albert. Wo slightly improved our position north-east of Hinges, capturing two maohine-guns. Tho French secured, prisoners in successful local operations on the Locre sector. "Tho enemy's artillery on tho morning of May 4 opened an intense bombardment on the 'French and British positions from the neighbourhood of Locre to south of Ypres, and has shown great activity on the Nieppe Forest and Mien sectors. Severe Air Fighting. "In spite of a haze on May 2, we dropped 3J tons of bombs on Bapaume and other targets. • During severe air fighting we brought down fourteen of the enemy's machines, and drove down four others which had been put out of control. Five of our machines are missing. Our night fliers dropped 51 tons of bombs 1 on Chaulnes and Junville railway junctions, Bapaume, i>nd Caix, and also dropped three heavy bombs from a low- height on tho lock gates at Zeebruggo. We successfully raided, on May 3, the enemy's railway station sidings at ThionTille, and agam hit the Carlshntte works. We observed bursts at the station sidings and the gasworks. All our machines returned."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.Eeuter. (Eec. May 5, 11 p.m.) London, May 4. Sir Douglas Haig reports: "The enemy's bombardment on the morning of May i' south and sonth-west of Ypres was vigorously returned by the British and Trench artillery. No attacks developed. Infantry fighting was confined to local engagements at different points. In successful minor operations carried out on tho night of May 3 on the Hinges seotor wo took forty prisoners. We completely repulsed an attempted local attiok under cover of a heavy artillery barrage early on the morning of May i south of Locon. The French made progress on the Locre sector, taking fifty prisoners. Tho British on the right of the French also made progress in the neighbourhood of Meteren."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. (Eec. May 5, 11 p.m.) London, May 5. Sir Douglas Half's aviation report 6tates: "Good visibility on May 3 assisted the co-operation of our aeroplanes with the artillery. Bombing was carried out with the utmost vigour. Over twenty tons of bombs were dropped on Chaulnes, Tournai, and La Bassee railway stations, and on Estaires, Marcelcave, Menin, Comines, and Middlekerke. There was fierce aerial fighting all day. Wo brought down. twenty-eight German machines, and drove down five others, while our anti-aircraft guns shot down three within our lines. Eleven of our machines are missing. Our night fliers, despite the mist and bad weather, dropped two tons of bombs on Chaulnes and Junville railway stations. All our machines returned."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. TREMENDOUS GUNFIRE IN THE LYS REGION London, May 3. Eeutor's correspondent at British Headquarters states that tho Germanshavo not renewed their efforts to advance in Flanders or on the Somme, and their objective time-tables indicate that they are finding their task much heavier than they anticipated. On Thursday night there was much bombing activity on both sides, and our airmen inflicted heavy casualties. The Australians carried out a successful minor operation at Villers Bretonneux, while the Canadians mopped up a 6trong post further north. Tho British rushed u machine-gun emplacement and cleared it out. A tremendous crescendo of gunfire broke out this morning, apparently in tho Lys region.—Eouter. ATTACK ON THE HILL CHAIN A HURRICANE BOMBARDMENT. (Eeo. May 5, 11 p.m.) London, May 5. Beuter's correspondent at British Headquarters, writing on May 4, says:— "There are unmistakable signs that the enemy is resuming his effort in force on the hill chain west of Kemmel. Last night he opened a tremendous bombardment of Scherpenberg Hill and the neighbourhood of Mont Kouge, lasting a considerable time. A crushing hurricane bombardment upon tho Anglo-French lines from north of La Clytte to tho south of Mont Rouge was' resumed this morning, and half an hour later tho French were sending up tho "5.0.5." signal. No details are at present available."—Eeuter. AUSTRALIAN ADVANCE AT VILLERS BRETONNEUX (Bee. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, May ■(. The Australians were completely successful in their operation, and havo further advanced at Villers Bretonneux—United Service. BAYONET FIGHTING ON THE AMERICAN FRONT HEAVY GERMAN ATTACKS HEPULSED. New York, Mav 3. American correspondents on the West front state that the American troops repulsed heavy attacks in. the vicinity of Villers Bretonneux. Tho Germans charged with the bayonet, following an intense bombardment—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. ON THE FRENCH FRONT (Eec. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) ■ , • , London, May 1. A French official communique states: I here is fairly great reciprocal artillery activity north and south of tho Avre and on the right bank of tho Mouse. Our artillery dispersed tho enemy's concentrations south ol Villers Bretonneux and towards Cassel'. "During May 2 eight of the enemy's aeroplanes were brought down, wbilo twelve others were compelled to descend behind their own lines. Twenty-seven thousand kilogrammes of projectiles (roughly, 27 tons) were dropped on the enemy's stations, bivouacs, and cantonments at Ham, Nesle, Roye, Chaulnes, St. Quentin, and Jussy, Eight thousand kilogrammos of bombs (about 8 tons) wore dropped on the enemy's establishments at Rethnel and on tho railway station at A6feld-la-Ville."-Auß.-N.Z, Cable Aesn.-Bentor.

.'Rec. May G, 1.10 a.m.) London, May 5. A French communique states: "There were no infantry actions during tho clay. An Artillery duel is in progress north and south of tho Avre, and on tho Upper and Lower Ailetto."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-liiuter. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT (Rcc. May 6, 1.10 a.m.) London, May 5. A German official report stutos: "French counter-attacks at Kemmel and Bailleul failed with very heavy losses."~Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Koulor. THE OPERATIONS REVIEWED "HIGH MILITARY AUTHORITY'S" WEEKLY COMMENT. (Roc. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, May 3. A "High Military Authority" state?: "The German effort to outflank our lino of heights with a view to cutting off tho troops in tho Ypres salient failed after great loss to the enemy, though lie gained some ground at the cross-roads in the Neuvo Bglise region. Summing up t'm enemy's gains, these consisted of from H to two miles along a seven-mile front. It might bo considered that he holds Kemmel fairly securely. Tho capture of Kemmel gives him rooro elbow-room. He has securely established his right Hank from Kemmel to Wytschaeto. This is all on his credit side, while on the debit side ho has failed in his main objectto capture the chain of heights—and used up five fresh, divisions of his general ' reserve, in addition to seven or eight other divisions. Although tho enemy gained a tactical result, he did not gain a single strategical aim. The effect of the fighting on the north front has been to materially redtico tho number of divisions which the Germans have to put into tho fight. It is true that a number of tired divisions are now recovering, and will bo ablo to participate in future attacks. It is quite plain that if the enemy continues his offensive in the north he must impair his chances if ho resumes his offensive on the Somme front. Tho main German aim is still to separate tho English and Trench in the south, and the problem before the German General Staff, therefore, is a very difficult one. The German statement that the Australians have been i.sked to take a greater share of the fighting than the English in the present battle is untrue. Tho Australians maintained their high reputation. Ono cannot give them higher praise than that." Ho pays a tribute to tfieir gallant work at Villers Bretonneux. "Of tho thirty-one English divisions engaged, each division lost more heavily than tho whole of tho Australian divisions together. General Foch congratulated Sir Harry Eawlinson on his magnificent defence on the Villers Brotonneux-Hangard front, and described it as a most masterly series of operations." The "High Authority" also refuted tho German allegation that tho French were pulling the chestnuts out of tho fire. "It was known that neither the French nor tho British could hold their own by themselves, and it therefore was arranged that each should como to tho other's assistance. The left wing had to bear tho brunt, according to the plan, and thus enable tho Allies to conserve their reserves. Tho Germans also accused us of using hollow-nosed bullets, tho heads of which wero filled with paper. None of tho bullets was hollow-nosed, though paper pulp was being used in placo of aluminium in tho core. There is no foundation for the statement. General von Mackenson has arrived on tho Western front with six hundred thousand men. Ho is tho bogey who was to appear to deliver tho coup-de-grace, but ho has not appeared."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. WHITTLING' DOWN THEIR VAUNTED PROGRAMME GERMAN PEOPLE WARNED NOT TO EXPECT TOO MUCH. London, May 3. It is noteworthy, with the lull in tho fighting sinco (lie German defeat, that all the German talk about tho "Kaiser's battle" has vanished. German experts and newspapers aro now instructed to warn, the people that no now Sedan is possible, that Ypres is very strong and tho British stubborn, and that, after all, Ypres is of no importance for tho Gormans. They declare that tho Gernian Command may decide not to tako Yprcs.-Eculer. HEAVY FIGHTING ALL SUMMER New York, May 3. A high Allied official, in an interview with the Washington correspondent of the New York "Times," said that the German offensive was expected to last all summer. The American public should be warned that a check to the Germans in Flanders would not prevent them continuing their attempt to break through. Moro American troops are going to Franco in May than in April. Brigading them with tho French and British makes it possiblo to fend five times as many na would otherwise bo possiblo within a given time—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SITTING OF THE WAR COUNCIL "GENERAL FOCH IS OPTIMISTIC." (Rec. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) London, May L The Press Bureau' states that Mr. Lloyd George (Prime Minister) and Lord Milner (Minister of War) havo returned from France, where they attonded meetings of tho Fifth Session of the Supremo War Council. The meetings were also attended by M. Clemenceau (France), Signor Orlando (Italy), and tho Allies' naval and military advisers, including Generals Foch, Haig, Pershing, and Potain. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reutcr. M. CLEMENCEAU INTERVIEWED. (Rec. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, Mav i. M. Clemenceau (the French Premier), questioned regarding tho results of the Inter-Allied Council, expressed satisfaction at tho situation on tho front, adding: "General Foch is optimistic. That is n.ll I can say."—Router. GENERAL FOCH'S COMMAND EXTENDED. (Rec. May 5, 5.5 p.m.) Washington, May L Reports from France say that as the result of tho Inter-Allied War Council General Foch will command the Allied armies from tho North Sea to tho Adri-atic—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.