THE FRENCH ARE SATISFIED

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 15, 17 July 1918, Page 7

THE FRENCH ARE SATISFIED

'TWO MAI ATTACKS ENEMY SUFFERS HEAVY LOSSES {BS TELEGRAPH.—WNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPSBIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND C.ABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received July 17, 11 a.m.) LONDON, 16th July. 2.35 p.m. The offensive remains held. The attacks ware nearly everywhere repulsed, with the heaviest losses. East of Reims the front-line entanglements were covered with German corpses. Two enemy attacks were made with tanks at Souain and Prunay. At Prunay a wood was captured; elsewhere the enemy was repulsed, and the line of resistance one or two miles behind the front trenches is everywhere intact. The French are satisfied. TKe armies of Yon Below and Yon Boehra are continuing their assaults. There are indications that this was intended to be the grand offensive, and not a diversion. Thirty divisions have been identified, mostly from Prince Eupprecht's army. There are two main attacks west of Reims—one down the Marhe and the other south of Dormans. The enemy threw six bridges across the Marne between Dormans and Reuilly. A captured aeroplane map shows that the main attack was down the Marne to Epernay. The Australian Press Association correspondent learns that the Germans started an offensive on a big scale against the French early in the morning on a thirty-mile front, between Chateau Thierry and a point four miles south-west of Reims. They penetrated a distance of five thousand yards, , and captured Chezy, their line of advance being along the Marne Valley. They took Bouquigny, which is three thousand yards beyond the original French lines, also Orcourt and Chaumezy. The Germans east of Reims attacked on a twenty-five mile front, between Prunay and Maison de Champagne, but were brought to a standstill in the French battle positions, where the situation seems satisfactory, although it is believed the enemy penetrated Prunay. • \ : The New Zealand High Commissioner reports :— ■ LONDON, 16th July, 1.30 p.m. A French official report states: The Germans are- everywhere held. There has been intense fighting, with heavy enemy losses. The attack was not. enewed last night. ' ■ (reuter's telegram.) LONDON, 15th July, 11.45 p.m. The Germans have penetrated to a depth of five thousand yards west of Reims, and captured Chezy, south of Chateau Thierry. They have also captured Orcourt and Chaumezy. An attack east of Reims was stopped in the French back positions after the capture of Prunay. The situation there is satisfactory. The total length of front attacked is fifty-five miles. Probably sixty German divisions are engaged. (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 16th July, 1.30 a.m. Mr. Bonar Law, in the House of Commons, announced that Mr. Lloyd George was in telephonic communication with General Foch, and had learnt that General Foch was well satisfied with the results of Monday's fighting. ■ The Germans attacked on fifty miles of front, and penetrated west of Reims to an average depth of about three miles. The Americans, south of the Marne, by a brilliant counter-attack, drove the enemy back, taking 1000 prisoners. The enemy had- been completely che.cked east of Reims. AMERICAN SUCCESSES '(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) , (Received July 17, 8.30 a.m.) ) LONDON, 16th July. The German attacks on the Marne continue ineffectively. The Americans recaptured Fossoy and Chezancy (? Chaumezy), south of the Marne. (Received July 17, 10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, 16th July. The Americans drove the Germans across the Marne in the Fossoy region.