WESTERN THEATRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 April 1918, Page 5

WESTERN THEATRE

TERRIFIC GUNFIRE. ANOTHER ATTACK .IMMINENT. LONDON, £pril 8. Mr. Phillip Gibbs reports that terrific gunfire has broken out, which suggests that another great battle is beginning. The enemy is bombarding south of. the Somme . and. elsewhere, doubtless preparatory to another phase of the' German offensive, wherein they may again attempt to drive a wedge between the French and British. The Germans have large concentrations, astride of the Somme, and still continue to bring up guns. Simultaneously they are demonstrating further north by heavy shell fire in the region of Arras and further north at Armentieres and" the La Bassee Canal, where many gas sheila were fired last night. Mr. Gibbs adds: There is a. possibility that they might again attempt to turn our defences at Arras, while simultaneously striking hard for ,Amiens, and hoping by their success •south of the Somme to make our positions untenable from Albert and above the Ancre Valley. ARTILLERY DUEL. GERMAN GUNS SMOTHERED. LONDON April 8. .' A British Headquarters report on. the evening of? the Bth states that the heavy bombardment, mentioned earlier, died down after one hour, apparently being smothered by the violence of our reply. Wet, cold and dreary weather has commenced. It is said that the weather during this offensive is the first bit of luck that has gone against the Germans. ANOTHER LULL. GERMANS EXHAUSTED. LONDON Spr.il 8. Mr. Peroival Phillips states that there is another lull. The enemy failed to get further re. s-ulta after two days' hard driving, therefore he allowed his disheartened troops to remain the past three days resting in trenches they created in their new wandering line. It can be a pause before a still greater attack. The, great German guns are coniino- up already and are registering tor the next intensive bombardment. There was a sudden burst of artillery activity this morning and many gas shells were thrown from Arras and Albert; but infantry have not yet left cover. . , • We can afford to contemplate the enemy's latest efforts with the satisfaction that we held the attacke well, even on our advanced hue in some places.

ENEMY SUCCESSES

A GERMAN REPORT

LONDON. April 9. A wireless German official message stales- Our troops are advancing on ZlaZn border of Conchy Wood aid vL They■■termed posxSns northwest of Foiembraylbg then advanced as far as Verneuil, and took 2000 prisoners. VIOLENT ARTILLERY ACTION. A FRENCH REPORT. Hiu.tra.lan and LONDON, April 8A French communique reports : The ni ,ht was marked by violent artdlery actions, notably on the left, bank of the Oise. THE TSTOEST TO COME. LLOYD GEORGE'S OPINION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received this day at 9.35 a.m. LONDON, April 9. Mr Lloyd GeoTge said that the hnrricane," was not yethpver. lne most critical period ft? coming;.

ance of the coming- German assaults. He announced that it was impossible to omit Ireland from conscription in view of the emergency. The Irish Convention report had bee nadopted only by a majority. Therefore the Government was obliged t otake the responsibility of settling" Home Rule. Mr Lloyd George said that the Turkish armies in Palestine and Mesopotamia had been destroyed. GREAT ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. HEAVY HOSTILE SHELLING iAu«tr»lian and N.Z. Cable AMoplatlon.l Received this day at 9.35 a.m. LONDON, April 9. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Thiik enemy's artillery early this morning developed great activity at La Bassee Canal to the southwards of Armentieres. There was heavy hostile shelling in the neighbourhoods of Villers, Bartonneux, Mericourt and L'Abbe,. HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE. NO ATTACKS DEVELOP. \ fAustralian and N.Z. Cable Association.! Received at 10.30 a.m. British Official: There is a Ger--nian bombardment on the British front to which we are replying with equal violence. It is believed that an attack Avill be organised to follow this tremendous shelling, but whether on account of our retaliatory barrage or because of the thick weather, no infantry attack has developed. HEAVY CASUALTIES. A GERMAN ADMISSION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received at'10.35 a.m. ROME, April 9. The German newspapers admit that the casualties were heavier than in any previous lighting. BRITISH ARTILLERY EFFECTIVE. ENEMY ATTACKS STOPPED. ("Tho Times" Cable.) Received at 11.33" p.m. LONDON, April 9. Mr. Robinson states: Our guns were particularly effective during the last few days: around Albert. Avelny, and Arfette. At least three times we slopped the enemy attempting a massed attack, breaking up formations. ; . I bear that two thousand British; prisoners have been forced to work on the railways within s?x miles of the German front and exposed to artillery risks. (The cable news : .3 this issue accredited to "The Timts" has appeared in that journal, but only where expressly biated is Mich news the editorial opinion of "The Times.") ENEMY PRESSURE CONTINUES. FRENCH FORCED BACK. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received at 11.25 p.m. LONDON, April 9A French communique gays: Enemy pressure continues north of the." Cailette region and in the Lower Couehy Forest. Our advanced elements resisted and delayed the advance of the enemy, who were very (superior numerically, inflicting very heavy 'losses 1 . There was reciprocal lively artillery activity on the Somnie front and between Monfdidier and Novon. A wireless German official message states : We drove out the enemy from strong positions on the heights eastward "of Couov le Chateau. GERMAN OPERATIONSHAMPERED BY RAIN. * [Australian and N.Z. eablt Attoelatl»n«' Received this dav at 10.50 a.m. LONDON, April 9. The United Press correspondent ' states: Intermittent fog's and rain ! are impeding German transport • and delavinff- the resumption of

ATTACK ON LA BASSEE. . BATTLE IN PROGRESS. ° I <UUlkiu<« aa LI • a. aUSUUXaXIO*. Received this day at 10.20 a.mLONDON, April 9, 4.25 a.m. A, German attack on La Bassee Canal in the direction of Fleurbaix is developing-. GERMAN ATTACK RENEWED FRENCH LINE WITHDRAWN. {/.nSTKAUAM and v.z. OABLW AMOCIATIOB.} Received this day at 11.5 a.m. PARIS, April 9. Semi-official.—The renewal of the attack on a vast front must he expected. Yesterday on the Oise and Ailette we withdrew in order to reduce the salient, and after fulfilling- our mission of holding- the enemy while the French main body took up ne,w positions.

The Germans are attempting to represent this simple operation as jx great German attack, perhaps hoping to attract some of our reserves here to ease the Somme front, which is still their main obiective.

The enemy is employing l French ■prisoners three kilometres behind the firing line. AERIAL WARFARE. ' ENEMY POSITIONS BOMBED. DOUA'I AND BAPAUME ATTACKED. LONDON, April 9. ** Sir Douglas Haig’s aviation report states: Our low-fliers dropped ten tons of bombs and fired many rounds on hostile troops and transport. We brought down eight enemy machines and drove down nine. Four of ours are missing. Our night-fliers dropped' 5 J tons of bombs on Douai and the railway at Bapaume.

ZEPPELIN DESTROYED. BY BRITISH WARSHIP. TEeuter'e Telegram.] Received this day at 9.35 a.iu. LONDON, April 9. A telegram from Stavanger reports that a British warship destroyed a Zeppelin off Jaederen.

RAID ON COLOGNE. MANY CASUALTIES [Beutcr'e Telegram.]

Received this day at 11.5 a.m. BASLE, April T). A Basle telegram' states that 248 were killed in the British air raid on Cologne. Half the, victime were soldiers in a troop train ready to start for the West front. The raid caused the greatest panic.

RUSSIA. BRITISH FORCES. LAND AT VLADIVOSTOK. LONDON, April 8. The landing of British forces at VladivQstock is officially confirmed. THE JAPANESE LANDED. THE REASONSfcSTATED. TOKIO, April 8. It is stated that the Japanese landing at Vladivostok was inevitable, owing to the repeated brutal attacks on the Japanese by the so-called Bolsheviks, though some of the perpetrators are German prisoners.

STATE OF WAR IN SIBERIA. JAPANESE TO BE ATTACKED. PETROGRAD, ApriJ, 8. The Government has proclaimed a state of war throughout Siberia and has ordered the Siberian Soviets to organise detachments of Red Guards to°resist the Japanese. The Moscow Commissary of Foreign Affairs has formally protested to the Allied representatives against the landing at Vladivostock, and deinandivm- the immediate withdrawal of all forces. The Allies' reply characterised the landing as purely a local affair and due to local complications, which will soon Be settled. ■ soviets"lgnored. JAPANESE PROCLAMATION. (Australian and N.Z. Catle Association.)

Received this day at 9.05 a.m. LONDON, April 9. The "Daily News" Petrograd correspondent says: The first act of the Japanese at Vladivostok was to proclaim that they do not recognise the Soviets. The privileged classes in Vladivostok are openly rejoicing- at the landing as the 'beginning of the end of the Soviet powerJapanese action makes friendly Allied eo-operation with the Soviets impossible, particularly at Murmansk railway, where the Allies arc assisting the Soviets to prevent the White Finns seizing the coast, which would allow the Germans to establish a submarine base preventing Archangel traffic. THE EX-TSAIT REMOVED. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE EAR EAST. (Australian and H.Z. Cania Aiioelatlon.} Received this day at 9.35 a.m. PETROGRAD, April 9. In view of Ear Eastern events, the Bolsheviks have decided to remove the ex-Tsar and family from Tobolsk.

RUSSIAN PROTEST

GERMAN COUNTER DEMAND llleuter'a Telegram.] Received this day at 9.35 a-m. PETROGRAD, April 9. In response to a Russian prote t against the German landing in Finland, Germany demanded that the Russian Baltic fleet leave Finnish waters by the 12th. The Council of Commissiaries has ordered the fleet to comply. RUSSIAN WARSHIPS DESTROYED. TO PREVENT CAPTURE BY GERMANS. [Australian and N.Z. Cable Assoolatlon.J Received this day at 11 a.m. . WASHINGTON, April 9. Official advices to the State Department from Sweden state, that the Russians blew up three large warships in South Finnish waters to prevent capture by the attacking German squadron. The Teutons are not regarding the terms of the, peace treaty guaranteeing the Russian warships against capture. THE BALTIC FLEET. ~ FURTHER GERMAN DEMANDS. • Ikeuter'a Telegram.] Received this day at 11.5 a.m. PETROGRAD, April 9. Germany has telegraphed to the Dommissiary of Foreign Affairs lemauding ihe immediate disarmament of the Russian Fle.et and the conclusion of the RussoTJkraiuian peace. The Germans at Hango demanded the cessation of the destrinMon of the Russian harbours, and forts; also that the holts and sights of the guns on the ships and land batteries muts be, removed before the 11th and the crews of the Russian ships must return to Russia except small liuceus crews.