"KILL GERMANS!"

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 July 1918, Page 6

"KILL GERMANS!"

GOURAND'S ARMY ORDER. PARIS, July 19. General Gourand's army order on the eve of the offensive pointed out that a defensive battle was never undertaken under more favourable car cumstances. Strong- infantry and artillery reinforcements had arrived, while the ground had become a formidable fortress, which was invincible, and, if well guarded, every man must have only one thought, "Kill Germans, and kill them in plenty, until they are exhausted.'" The French counter-attack wa S i a surprise; it opened without any bombardment on a front of twenty-seven miles, fro mthe heights northward of Fontcntency Bellau. The French at. one o'clock cap. tared the heights overlooking Fontenoy on the extreme left.' They progressed to Mont de Paris, overrun ning the plateau in front of Soissons and reaching within a mile of the city. They also gained a ravine at the River Crise, which runs; into Soissons, on a front of five miles to eastward of Busany, which means a maximum advance of five miles at this point. The army corps attacking here, imprisoned four thousand, with 30 n-uns and considerable material. The Americans participated in this advance. A CONSIDERABLE ADVANCE. T T p to noon, the French between Bellea.u and the Aisne Valley, advanced between three and four miles, find wore e<-peciall v successful in the ' Aisne Valley. The American artillery co-operat-ed in the biggest Allied counteroffensive since April, 1017. Meanwhile the Germans made no further advance at Epernay, and were slightly thrown back in places. The French recaptured the whole front on the Beausejour Femz-Mas-siges line. They also- recaptured Laeeuil. Venguel, and Bois'deroi, on tln> Maine. The Ameri'wn ' i; - ; "'in captured Viergev, advancing three miles beyond the village. The Germans further south, on the heights northward of OurcqValley, hastily counter-attacked. SITUATION OBSCURE. The situation for the moment is objure. Th* French, still further south, r n ined the vost°rn outskirts of the Chouy-Nevilly'si front: they also advanced to i\ depth of throe miles ' outward of Rheims and recaptured Prunay. The rount?''-offen°iv'3 is regarded as having succeeded exceptionally well. The situation is extremely promising. The enemy's artillery renlied weakly. Tin* French counter 1 attery work is reported as being remarkably good. German aviators, flying low, used machine-guns, endeavouring to' impe'V thpi attack, with smaT snccfSis. • The French nttack Ins been much more successful than either of the German attempt?, at Soyon, Montdidier. or the latest attacks at Rheims. The French advanced considerably a greater depth in six hours than the Germans did in three days. ENEMY COMMUNICATIONS THREATENED. The attack threatens th'; Herman communications within the salient, r'v,eoinlly at two points, Ouchay, Le Chateau, and Fismes. The French now have the enemy communications under direct observation. The French have thus achieved a most strategic position, whatever the next developments will be: this is a valuable advance and is regarded as one of the most brilliant perform- , ances of the Avar. t In local fighting, southward of the 1 Marne, the French lost some high ; ground at Dormans, but came back ( further on the southern slope. At- '_ though perhaps losing observation, i their guns remain within effective j range of the bridges. THE DRIVE FOR RHEIMS. g GERMANS STOPPED. ] WASHINGTON, July 20. ] General Marsh states, b v a 1 enmile penetration of the German front, r the German drive against Rheims is a definitely stopped. a The German offensive against the British, to the northward, was recently postponed for an unknown reason. w In further gains towards Soissons the French have captured Marfaux. The Germans are recrossing the ,j Marne in several places.

MANGINS ATTACK. A CHEAT SURPRISE. LONDON, July 20. General Maurice opines that Gen ernl Mangins attack upset the Ciowi: Princes plans. He is in great difficulties, ami evidently the Germans have men to throw into the battle, and they are fighting hard. The Allies have already achieved great things, but we must avoid premature predictions of the enemy's disaster. The vital point is Soissons, and the retention of Montague de Paris seems, certainThe Germans will have to discontinue attacks at this point. Also they may draw in the remainder of

Mi, 1 i.ro'.vu j.'i;,'ij'j m i'tn'.e: vcs, v.ii.ij tilJ C'UC.il V, ill Ol'-LvT LJ iC.idjuKt ii.-v line*;, may Law t-j retno a consideral.c distance, un'cvs they are ;.b.e t ) deprive the rheucli c-f their gams. There is ii chance that this may J'iovc it detinite German defeat- The initiative has passed to the French. Tha whole Germ: I .]! positions between Soissous and Rheims are endangered. U'e have neutralised the Crown Piinee's army, and he will have his work cut out to extricate himself froui the present position. On the other hand, Prince Rup preeht's group, between Montdidie uid the Channel, possesses formki ille reserves. It is probable that these will be used against the British 'rout. It is unlikely that the Germans ,vill throw good money after bad, therefore probablv he will only uso sufficient troops to prevent the situaicn becoming a defeat, and throw heir forces in elsewhere.

FAILURE IN CHAMPAGNE. The enemy's failure in the Cham pagne is likely to accelerate the blow between Montdidier and the Ka,, as ~ there is little room to manoeuvre on n the British front. It cannot be said that the anxiety s has altogether ended. i BRITISH OPERATIONS. 8 SIR DO UGLAS HAIG' S ATTACK. LONDON, July 20- " Sir Douglas Maig states that > the Scottish troops captured Metf tern village, gaming all objectives and imprisoning' over three hundred, taking a number of ma- ; chine guns. j Under cover of this operation ( the Australians advanced their

line a short distance southward of Mettern, taking 1 prisoners in raids and patrol encounters at Nippe Forest sector. We bombed many targets, including railway stations at Rosi'efes and Bray, and the docks at Bruges and Ostein!. We brought down nine aeroplanes. Seven British are missing. Our night fliers dropped eiq-ht ions of bombs on Mons and Valenciennes railway, six tons on Courtrai and Lille railways. Two aero-

planes have not returned. An American communique states that between the Aisne and the Marne we continued progress. BRITISH ARTILLERY FIRE. GIVING GERMANS FITS. LONDON, July 20.. The United Press correspondent states that Sir Douglas Haig's artillery is giving the Germans fits. This strengthens the indication that tlv'! Allies are slowly and surely in"veasins their punch, and in places the initiative. His guns throughout A"raentieres are silent, and elsewhere re perpetually pounding the enemy" along the roads, support trenches,' and reserve positions, also the more distant vert billets. Wherever Prince Rupprecht re. p\aces the tired by comparatively fresh divisions, the British high ex plosive shells harass the moving troops.