ENEMY RECKLESS OF FEARFUL LOSSES

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4846, 18 April 1918, Page 5

ENEMY RECKLESS OF FEARFUL LOSSES

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association . LONDON, Aprd 16. . ' Colonel Repington opines*that our strategical position is not exactly brilliant, but he estimates that a quarter of the German forces op. the lirtiish front has been used up, while Foch’s -French reserves have not yet given a sign of life. The Daily News estimates the enemy losses at four hundred thousand.

The Daily Chronicle's, correspondent at French Headquarters says: Though there is no news of any large tranference of Germans from the Somme to the north, the pause on the Somme front is easily explained. The Allied forces and positions are over-strong for surprise infantry attack until more big guns ar e brought up. Evidence exists that the artillery teams are -exhausted.

: Mr Philip Gibbs writes: The British, who held Neuve Eglise for three days and nights, - withdrew, unknown to the enemy, rather than remain a target for unceasing shellfire. The enemy had broken into the streets, hut small parties of Wiltshires, Worcesters and other troops fought tliein desperately, clearing them out several times. The enemy were unusually savage. His commanders, when sending fresh troops, sternly ordered that the business must be finished; yet Neuve Eglise did not fall to a direct assault and the enemy was obliged to concentrate his artillery fire on the village making it a death-trap for our men. who retired under orders to the line a short distance away. The Germans have captured Bailleul. ,• The enemy has carried Wytschate and established himself at Spanbroohmolen. The bulk of Messines Ridge i& in the enemy’s hands. We hold the slopes. The United Press correspondent’s account of recent fighting adds. Late at night Von Stettin, with fresh troops, attacked from the south, while Von Carlowitz hurled storm troops northwards past the e-Ty on the east, simultaneously assaulting Ravetsburg heights, which “are southwest of our Bastions. Against Bailleiil alone several divisions swept ,iTp, including the German Alpine Corps, tlie 117th and Ilth Bavarian divisions, .whi'e at least three divisions followed’ th ; barrage up the slopes between Cailleule and Neuve Eglise., Tlie British lines established behind these places were bent but not broken. On the Somme battlefront Von Der Marvitz’s artillery is speeding up, showing that the battle area of the German secondary line is bristling with guns. There is considerable shelling along and behind the British lines. The Press Bureau reports: Sir Douglas Haig, in a special Order of the Day, has acknowledged with grateful thanks Field-Marshal French’s message to the Brit’sh troops. He adds: “Tlie same that carried our army through 191 J sustains us all again to-day against overwhelming odds.” German war correspondents complain that Austria has demanded additional hatterias from France, and state that despite the transfer ok German artillery from Russia and numerous Austrian batteries now in Italy, Germany has no iority in France.