THE RENEWED OFFENSIVE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 26 April 1918, Page 5

THE RENEWED OFFENSIVE

"WHOLE BRITISH RONT SOUTH OF

SOMME. ATTACKED

VILLERS BRETONNEUX LOST

LINE TO NORTHWARD MAIN-

TAINED

VIOLENT BOMBARDMENT ON

FRENCH FRONT

LONDON, A_oril 25

. Sir Douglas Haig reports: After a violent bombardment this morning' the enemy attacked along the whole British front south of the Somme, and the French on our right. Th© attack was xepulsed

The attack was renewed, later in strength on our positions in this sector. The enemy obtained possession of Villers Bretonneux, south-west of Albert, M where fighting is severe, and continues. > We repulsed other attacks on the north bank of the Somme, northward ,of Albert, taking prisoners. We recaptured a post north-west of Festubert lost on the 22nd. The garrison strongly resisted, and lost heavily. We took prisoners and machine-guns and repulsed a strong attack on our new positions eastward of Robecq. We maintained our line in- 1 tact, and also secured prisoners in minpr enterprises eastward of Nieppe Forest and in the neighborhood of Meteren.

LONDON April 24. French communique: Between the Somme and the Avre a hostile bombardment became very violent at night on the Ftench and British front, notabl,y in the region of Villers Bretonneux and Hangard-en-Santerre. Our artillery energetically replied.