YHE WESTERN FRONT

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1918, Page 2

YHE WESTERN FRONT

THE GERM OFFENSIVE.

[l*V.n I’RESS ASSOCIATION. —COrYIUOIIT.] BOSCHES DRIVEN BACK. I f LONDON July 16. 1 Mr Phillip Gibbs opines that Prince ltupert of Bavaria may be ordered to make; a. number of holding attacks against the British and strike a number <jf hammer blows with the object of keeping the British heavily engaged. , Apart from the early morning fog. the weather was not favourable to the enemy. South winds prevented the use of poison gas, and on the open moorlands of the Champagne it was likely to blow back the fumes of their own gas shells upon the assailants. The American counter attack on the | Marne, in which' they took 1000 prison-

ers, was a most brilliant cpisouc. The Americans lield a four kilometre front where the bombardment was heaviest The Americans were subjected to the bombardment for ten hours, but they stuck it without turning a hair. The ferocity of the American response and machine-gunning, and the infantry in the counter-attack, drove the Bosches to the river in such haste that many were drowned in attempting to cross. One artillery unit, short of ammunition, called for volunteers to travel over three miles of shell swept road. 'Evert man volunteered, and ct number of picked men drove tho horses and saissons at a gallop through the shellbursts. When tho horses were killed the men cut them out of the harness. They managed to bring up ammunition.

DETAILS OF TTT.f: ATTACK

the main offensive

LONDON, July 16. Probably sixty German divisions wore engaged If so, it suggests that tl j s undoubtedly their main offensive, They launched tho first attacks between four and four-thirty while a mist was hanging over the- Marne Valley, assisting the attackers. Tho bombardment, including gas shells was most intense between Prunay and Massigncs. It was reported at midday yesterday that assaults were held up, except on the -Sousln road near Prosnos and Prunav. The enemy westward of Rhcims at midday, advanced to a maximum depth of two to three miles on a front of 20 miles. The Germans foiled 'to gain the high ground eastward of Rhcims where u maximum depth advance of 1$ miles was gained They crossed the Marne during o heavy mist over difficult ground owing to thick woods and deep gullies. There wore aderpiate. Trench rescives behind all sectors.

BRITISH TROOPS NOT INVOLVED

FRENCH ACTIVITIES

LONDON, July Ifi. No British troops arc yet involved iu the offensive. The French stopped the enemy eastward of Rlieirns by gallant counter attacks. At nine in the morning, the greatest depth of penetration was represented hy a line through Soiwous, Prunes, and Prn nay. The enemy advanced a- depth of three or four miles between Pouncy, and Baval, Tlirough the opening bombardment was heavy, Rheims itself was not shelled. Tho enemy crossed the Marne at Dormans, Passv-Sur-Marne, and Fossov. The latest news contradicts the capture of Chezv, which the French held at noon. Germans gas-shelled the back areas heavily, and the. whole front, to a depth of eighteen miles.

AX AMERICAN REPORT.

hens driven back

LONDON, July 10. \n American official report, dated Julv 15th, slates: Eastward of Chateau' Thierry, where the enemy succeeded this morning in gaining some ground, we counter-attacked and drove them hack to the Marne and made prisoners of m In the Vosges five trench raids were attempted by Die enemv, hut they broke down. Tile correspondent adds: The enemy adopted no new methods and advanced under cover of a mist. They have relied on the usual filtration tactics, sending columns nlong the small valleys. The Germans are not sending anything like one division to the mile as in previous attacks.

ENEMY BREAK AND RUN

1,500. PRISONERS TAKEN

|'he Americans at the Marne river bend have now command of the river front. So the Germans plan here has been completely upset. A famous German Division, left the bend, and attempted all day to cross All their assaults withered under our fire, nnd not a single German crossed The prisoners taken in the counterattack number between a thousand - and fifteen hundred, including a complete brigade nnd stall'. The Germans retired hesitatingly at first, hut soon many broke and ran. nnd within three hours the enemy were driven back from the river. The American machine gunners contributed most, effectively to defeat the enemy plans.