THE OFFENSIVE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17788, 13 May 1918, Page 5

THE OFFENSIVE.

LOCAL FIGHTING. ARTILLERY ACTIVE. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, May 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports:— At the conclusion of the fighting on the morning of May 9, in tile La ClytteVoonnczcefo sector, tho Franco-Bri-tish positions were completely re-estab-lished. The enemy, after artillery preparation. launched two early local attacks in the neighbourhod of Albert and Bouzancourt. Our rifle and machinegun firo broke up the latter attack, the enemy not reaching our trenches. The enemy, after suffering heavy casualties from our fire at Albert, effected a lodging in our advanced positions on a front of 150 yards. Our counter-attack recaptured a small portion of the front trench. Hostile artillery is active in tho Somme and Ancro Valleys, and at different points on the Lys battlefront. FRENCH AND BRITISH GAIN GROUND. A and N.Z. Cablo Association and Reuter. (Received May 12, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. Sir Douglas Ilaig reports:—There was local fighting in Aveluy Wood, northward of Albert. The hostile artillery was particularly active in .the Viniy and llobecq sectors, and south of Dickebusch. A. and N.Z. Cablo Association and Reuter. (ltpccived May 12, 5.5 p.m.). LONDON, May 11. Sir Douglas Haig reports The French advanced their line slightly north-east of Locre. We made successful raids west of Merville and stopped an attempt to raid cast of Ypres. ENEMY RAID REPULSED. A. and N.Z. Cablo Association and Router. (Received May 13, 12-45 a.m.) LONDON, May 11, 11 p.mSir Douglas Haig reports We repulsed a raid in the neighbourhood of Neuville Vitasso. There was great aerial activity on Friday evening. We downed eight enemy machines and drove down six others behind the enemy’s linos. Nine of ours are missing.

; AIR WARFARE. ' A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutor. LONDON, May 10. Sir Douglas Haig’s aviation report states:— We dropped ten tons of bombs on Le Oateau, Cambrai, Bapaume and Zeobruggo docks and mole. Strenuous air fighting occurred in tho northern area. Wo dropped one ton of bombs during the night on the railway stations at Douai and Marcoing. A. and N.Z. Cablo Association and Eoutor. (Received May 12, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. Sir Douglas Haig’s aviation report states: —Cloudless weather on May 9 enabled our airmerl to do a full day’s work. Our machines flew all day, reconnoitring and photographing. Our bombers displayed great activity along the whole front. They dropped twentyfour tons of bombs on targets, including important railway stations at Tournai, Douai, Marcoing, Chaulnes and Cambrai, billets at Garvin, l’eronno and Chipilly, and on tho docks at Zeebrugge. The air fighting was almost continuous, and was particularly fierce towards dusk. Wo downed twentyseven German machines and drove down twelve others. Six British machines aro missing. Our night fliers dropped 4V tons of bombs on tho docks at the entrance to tho canal at Ostend and 3$ tons on Peronno, Chaulnes and Bapaume. All our machines returned. ' THE* BELGIAN SECTOR. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Router. (Received May 12, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 11. A Belgian communique states:—The German artillery bombarded Belgian works and communications in the Nieuport zone during the night, while tho British were attacking the coast.

WITH THE FRENCH. ARTILLERY ACTIVITY. A *nd N.Z. Cablo Association and Routes. • LONDON, May 10. A French comimmiquo states:— There is marked reciprocal artillery activity on the Sailles-Montdidier front. NEW LINE MAINTAINED. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Ecu tor. LONDON, May 10. A French communiquo states: — After intense short artillery preparation yesterday afternoon we captured part of Grivesnes, an important part of which tho Germans had occupied. We brought back a large quantity of material. Despite lively enemy ar_t.illerying and reconnaissances attempting to reach our new line, we maintained our conquered positions, which we organised.

FRENCH SUCCESSES,

A. end N.Z. Cable Acsociation and ftettWr.

(Received May 12, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, May 11. A French communique states: —In successful local operations we repelled raids on the right bank of the Ailette and in the region of Massige ; north of Rheims, and the Forest of Ailly. Lieutenant Fonck yesterday downed six German biplanes, thq first two in ten seconds and a third five minutes later. A French communique issued at 5 p.m. states:—During the night the artillery struggle was very lively throughout the region from Grivesnes to Mailly-Raineval. Minor operations against the Bois do Moreuil, north-west of Orvillers, enabled us to gain an appreciable amount of ground. A coun-ter-attack completely failed. We raided south-east of Montdidier, north-east of ThiepscoUrt, and in the Woevro. GERMAN ATTACK REPULSED. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. (Received May 13, 12.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 12. A French communique issued at 2.35 a.m. -says:—After most violent artillery fire, German shock troops gained a footing in Gavne Wood, south-west of Mailly-Ilaineval, hut a counter-at-tack drove them out with heavy losses, the position being completely restored. THE GERMAN SIDE. SUCCESSES CLAIMED. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reutsor. LONDON, May 10. A wireless German official message says:— Our local attacks southward of Dickebusch Lake were completely successful. We stormed strongly fortified positions on the east bank of the Vyverbrook, to a width of two kilometres, and ran into a Franco-British attack, which was dissipated. The enemy’s attack was fullv developed only astride the Reningholst-Kemmel Road, and was repulsed, together with' counterattacks against our. new positions. We took 075 prisoners belonging to six French an 1 two English divisions, which suffered heavily. We repulsed English advances on the south bank of tho" Lys, near Buequoy. In air fighting during the past few days wo brought down thirty-seven enemy aeroplanes. A. and N.Z. Cable Association end Reuter. , (Received May 13, 12-45 a.m.) LONDON, May 12. A wireless German official message admits that the British obtained a footing at Grivesnes Park. BAVARIAN CAVALRY MOVED. (Received May 13, 12.45 a-m.) AMSTERDAM, May 11. Frontier reports state that largo contingents of Bavarian cavalry from the Flanders front traversed Liege. It is supposed that their destination is the Ukraine. THE RECENT RIGHTING. AUSTRALIANS IMPROVE THEIR POSITION. LONDON, May 10. Mr Perceval Phillips states that yesterday’s German attack was on- an ambitious scale, between Locro and the Ypres Canal, on a five or six miles front. It' was completely frustrated. It is believed that five German divisions were employed for the attack’, hoping to separate the Allied forces, but our fire presented many from leaving the trenches. The bombardment of the Ridge Wood defences completely destroyed the outpost lines, so that wo fell back behind the wood, in which the Germans attempted to establish themselves. Wo barrnged the eastern edge of the wood at dusk, and the Seaforths, with the bayonet, cleared the wood before dark. The Australians further improved their lino between the Somme and the Ancro. Everywhere from Albert to Amiens, mon are wiring and strengthening the defences. * . COMING OFFENSIVES. THREE ATTACKS EXPECTED. LUDENDORF AND AUSTRIA. LONDON, May 10. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Rotterdam correspondent states that the AustroGermans aro being regrouped and fresh artillery is being massed for the resumption of the battle at least at three points. These aro Flanders, the Amiens salient, and the Italian front. There aro indications of at least two attacks simultaneously. Although there aro few Germans in Italy, von Ludendorf is the master of the Austrian armies and has imposed his will upon fho war-sick politicians, regarding the part Austrians must play. The German staff’s energies are now devoted to, the problem of developing greater speed, following up any initial success. The generajs responsible for the St Quentin attack attribute the final failure to incompleto co-operation between the artillery* and the infantry. Contrary to expectations, the further the infantry advanced the more essential the artillery cooperation became, ns tho retreators were always drawing nearer their own fixed batteries. .The Germans 1 aro seeking fresh devices. including the npoliention of the tank principle to shifting batteries. Fresh troons are being subjected lo extraordinarily intensive training, with special attention to open order work, all soldiers usimr fire lmmbs. There were some casualties, hut they were justified by accustoming tho men to handling fire missiles. FOCH’S RESERVE. THE ITALIAN QUOTA. (Received May 12, 11 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 10. Official advices state that 2,500,000 Italian soldiers aro now at tho disposal of General Fooh’s reserve army, and. that tho number is increasing. GERMANY’S CRIMES. AMERICAN LABOUR MISSION’S VIEW. Reuter’s Telegrams. PARIS, May 10. ! American Labour delegates who visited tho front say that they are filled with hatred at German barbarity. They told their fellow-countrymen that only peace by victory will ond tho detestable crimes of German Imperialism. EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. FRANCO-GERMAN AGREEMENT. PARIS. May 10. The Franco-German agreement for tho exchange of war prisoners has been ratified. The number of war prisoners affected is 140,000.