WESTERN FRONT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 167, 12 July 1918, Page 5

WESTERN FRONT

ENEMY RESISTANCE OVERCOME FRENCH PROGRESS SOUTH OF TiiE AISNE. (Australian and N:Z. Cabl3 Association . and Renter.) | (xiec. July 12, 9.25 > LONDON, July 11- | A French communique states: South of the Aisne the infantry_ finall* . overcame enemy resistance at- different : points. We captured Lagrille farm j and the quarries north of Cha-viony j farm. 1 Eastward our patrols reached Long I point and entered the northern part ) of Corey, taking prisoners. COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter.) LONDON, July 10. Sir Douglas Haig reports : —We repulsed local attacks eastward' of Villers Bucquov. We drove off raiders southward of Bretonneux to the Ancre. 'We slightly- adyanced the line in theneighbourhood of Morris. 610RY OF BELGIUM 'HISTORIC GATHERING AT ALBERT HAIiL. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. July 12. 11.40 a»m.) LONDON, July 11. The Daily Chronicle says that two seaplanes brought the King and Queen of Belgium on Friday evening. They left Belgium, where King Albert has spent the war period, and has shared the—troop®' fortunes, unattended by escorts. : They alighted oni the water in the vicinity of a Channel port after an hour's night. A motor launch landed their Majesties. , The Kings and Queens of Britain and Belgium .attended a -crowded demonstration at the Albert Hall in honour of Belgium- They ' received a tremendousi ovation. Lord Curzon delivered an oration on the Glory of Belgium. He said this w&j summed up in King Albert's address to his Parliament in August, 1914, when he saidl. that the. country that defends itself, commands respect, and. that such a nation "would never perish. King. Albert has thus.become.the symbol of the. world's freedom. It was for the sake of Belgium , that we entered! the war, but, it was for Europe, for the. world, for liberty, for right, that we continued to pursue it. BRITISH AIR SUPREMACY. QUALITY OF GERMAN PILOTS DETERIORATING. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) {Rec. Julv 12, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, July 11. - Mr Percival Phillips writes -British air supremacy has been very marked in the past few weeks. The quality of the German pilots has deteriorated, as shotwn by frequent collisions between unskilfully driven •when attacked by the British. Out aviators accept battle despite tremendous odds. Ten of our machines fought .20. enemies on 4th July and outmanoeuvred them and forced them to run for. safety. On another occasion four British marines attached 40 Germans. • and .tought down two, whereupon the remaining 38 fled-. Though our men frequently bomb targets Jtrom a height of 200 feet or less, the Germans Tarely descend so low. Other correspondents state thnt one British.- airman brought down 75 German aeroplanes, including 25 in a single month. Some others hav« reached a total - of 50. MANY GERMAN MACHINES DESTROYED. ?Au*tralian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter ) ( LONDON, July 10. Sir Douglas Haig's aviation report ? states that enemy aircraft were active / on the northern part of the front. Ten were destroyed and one driven down uncontrollable. We dropped 14 tons <>f" bombs over the enemy's line, 2 tons on Lilly Junction, ' and' 1£ tons on Bruges docks. . , Three British machines are missing. We dropped- at night 3 tons of bombs on enemy railways and camps. All our machines returned. Mr Gilmour, writing from Australian Headquarters, says that among the Australians'- trophies at Hamel are three anti-tank rifles which were used -for" the first time. They are large, j heavy weapons, almost twice the size of the ordinary German rifle. They are constructed on the same lines and are capable, of piercing tank armour at 600 yards. ; The Germans achieved no success with the new w.eapon. the .gunners fleeine; 'before the 5 tanks, whose total casualties -were three wounded. FURIOUS ENEMY BOMBARDMENT 'reprisal FOR BRITISH. RAIDS. ■ (Australian and 'N.Z. Cabin Association.) LONDON, July 10. , Mr Philip Gibbs writes :—The ferot . city of the German artillery fire on Monday was mainly intended', as retail--ation 'against the Allied raids-. I d.o■ \ not think it was a forewarning of a 'big attack. i

The Canadians on the Arras front • (have also been raiding with relentless I industry, carrying out 48 raids in_ 90 days. Recently l the raiders left ninetydead in the German trenches, in addition to many wounded', all by the bayonet. The Canadians say that they prefer the bayonet to the ibomb because it | makes a- cleaner job. | Mr Percival Phillips, referring to I Von der Marwitz's order regarding 1 the want of discipline in the German ' ranks, savp that Marwitz's- divisions since the taking of the positions at the end of- March facing AniieiJs and ; astride tilie Somine have had a series i of disheartening reverses and constant j -artillery punishment. It .is no wonder | that "dry rot" has set in. ' There are reports- of excesses in theJ back areas, including looting of supply trains, and misconduct by some infantry entrusted, with forward defence. It "adds that there is no evidence that the decay of discipline is general or widespread., but it is significant that cases of pillaging occurred in the 18th Army zone, on Marwitz's left. Meanwhile, tfh-e long promised offensive has not materialised, for the reason of which we can only- guess. Marwite has. not made a single effective counter-attack. ARTILEERY AND' AERIAL ACTIVITY. 'An°<ralian and jST.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.l * LONDON, July. 10. A French communique states : There is reciprocal artillery activity ! north of Mont-didier, south of the Aisne and in the region of -Chavigny Farm. We made several coups-de-main in Champagne, and took- prisoners. Seven German aeroplanes and two captive 'balloons were brought down. ENEMY'S NEXT BLOW HOUR NEAR AT HAND. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Associat PARIS, July 10. Military experts express tihe opinion that the first German lines are now ' r thinly" held by second rate troops, as. the first rate troops have been withdrawn to the rear preparatory to an attack. This- suggests that the hour of the offensive is close.