ALL HUN TROOPS IN RUSSIA ORDERED WEST

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9999, 17 June 1918, Page 5

ALL HUN TROOPS IN RUSSIA ORDERED WEST

By Tol*sp*«pn—"Pro*--- A c sncintioTi—Copyright. Australian and Neiv Zfiland Cable Association. (Received June 16* 0.0 p.m.) , r « _ . PARIS* Juno 14. ,r J"„P eorge Perns . ho "Daily Chronicle’s” correspondent, writing from “®J ron ‘> ea ? s i? 031 actions westward of the Oise ended in a costly German ° f g varying from two to six miles, which domonstrates the brilliant success of the Allied generalship, THE OFFENSIVE IS NOW WANING RESISTANCE IS PROVING MORE EFFECTIVE. Australian and Nrw_si _i, <„ ‘ picoiation and Renter. (Received June 16, 5.5 p.m.) t - cf. . , ■ PARIS, June 16. A semi-official report assumes that the latest battle i s now ended. Each £^^nnd Offol Ti ye 13 le9S duratl ° a . and on a narrower front and yields less ground. The resistance is proving more effective and the German losses 0n aggravated Still there is no doubt the enemy wil? renew 311 the more hastll y,. because he is weakening from day to day, whereas our reserves are necessarily increased by Americans. ALL GERMAN FORCES IN RUSSIA ORDERED TO .FRANCE ' r Published in “The Times.” (Received June 16. 5.5 p.m.) ~ According to documents captured oh the American front the Germans F^lkLwn *° wh® 0n Juae 28bh - An intercepted order of Stioal SS.deSivm-’ the - West froat are. - v'? ie ,? a H er hasmrdered the High Command to take all measures to transR : hi t S l RnL 0 ;a Ch l! rOn ’ ,Vltl V n f, TOk tbe majority of the Germhn forces now v, leaving only the smallest detachments 'necessary to maintam order. He,has sent. General von Eichorn to’Ukraine, asking him to take officfate° nS6Bt mea3Ul ' eS P° sslW ® k 0 st "P sabotage on the part of Russian railway CAPTURE OF ENEMY GUNS FRENCH AIRMEN’S SUCCESSES. a Australian anti New Zealand Cable Association ’and Reuter. (Received June. 16, 5.5 p.m.) ' , • . , m LONDON, June 15, 2.15 a.m. 1 rr ; A .French communique states There was no infantry in action to-riar An artillery duel is fairly lively in the Hangar Wood andlouth of the Abnl, and in the region between Villers-Cotterets and Chateau Thierry. To the material captured from the enemy on the 11th the following must be addedNiue guns seven beavies and forty machino-guna). On the 13th our aeroplanes shot down five German machines and two balIrons., Seven,.enemy aeroplanes were put out of action. ’Nineteen tons of Bombs were dropped on the enemy zones, causing great damans ~ A further French communique states There is mutual Artillery activity tdldl6r aDd thS al3 ° S ° Uth ° f the Aisae aud near Champlat FOURTH PHASE OF OFFENSIVE REVIEWED BY MAJOKhGENBRAH MAURICE. - GERMAN MENACE NOT SO FORMIDABLE AS AT END OF MAY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received June 16, 5.3 p.m.) LONDON, June 14. Major-General Maurice, reviewing the situation at the end of ’the fourth phase or the German offensive, says: ' The ALliedd line is lengthened by seventy miles compared with the middle JAa-tch, tinm necessitating sixteen to eighteen more Allied divisions than wti il ne b ® ,® tae 19 1® campaign began. Therefor© apart from losses in battle the attacks caused a serious drain on General Fooh’s reserves The enemy also increased his front, biit ndt to the same extent, because ho was everywhere inside a curve. The battles had brought the Germans within forty jailes of Calais, Boulogne and the mouth of the Somme, which enabled them to keep the Habebrouck, Bethuno and Amiens railway junctions under close fire. The front between Montijidier and the Marn© was less satisfactory for the enemy. As long as the French -hold the Aisne eastward of Compiegne and cover the junction* of the Aisne and the Oiso it is difficult for the enemy to make a broad drive to Paris owing to the front of the attack being split up. W© had three vital points to guard—Paris, the Channel ports! and the communications across the Somme. ~ R ®T if ! ed estimates showed that the Crown Prince employed at least fortythree divisions from hia total reserves at Hindenburg’s disposal on the west There were therefore only twenty-seven left out of seventy available at the end ox May. 1 General Maurice expresses the opinion that the .attack on Chomin-des-■Damcs was merely an experiment, which he followed up because it opened siiccSß?C ■• .•“ e , d ° es 110^il, e ie l o arl advance to Paris across the Aisne was part of. tho original plan. The German menace is still formidable, but not eo foril a ? j * e enc * owin S to the heavy cost of the enemy’s gains and the steady increase of the American forces.” NO CAUSE FOR DISSATISFACTION • ENEMY AIMS AT CAPTURE OF COMPIEGNE. (Received! June 16, 5.5 p.m,) LONDON, June 14. ?he Australian Press Association learns that tho Gormans used apPtoiunatoly forty divisions on the Aisne and twenty in the latest attack, totalling sixty since May 27th. The situation therefore gives no causo for dissatisfaction. The enemy’s objective is unknown, but it is undoubtedly his intention to capture Compiegne and establish himself on the Noyon-Compiegno-tmateaU Thierry lino, giviqg him an opportunity, to "advance on 'P®™ - Although the situation has improved to the extent indicated, it still Cannes anxiety, because tho Gormans have not shown their hand. Few of Prince Ruppreoht’a divisions were used; the bulk belonged to the Crown pnn mL Pnnce Rupprecht’s reserves are, therefore, still practically intact. Ihe German ability to advance after tho initial successes was duo to the exceptional training given the infantry, machine-gunners and artillery. The , £9?P s JJ® 8 J S«S? e ® great initiative, pushing .fonvard and capturing tactical points. 1 heir action was supported by a mobile artillery. These wore principal factors in tho enemy’s success. The Gormans last year utilised the lull in Russia to instruct vast numbers <»f troops m open warfare. The Allies never had endugh men after the line was manned to spare largo bodies for such intensive training. Tho Gerimans are now getting^the benefit „f.the training. When their specially trained .men are exhausted the rest of them will not bo superior, but possibly infenor to those of the British and I>reach. ft is unjustifiable to suggest that the Gentians have evolved a system beyond the ability Of the Allies to counter. Ihe weather also consistently favoured tho Germans. ENEMY NUMERICAL SUPERIORITY STILL CONSIDERABLE rr-1 • It IT „ , LONDON, Juno 14. Hilaire Belloc says the German numerical superiority in the West is ten against seven. * Tho odds wiR ho redressed bv tho Americans, hut it will take from four to six month*.

A GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT

CLAIMS THE CAPTURE OF OVER IQOO GUNS. Admiralty, Per 'Wireless Press. (Received June 16, 5.5 p.m ) . _ „ . , LONDON, Juno 14. , A German official message states: —Wo repulsed French attacks between voornieezle and Vierstrnat, taking 150 prisoners. Wo repulsed counter attacks in the neighbourhood of Courcolles and Mery, also in the Matz repenetrated the Forest of Villors-Ooitcrets. Tho Crown Prince since May 27 to captured lUob guns. AMERICAN OFFICIAL REPORT Australian auti ara CnhU> v and Reuter. (Received Juno 16* 6.5 p.m.) . . LONDON, June 14. An American official message states; —Heavy reciprocal shelling, including gas, is proceeding northward of Chateau Thierry. Our aviators shot down two hostile machines. NEW CAVALRY DIVISIONS ORDERED TO AMERICAN FRONT Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received June 16, 5.5 p.m.) rp, , , . WASHINGTON, June 14. v a 7 •? Germans attacked the Americans on Thursday at Chateau Thierry ut tailed to gam ground. They left many dead. A party of fifty Germans surrendered under a flag of truce. It is believed that the Germans have ordered new cavalry divisions to the American front. FRENCH DEFENCE SUCCEEDS GERMANS LOSE IN BLOODY FIGHTS. ATTACKS REPULSED WITH TERRIBLE LOSS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ™ m J , LONDON, Juno 14. Ihe German attacks on Wednesday north of the Aisne were repulsed with terrible loss. A large number of Gorman dead were left on the field. - Ino Germans attempted to deceive the French by soudiug out numbers of unarmed men, who pretended to ho about to surrender. On nearing the * od dat aad r 6 v oaled the advancing, armed Germans, with The french opened a murderous fire, and the Germans retreated, n v “ dlvl sions wore identified between the Aisne and the Forest of VillersCotterets yesterday. It is estimated that they lost 20,000 men. ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE FRENCH Reuter a Telegrams. r> .. i _ LONDON, June 14. Reuter a correspondent at French Headquarters, writing yesterday afternocn, says:—-Along the Matz our counter-attack pushed the enemy back. We recaptured the whole of tho enemy’s gains of yesterday. - Ibn. morning o ur infantry clearoa out tho last of tho enemy remnants tromi Mehcocq on the south bank of the Matz. Between, tho Aisne and Villers-Cotterets Forest tho enemy, attacking on a front of lour miles, crossed the Dommiers Plateau and obtained a footing tainepTateau de ° f ravinD ’ s ®P aratin S from the Montigny-Monto Ibui markedly inferior in numbers, the French are resisting gallantly. Ihe enemy s progress is slow and costly. The enemy so far has engaged five divisions on this battlefield, of which two aro fresh. 3 ■ . A AP res .® nt th ® attack- apparently is only a large diversion, with the objeotofdrawmg our reserves from the main battlefield, west of tho Oise, where sinoeTuesday, the enemy has had consistently tho worst of tho fighting. Cn June 11th the enemy sought by a general attack in great force to transform his terribly colstly successes of the first two days’ fighting into a df !®. ls , lv ® T l®i?ry- This intention was foiled by tho French counter-attack, which broke his preparations, restoring to us an important series of pqsi“ODf- f. aa3 ' th ® efiemy s whole front was thrown into a state of confusion irithout roimlt ’ the foboumg day he merely attempted local attacks, !f to-day passes without frash efforts, we may conclude that for the present the enemy has had.’ enough and'that the army which stopped the standstill 1 m Mar ° h ° an Claim the hoaour of ■'bringing the third assault to a ha™w o + b bjeCt ° f t! n 0 e ?° m £ in thi6 battlc wa s the possession of tho forests barring the approaches to Pans on the north. The battle of forests will Lmitable Fr^ch aS iManSf " 17 CC “ d and tho in " CHEERFUL NEWS OF FRENCH STAND Australian and N.'Z. Cablo Association, ® e ° r ,§° p ®rris writw:—-Von Boehm’s ottack flank'of the battlefield' southward of tho Aisne was intended i to creato 'a diversion ifEKiS H " llOT, ‘ "''" o *« th « miles' Boehm hurled five derisions astride the Laversine, on a front of four The French, although outnumbered, broke repeated assaults, and even advanced at Damard on the southern border of Villers-Cotterets Forest more thaii counter-balancing the slight enemy gain in this forest. But the most cheerful nows consists of the French centre and left bringing to a stop von Sutler’s attack from tho north. If the Germans could have broken through by the open country westward of the Oiso, they would automatically have, cancelled the enormous advantage of the great forests n Y d 0l3 °. whi ? h mask the Parisian region. The to the capital would then have became immediate. 6 We must not rejoice prematurely, but the present offensive gains are less than in any preceding phases, while in th© only vital part of tho field the situation is well m hand. t GERMANS HAVE ACCEPTED DEFEAT ENEMY INTENTION FRUSTRATED. NO GAINS OF ANY UIPORTANCE MADE. Reuter’s Telegrams. ■rjii j iiT. , , LONDON, June 14. correspondent at French Headquarters, writing lart evening, The only enemy move to-day was an unsuccessful attack on Conroelles b.i.S; SioTdiir.*„d o l Kr&i o “ i,M * 1 "” e tlre ™ i <* «”> «™.* i^° + ? “ST* tho *** five days’ battle has been along and east of tho Matz Valley* but m some cases ho was driven back beyond his original departure lino. J uu His progress elsewhere was duo to topographical conditions favouring the onomy. The decisive episode was tho counter-attack on our left wing on Tuesday which frustrated the enemy effort to gain a front lino near enough to bombard Pans with ordinary guns, The enemy’s intention on Tuesday was to straighten out his line on tho right wing between Ressons-sur-Matz and the Montdidier-Sonlis railway When the news of the successful French counter-attack reached' Gorman Headquarters the same evening the enemy opened a diversion on tho sector between tho Aisno and tiTo Villers-Cotterets Forest. STRONG ATTACK IS THE NORTH REPULSED Australian and New Zealand Cablo Association and Renter. , LONDON June 14 Eir Douglas Haig reports:—A strong attack early to-day on our new post southward of Moms was completely repulsed. There was active hostile artillery fire in the Villers-Bretonneux scoter and the Scarp© Valley. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH LOCAL OPERATIONS (Received June 16, 8.6 p.m.) . Sir Ddugas Haig reports English and Sbottish battalions' took sixtv prisonors in successful local operations northward Of Bothune. Succesafui raids on tho yillers-Brctonnonx sector yielded a. fow prisoners. Wo remised an attempted raid on a post at Avoluy Wood. * Local night fighting occurred eastward of tho Nieppe Forest Sir Douglas Haig further reports: —French patrdls northward of Baillou brought m a few prisoners during the night. Low clouds and poor visibility impeded our air work on the I.9th, but the machines took advantage of spells of clear weather and dropped nine tons of bombs on Zeobruggo more On the Armontiercs and Commes railway stations, also on targets'in tho French area. rn do v t i ro7 . C r. tcn ® orman aeroplanes and drove down two unoontrollahk Tho British lost five. Heavy mists prevented night-flying. RELIEF OF HEROIC COURCELLZS GARRISON Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. nr n -> • • i • LONDON, Juno 14. Mr George Perris, instancing tho bitterness of the struggle, describes the fighting at Courcelles. The Germans advanced under cover of a wheat field on Sunday morning and niched tho village. Tho French re-formed and recaptured‘it taking 200 prisoners. Now enemy waves returned, but wore repulsed many times; hut tho village became ho'ct on three sides, and furious fighting continued on Monday until a great French counter-attack on Tuesday relieved tho heroic garriRon. * Tho Allied airmen performed remarkable feats during tins eonntor-afc-tack, sweeping low and machine-gunning the enemy, bombing his heavy batteries, killing tho crows and putting tho guns out of action.

AMERICANS BEAT OFF HEAVY ATTACKS

Australian and New Zealand Gable Association and Ranter. LONDON, Juno 14. An American communique states:—We captured the last German position in Bellean Wood on the afternoon of Juno 12 th. Heavy enemy attacks on Thursday on a front of one and a-half miles, on the line from Belleau to Bouresches, wore preceded by intense artilleryiug. They completely broke down, leaving our positions intact. The enemy’s losses wore seyero. Our airmen on the night of Juno l£th effectively bombed the station at Baroncourt, north-west of Metz. All returned. REMARKABLE ARRIVALS OF AMERICAN TROOPS ALMOST A NEW’ ARMY REACHES FRANCE MONTHLY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Juno 14. Colonel Repington says that the arrivals of Americans in the past two months havo been most remarkable. “We can almost say,” he says, “that a new American Army arrives in France monthly. The Americans arc fighting wherever the Generalissimo requires them, holding important sectors on the eastern French front, and also battling on the Marne and at Montdidier. “All our commanders speak most highly of tho American battalions which have joined our armies, comparing thorn to the Dominion troops, who are second to none.” MEN WILL BE SENT UNTIL VICTORY IS CERTAIN. WASHINGTON, June 14. Mr Newton D. Baker (War Secretary), in a speech at West Point, said that shortly it would be reasonable to expect America's forces in Franco to exceed 1,OCX),000. The Government (ho said) will continue to send men till there was no doubt on the outcome of the struggle. General March, chief of Staff in America, is calmly determined to send men '•until we win the war, whatever the number required. If millions are needed, we will send them. The U-boat menace will not alter our policy oho iota. , PREVENTING THE BOSCHES FROM RESTING BRITISH ACTIVITY IN THE NORTH. GERMAN ILLUSIONS RUDELY DISPELLED. LONDON, June 14. Mr Percival Phillips says that prisoners admit that the Germans bitterly resent the unpleasant activity of the British, who are constantly and methodically .probing and raiding and scoring small success in rectifying the advance Tine. A third of the German divisions withdrawn from the active front were promised . rest and quiet, on the supposition that tho British wore too weak to disturb them. They wqrq soon disillusioned. Our frequent and sudden day and night local attacks keep tho enemy in constant suspense, besides killing and making many prisoners. ALLIES HAVE REACHED MOST CRITICAL HOUR LONDON, Juno 14. Mr Asquith, in the House of Commons, said it was useless to disguise the fact that the Allies had reached tho critical hour of tho war.