GERMAN REPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16985, 23 April 1917, Page 5

GERMAN REPORTS.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and 1 Router.

LONDON, April 20. A wireless German official message states : Firing activity increases daily on tho Arras battlefield. The occupation of the fortified zone on the Sigfried-Hinden-burg position, which has been long under construction, began on March 16 and terminated yesterday by our abandonment of the Aisno bank between Condo and Soupir. The enemy follow hesitatingly. Tho battle on the Aisne (Champagne) con-! tiuues. There is normally strong artillery' firing on the Chemin-des-Damcs ridge. Strong French attacks near Braye-Cerny on both sides of Craonne failed. The French yesterday renewed their attempt to outflank the Brimont position. The French storming waives on the Aisne-Marno Canal five times broke down sanguinarily. Wo aro masters of the situation. There was day-long fighting in the Champagne wooded region between the Thuimiy-Naii-roy road and Auberivo. which, latter we voluntarily evacuated. Our counter-attack pressed back the enemy, and\ we reached our objective. Thus the second French attempt to break through the Champagne was frustrated. The French so far have used more than 30 divisions, on both battlefields. The French attempt to recapture the positions they lost on April 17 failed, but they again gained a footing on the summit.

LONDON, April 21. (Received April 22, at 5.5 p.m.) A wireless German message reports the gradual increase hi the intensity of the artillery firing between Loos and the Arras-Cambrai railway continues. Troops representing all tho German peoples are performing heroic deeds hourly undermost heavy fire and are showing faithful endurance to the death in the mighty battlefields of the Aisne and Champagne. We repulsed, with severe losses, FrancoRussian attacks on Brimont.

The French stubbornly attacked near Braye, from the Aisy Plains as far eastwards as Craonne and between Prosnes and the Suippe (east of jßheims). French attacks at Chemin-defj-Dames and in the Champagne broke down.