EARLIER MESSAGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17327, 29 May 1918, Page 5

EARLIER MESSAGES

STRONG HOSTILE ATTACKS. ALONG THE WHOLE FRANCOBRITISH FRONT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, May 27. Sir Douglas Haig reports: Strong hostile attacks, preceded by a bombardment of great intensity, developed on the morning of May 27 on wide fronts against the British and French between Rheims and Soiasons, and against the French between Locre and Voormezeele. There was considerable hc6tile artillery fire all Sunday and through the night on the British front. WITH THE FRENCH. NO INFANTRY ATTACKS YET. LONDON, May 27. French communique: There is active artillery fire north and south of the Avre but no infantry action. BELGIANS HOTLY ENGAGED. THE ENEMY REPELLED. LONDON, May 27. Belgian communique: During the night, after a violent bombardment, German shock troops attacked the Belgian advanced position between the Passehendaele Canal and St. Georges (close to Nieuport, three miles from the coast). They momentarily penetrated our trenches, but were ejected. An attempted hostile attack in the region of Boesinghe (three miles north-north-west of Ypres) failed under our barrage. THE ENEMY OBJECTIVE. DRIVE TOWARDS PARIS. Auttralian and N.Z. Cablo Association. LONDON, May 27. The Germans are apparently driving towards Paris. A new offensive has begun between Locre and Voormezeele, the Germane gaining 6everal points. ;••• FIGHTING AROUND LOCRE. TO NEUTRALISE FRENCH SUCCESSES. LONDON, May 27. Correspondents report that both the German attacks on the west front were preceded by hurricane bombardments. The southern attack (Rheims-Soisaons sector) was an extensive one, but the northern, which was launched at 4.30 a.m., is apparently a localised attack. Between Locre and Voormezeele (south-west of Ypres) von Arnim's infantry advanced at dawn under cover of a ground haze, following a furious artillery fire. The object of the Scherpenberg attack is to neutralise the recent French success at Locre. The United Prese correspondent, writing at 4.50 p.m., says that the Germans made some progress in the direction of Scherpenberg (one of the chain of dominating heights near Locre). The Allies are fighting brilliantly. It is too. early yet to ' know the result. GENERAL MAURICE'S REVIEW. ENEMY GAINS TO BE EXPECTED. THE ADVANTAGES OF FOG. LONDON, May 27. Major-general Maurice, -writing in the Daily Chronicle, says: One of the lessons of the numerous attacks on entrenched positions is that, if the defenders are resolute and their reserves are adequate, the limit of. advance bears a definite relation to the length of the attacking front. • The British victory at Arras on a 10-mile front advanced five miles, and the British at Wytschaete on a seven-mile front advanced three miles; while the Germans in 1918, on a 70-mile front, advanced about 35 mileg. General Foch has been nursing his reserves carefully, and we need not feaT the worst, though it will be contrary to experience if the enemy do not make eome gain. The Germans in their latest attacks have adhered to their practice of employing massed infantry. They have paid a heavy p,rice, but in the main the practice has been justified. The only new features of the March offensive were the short preliminary bombardment and the use of fog. The former method, by sparing the ground beyond the British front lines, en,,blfid the German infantry and reinforcements to push ahead with huge loads of food and munitions, thus obviating other forms of transport. General Maurice points out that the British have sometimes successfully employed artificial fog, but nothing can equal Nature's fog, under cover of which the Germans broke our line when our machine gune and artillery were blanketed; but they are unlikely tn have this advantage in the coming months. THE LONG-RANGE GUN. BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS RESUMED. PARIS, May 27. The long-range jjun has resumed its bombardment, shells dropping regularly every quarter of an hour since mnirinfr.